Surefire Resources NL is encouraged by first-pass geochemical assay results from scout drilling of surface copper targets at its Copper Hill project, formerly Yidby East Phat Boy project, in the Mid-West region of Western Australia.
Results demonstrate copper anomalism is increasing beneath the broad surface geochemical anomalies, with a geophysical survey planned to locate massive sulphide targets.
The company completed the maiden drilling program at Copper Hill in early December, intersecting a sequence of disseminated sulphides in black volcanic fresh rock beneath the anomalous copper and zinc soil geochemical zones.
A total of 11 reverse circulation drill holes for 672 metres was completed over surface geochemical targets covering a broad 3-kilometre by 2-kilometre zone, with samples sent for multi-element XRF analysis at NAGROM Laboratories, Perth.
Drill hole PBRC010 was drilled beneath target T2 which had maximum surface copper values of 230ppm copper over a broad 500-metre by 500-metre zone.
Encouraging results
Assay results show an increase in copper values from 32 metres to the maximum depth of 62 metres with results ranging from 1,695ppm up to 2,010ppm, with the highest results occurring at the end of the hole.
Scout drilling established that the copper anomalism on surface consists of black volcanic-derived meta-sediments containing thick zones of disseminated sulphides.
These contain the copper and anomalous values of other elements notably sulphur which has very high values up to 27,270ppm.
The association of copper and very high sulphur levels indicates the strong presence of sulphides and could assist as a vector to mineralisation. The company says there appears to be a northeast-southwest trend aligning the surface and subsurface anomalism, interpreted as a copper-sulphur trend and will be the focus of further work.
“The results from the 4-metre composites are encouraging and continue to show increasing grade of copper mineralisation extending almost an order of magnitude beyond our previous geochemical results,” Surefire managing director Paul Burton said.
“The association of very high sulphur results provides more impetus for this project.”
What’s next?
Burton said, “It is early exploration days for the Copper Hill Project and the project now has geochemical trends on surface and subsurface.
“The next step is geophysics which can provide better targeting for follow-up drilling exploration.”
Surefire is planning to follow up on the recent scout drilling, which showed an increase in subsurface anomalism, with geophysical methods of electromagnetics (EM), and induced polarization (IP) to locate any massive or disseminated sulphide targets.
The largest surface geochemical anomaly T2 provided the best drill results.
T4 remains untested due to limited access for the drill rig following rain and will be included in the next phase of drilling.