Helix Resources Ltd (ASX:HLX) is off to a strong start in its 2023 drilling program at the Canbelego Copper Project joint venture with Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX:AIS) in western NSW with reverse circulation (RC) drilling intersecting “significant” shallow copper mineralisation.
An RC drilling program of seven holes for 906 that began on January 17, 2023, to test for extensions of shallow high-grade copper at Canbelego Main Lode has been completed with the partners encouraged by observations in drill chips ahead of an updated resource estimate planned for late March 2023.
Copper observations
Copper mineralisation was observed in five drill holes following up extensions to a high-grade interval of 16 metres at 3.12% copper from 117 metres reported in October 2022.
Visual logs from the 906-metre program indicate weak, medium and strong copper mineralisation extending 60 metres up dip from the 16-metre intersection over downhole widths of 12 to 51 metres.
This zone extends about 120 metres along strike to the south of the historic workings, with mineralisation open towards the workings.
“Very encouraging”
Helix managing director Mike Rosenstreich said: “Early indications from the RC drill logging – with significant copper mineral abundance observed, is very encouraging for us to extend the new shallow high-grade copper zone identified in October last year; 16 metres at 3.2% copper.
"The team has identified large gaps in the historical drill coverage and saw the potential for extensions of this high-grade mineralisation up dip and north toward the historical workings. We are rushing these samples to the assay lab.”
Observations from the RC program include:
- 51 metres of weak to strong chalcopyrite (copper sulphide) veins from 84 metres including 2 metres of semi-massive chalcopyrite from 104 metres;
- 25 metres of medium to strong chalcopyrite veins from 108 metres downhole;
- 27 metres of weak to strong chalcopyrite veins from 80 metres downhole including 2 metres of semi-massive chalcopyrite from 103 metres; and
- 12 metres of weak to strong chalcopyrite veins from 65 metres including 1-metre of massive chalcopyrite from 72 metres.
Canbelego Main Lode drill plan.
About Canbelego
Canbelego Project lies along the regional scale Rochford Copper Trend and falls within a 70:30 ‘contributing’ joint venture with Helix holding 70% and serving as operator and Aeris holding 30%.
The Rochford Trend has the potential to host ‘Cobar-style’ copper deposits analogous to the large-scale, high-grade mineralisation found at the nearby CSA Copper Mine that is under offer from Metals Acquisition Corp.
Diamond hole underway
A diamond drill hole is also underway to test high-order conductive targets deeper on the Canbelego Main Lode following several unsuccessful attempts due to technical drilling challenges.
Drill hole CANDD016C is underway at about 550 metres depth approaching the target zone.
Hole CANDD016A deviated away from the target point significantly despite several ‘Navi-cuts’ and other directional interventions to steer the hole back online.
It did intersect significant zones of copper sulphide mineralisation at the Main Lode shear position but the observed mineralisation does not explain the intense downhole electromagnetic (DHEM) conductive response that defines the target.
A subsequent attempt to ‘run-off’ a daughter hole (CANDD016B) from 396 metres downhole was unable to achieve sufficient divergence from the parent hole (CANDD016) to attain the target trajectory and was abandoned.
CAND016C has been successfully wedged off from 280 metres downhole and is on track to hit the central position of the high-conductance target.
“Tracking well”
"Deeper diamond drilling is continuing, and we are hoping to intersect high-grade copper shoots as indicated by very strong geophysical anomalies unlike anything we have recorded previously,” Rosenstreich said.
"I was on site for the past two weeks and have witnessed first-hand the unpredictable ground conditions the team has faced while steering the hole on target.
"We appear to be tracking well with hole ‘16C. If our interpretations of the geophysical targets are correct, we may have some spectacular photos of copper mineralisation in drill core to share soon.”