Thor Energy PLC (AIM:THR, OTCQB:THORF, ASX:THR) said EnviroCopper Limited (ECL), in which Thor holds a 30% stake, has commenced an innovative geophysical survey at the Alford West copper-gold project in South Australia.
The Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) survey is being carried out using the ExoSphere technology by Fleet Space, Thor noted. The technology involves lightweight battery-powered sensors measuring naturally occurring seismic vibrations to detect variations in density of the underlying rock units. This means subsequent drilling can be focused on areas with low-density contrast which have been shown to host oxidised copper mineralisation amenable to potential In-Situ Copper Recovery (ISCR), the company explained.
It noted that the use of the ExoSphere technology has the potential to significantly improve exploration efficiency in both time and cost, and lead to improved drill targeting.
This will result in fewer drillholes, lower environmental impact and reduced time on the land, the company added.
The survey technique is partially funded, up to A$30,000, by the South Australian government Accelerated Discovery Grant awarded to ECL.
The survey results are expected in late March.
"We are pleased to announce the commencement of this low-impact ANT geophysics survey over the Alford West copper-gold project,” commented Nicole Galloway Warland, managing director of Thor Energy in a statement.
“This survey aims to create detailed subsurface maps which will assist targeting areas of potential oxide copper mineralisation within the Alford Copper Belt, hence reducing and focusing further drilling programs.
"The use of the ExoSphere technology has enabled us to be more efficient in our exploration and we will start to see those benefits come to fruition in the upcoming months," she added.