Surefire Resources NL (ASX:SRN) has started a moving-loop ground electromagnetic (MLEM) survey at its 100%-owned Copper Hill Project in Western Australia’s Murchison region. The campaign is designed to refine high-priority copper sulphide targets associated with Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) mineralisation identified through earlier geochemical sampling and drilling.
The survey will cover key zones of copper and zinc anomalism and aims to delineate conductive anomalies to support drill targeting.
Location of Surefire Resources Copper Hill Project.
Results from the two-week program will feed into a broader exploration strategy at Copper Hill, which sits just 3 kilometres from the company’s Yidby Gold Project, where drilling is also underway.
“The commencement of this EM survey marks an important step in our systematic exploration strategy at the Copper Hill Project. Our team has identified a number of compelling geochemical targets exhibiting sulphides at shallow depths that warrant geophysical follow-up,’ Surefire managing director Paul Burton said.
“We are excited by the potential to uncover a significant copper-bearing system and look forward to updating shareholders as results become available.”
Survey builds on earlier VMS indicators
Surefire previously confirmed VMS-style copper sulphide mineralisation at Copper Hill through a combination of soil geochemistry, scout drilling and petrographic analysis. Earlier studies highlighted the presence of blebby chalcopyrite (CuFeS₂) along with anomalous levels of zinc, niobium, cadmium, antimony and molybdenum.
These results, combined with reports of copper sulphides and native copper from historical drill logs, suggest a geological setting analogous to the Golden Grove VMS deposit, lending further support to the company’s targeting rationale.
Technical details of MLEM program
The MLEM survey will be carried out by Southern Geoscience Consultants using advanced high-sensitivity equipment to detect both deep and weakly conductive targets. The layout comprises approximately 125 survey stations across nine lines using 200-metre transmitter loops and 100-metre station spacing.
Key survey parameters include:
- EM Receiver: SMARTem 24 multi-channel system
- EM Transmitter: DRTX, delivering up to 150V input and 100 AMP TX current
- EM Sensor: Fluxgate B field for X, Y and Z components
- Configuration: MLEM (200m x 200m loops), ~1Hz base frequency (to be confirmed).
Priority lines are marked in red on survey maps, with black stations identified for secondary infill.
Proposed MLEM survey layout over geochemical soil contours and Airborne Magnetic image. Red stations are the Priority EM lines while the black stations are secondary infill.
Further updates will come as as the survey progresses and once interpretation of the EM data is complete.