Aruma Resources Ltd (ASX:AAJ) has entered binding agreements to acquire the Tillex Copper-Silver Project and adjoining privately owned patent claims in Ontario, Canada’s Timmins mining district.
The company has signed a binding agreement with TSX-V-listed Metals Creek Resources to acquire an 85% interest in two Tillex patent claims, and a separate sale and purchase agreement to acquire 100% of two adjacent privately held patent claims. Together, the four claims will be consolidated under the Tillex Project name going forward.
Tillex is located about 57 kilometres east of Timmins and roughly 60 kilometres from Glencore’s Kidd Creek copper operation, which produces an average 40,000t Cu and 70,000t Zn per annum The project has year-round highway access, direct access to power at the claim boundary and is positioned in a region with a long-standing mining services base.
“We are excited by the scale, geometry and growth potential of the Project, and by the strong body of high-grade results delivered to date, Aruma Resources managing director, Grant Ferguson said. “We see great potential for the discovery of additional strata-bound-hosted or VMS copper mineralisation along strike and at depth beyond the Project’s drill-defined area.
Thick, shallow high-grade copper and silver intercepts underpin the acquisition
Aruma is acquiring a project with more than 10,283 metres of historical diamond drilling completed by previous operators, with results including broad, near-surface copper sulphide intersections and elevated silver values.
Highlight intercepts include 110 metres at 1.69% copper and 7.05g/t silver from 34 metres (TX24-020), including 28.72 metres at 2.35% copper and 9.52g/t silver from 55 metres and 29 metres at 2.64% copper and 12.31g/t silver from 100 metres.
Other significant results include 98.2 metres at 1.82% copper and 13.17g/t silver from 35.8 metres (TX25-034) and 92.05 metres at 2.12% copper and 12.18g/t silver from 36.95 metres (TX24-022), including 29 metres at 3.26% copper and 20.92g/t silver from 98 metres.
Silver grades have also been notable, including 5 metres at 355.30g/t silver from 89m (TX11-008). Aruma highlighted a high-grade interval in TX25-034 of 0.55 metres at 14% copper and 216g/t silver from 120.3 metres.
Strategy: grow the footprint and move toward a maiden resource
Aruma said copper sulphide mineralisation begins from about 30 metres below surface and has been drill tested to about 150 metres depth, with higher-grade copper currently defined over a 450 metres strike length and open to the north, south, west and at depth.
The company plans to implement a dual exploration and resource development strategy, aimed at expanding the mineralised footprint and confirming a maiden mineral resource estimate.
Work has already begun on reinterpretation of existing geophysical and soil geochemical datasets, along with re-logging and reinterpretation of drilling data. A detailed ground geophysics program is planned for calendar Q1 2026, alongside a Phase 1 diamond drilling program focused on confirmation and step-out drilling.
From Phase 1 core, Aruma intends to begin initial metallurgical testwork and process route assessment, with a Phase 2 drilling campaign targeted for H2 2026, aimed at supporting a maiden mineral resource estimate.
Aruma has appointed Canadian geologist Kevin Wells as Tillex project manager.