Aruma Resources Ltd (ASX:AAJ) earlier this week began a ground-based electromagnetic (EM) survey at the Tillex Copper-Silver Project in Ontario’s prolific Timmins mining district, as the company advances exploration ahead of a planned drilling campaign.
Managing director Grant Ferguson told Proactive that the program will serve as a key technical foundation for exploration over the next 12 to 18 months. He said the survey will help refine targets for strike extension drilling while also improving understanding of the depth potential of the known copper mineralisation.
Ferguson described the work as “a pivotal and foundational program for all activities in the future,” noting that the company aims to move quickly from geophysics to drilling.
Interview highlights
- Aruma Resources has commenced a ground-based electromagnetic (EM) survey at the Tillex Copper-Silver Project in Ontario.
- The program will cover the Tillex deposit and two additional claim areas.
- The survey will help define strike extensions, drill targets and depth potential of copper mineralisation.
- Copper sulphide mineralisation is known to begin around 30–35 metres below surface.
- Historic drilling includes 10,000 metres of diamond drilling.
- Past results include 110m at 1.69% copper and silver assays up to 100 g/t.
- The project is located in the Timmins mining district, a tier-one global mining region.
- Strong infrastructure and nearby mining services support exploration activities.
- Aruma plans to begin drilling in the coming months, including holes for metallurgical testing.
- The company aims to develop Tillex into a flagship asset and work toward a JORC resource.
Proactive: Welcome back to Proactive Investors. Grant Ferguson, the managing director of Aruma Resources, joins me today. The company is getting underway at the Timmins project. What’s happening?
Grant Ferguson: First of all, Kerry, thank you for the opportunity to talk again. Yes, it is the Timmins area in Ontario and the Tillex Project. This week we are starting our ground survey over the Tillex deposit and two of the licence claim areas. Originally we planned to do an airborne survey, but at the last minute we made a change and will instead conduct a ground-based survey.
This is going to be a pivotal and foundational program for all activities in the future, certainly for the next 12 to 18 months. It will help with planning for potential strike extensions, potential drilling targets and understanding the depth potential of the copper mineralisation that we know exists.
We already have very wide, high-grade zones identified, but we want to understand the depth potential of that copper mineralisation. Quite quickly after this, likely within the following month, we want to begin drilling and putting some initial holes down for metallurgical sampling, depth targeting and testing potential strike extensions. It is a very exciting time.
Proactive: I like to see companies getting moving on things like this, but people will want to understand why you like the Timmins district so much.
Grant Ferguson: The Timmins district is really a tier-one mining province, not just for Canada but globally. It has a long history of successful gold discoveries and operations as well as copper projects. Kidd Creek is a classic example, with mining down to around three kilometres by Glencore.
It is a large mineral system with multiple operations in the area and is extremely prolific. The city of Timmins has essentially been built around the mining industry, which means there are service industries close by. About 57 kilometres to the west we have access to service providers such as drilling companies, technical specialists and other support.
Another advantage is that the local workforce is very familiar with mining. Many people in the area have grown up with the industry, which helps companies like Aruma move forward and develop projects efficiently.
Proactive: You said before we started that this is a pivotal moment for Aruma. Is the ground survey mainly to give you a better idea of where to start drilling?
Grant Ferguson: Exactly. When we decided to acquire this project, we reviewed many opportunities. What stood out here was that the project already has around 10,000 metres of diamond drilling completed, including intersections up to 110 metres downhole at 1.69% copper. There are also silver assays of up to 100 grams per tonne.
Importantly, the copper occurs in sulphide form and starts at around 30 to 35 metres below surface, which is unusual to see. With the acquisition of the deposit and the extension of the mineralisation along strike to the south, which also contains copper intersections, we see the potential for economies of scale.
The mineralisation has known strike extent, and similar systems such as Kidd Creek show the potential for significant depth. We already have identified areas with 70 to 80 metres of mineralisation, so we are moving into a fairly advanced exploration target. The aim will ultimately be to work toward a JORC resource.
Proactive: We'll watch this space. The ground survey is now underway and we expect plenty of news flow. Grant, thanks for joining me.
Grant Ferguson: Thanks very much, Kerry.