Emmerson Resources Limited (ASX:ERM) has received encouraging results from the first pass fieldwork at the Whatling Hill copper-gold prospect within its Fifield project in New South Wales.
Interestingly, Whatling Hill exhibits several features of an early stage porphyry copper-gold discovery including:
• Highly anomalous rock chip samples up to 0.25 g/t gold and 2% copper;
• Outcrops of intrusive inferred to be of similar age and character to other world-class deposits in the belt (Cadia-Ridgeway and North Parkes); and
• Current auger drilling program returning visible chalcopyrite and extensive alteration.
This Whatling Hill area falls within a regionally significant metallogenic province, bounded by the Lachlan Transfer Zone (LTZ) and the Ordovician age, Macquarie Arc.
Given the promising results, Emmerson has accelerated exploration at Whatling Hill where an auger rig is currently completing a large geochemical program to accurately define the underlying mineralisation and guide future drilling.
Field-based activities continuing across the projects
Emmerson has now completed first pass fieldwork at its 100%-owned Fifield, Sebastopol, Temora, Kiola and Wellington projects in New South Wales.
Field-based activities are continuing across the projects, with rock chip results up to 27.8 g/t gold at Sebastopol and 19.6% copper at Kiola.
Hallmarks of a promising gold-rich porphyry copper system
Emmerson managing director Rob Bills said: “The Whatling Hill discovery is further testament to the effectiveness of the science-based, systematic exploration that Emmerson is conducting across its project areas in New South Wales.
“A discovery across any of these projects has the potential to be transformational for the company – particularly given the paucity of new copper-gold projects and the competition for new resources from the other major players in the field such as Newcrest Mining, Fortescue, Evolution Mining, China Molybdenum, Regis Resources, Sandfire and Aurelia Metals.
“Whilst Whatling Hill is still at an early stage, it features all the hallmarks of a promising gold-rich porphyry copper system.”