Aeris Resources Limited (ASX:AIS) has defined an exploration target at the Kurrajong prospect within the wider Tritton project in Central West NSW ranging between 3-4 million tonnes at a grade between 1.5 to 2% copper.
After completing a 14-hole drilling program, the company established the exploration target based on a copper sulphide horizon extending 1,100 metres down plunge.
With additional drilling there is potential to increase the size of the target and define a higher grade of more than 2% copper as evidenced by the wide spaced alignment of high-grade copper intersections.
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Aeris executive chairman Andrew Labuschagne said: “The defining of an exploration target for Kurrajong demonstrates the potential of this deposit whilst also validating the broader prospectivity of our Tritton tenement package.
“In the last two years we have also identified 29 new EM anomalies and in the coming year we are aiming to commence first pass drilling on the highest potential anomalies.”
Kurrajong exploration target
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The exploration target is based entirely on diamond drill core from two drilling programs completed between 2012 to 2018.
Being conceptual in nature, it does not consider geological complexity or economic parameters, including potential mining methods or modifying factors.
The geology of the Kurrajong deposit is similar to other sulphide systems discovered within Aeris’ producing Tritton package.
Kurrajong is laterally extensive containing dominantly pyrite with lesser chalcopyrite which has been traced over 300 metres along strike and extends down plunge.
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Two different geology domains have been modelled which represent the exploration target.
Each domain represents a sulphide texture and copper distribution – a massive pyrite domain with copper grades typically exceeding 2% is encompassed within a larger banded pyrite domain with grades less than 2%.
Further work at the Kurrgajong deposit is justified on account of:
- The size and grade range of the exploration target;
- Geological similarities between Kurrajong and other deposits within the company’s Tritton tenement package; and
- The prospectivity at Kurrajong and the potential to increase the size of the exploration target with further drilling.