Aeris Resources Ltd’s (ASX:AIS) joint venture partner Helix Resources Ltd (ASX:HLX) has begun diamond drilling at the Canbelego Copper Project in central New South Wales, in proximity to Aeris's Tritton operations.
Drilling contractor Mitchell Services is on-site to drill CANDD001 – the first diamond core drilling at Canbelego, which is 70% owned by Helix and 30% by Aeris, since 2013.
The diamond drilling is part of an initial 1,100-metre program at the project and is targeting the depth extensions indicated by the untested downhole electromagnetic conductors.
As part of the JV, Aeris is contributing to exploration expenditure.
“Team mobilised to site”
Helix’s team has mobilised to site and will be joined by consulting structural geologist Dr Vladimir David to assist with detailed core logging and drill planning as part of the build-up of the ‘discovery’ team to be based out of Orange, NSW, and led Gordon Barnes who begins as Helix’s exploration manager on May 10, 2021.
Helix managing director Mike Rosenstreich said: “It’s wonderful to be on the ground with our geologists, geophysical crews and drill contractors so quickly after completion of our recent $3 million capital raise.
“Transferring our exploration HQ to Orange means we will be closer to the projects and better positioned to maintain a more aggressive exploration program.”
Schematic Long-section of the Canbelego Copper Deposit, with re-processed DHEM conductor target and approximate location of drill hole pierce points for the initial 2021 drilling.
“High-priority targets”
A recent VTEM MAXTM survey has highlighted previously unrecognised potential extensions and repetitions of the Canbelego copper mineralisation.
Surface electromagnetic surveys have resumed over new anomalies at the Rochford and Collerina trends with the aim to better define prospective targets identified by the VTEM ahead of drill testing.
Rosenstreich said: “The recent VTEM survey has been a great success and has highlighted the Canbelego area as a high-priority target prospective for significant increments to the current copper resource defined there.”
Additional RC drilling is planned to test these areas along with several other high-priority targets in a follow-up program.