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Alderan Resources Limited (ASX: AL8) (Alderan or the Company) is pleased to advise that its Stage 1 drilling programme at the New Years copper prospect in the Cactus copper-gold (Cu-Au) district in Utah, USA has intersected high grade copper mineralisation based on visual inspection and pXRF readings on the drill core. Spot pXRF readings reach grades of 45.5% copper between 14.0-14.2m down hole NY2024-DDH2 with the average of three separate readings over this interval being 23.2% copper (see Figure 2). This sits within a 30m interval from 10.8m downhole which contains high pXRF copper grades (see Appendix 3).
HIGHLIGHTS
- Two holes intersected high grade copper mineralisation in Alderan’s Stage 1 drilling programme at New Years copper prospect in the Cactus copper-gold district, Utah.
- Hole NY2024-DDH2 intersected copper mineralisation from 10-40m down hole with averaged pXRF drill core assay intervals up to 23.2% copper. A second 2m zone of mineralisation at 72m downhole has spot pXRF grades up to 28.0% copper.
- Hole NY2024-DDH3 has intersected visible oxide copper mineralisation from surface to a depth of 99m downhole – pXRF assaying in progress.
- Copper mineralisation occurs in tourmaline breccia, the same rock that hosts the neighbouring historical Cactus copper-gold deposit which mined 2.0% copper ore.
- The preliminary logging and pXRF readings suggest that the drill holes may have significantly extended the mineralised zones reported in historical holes NY-6 and NY-2 which intersected 13.7m @ 2.32% Cu within 19.8m @ 1.67% Cu from 22.9m downhole and 10.7m @ 1.52% Cu within 27.4m @ 0.85% Cu from surface respectively.
- Alderan is now completing permitting for a follow-up drilling programme at New Years.
Figure 1: High grade copper mineralisation in tourmaline breccia which contains pXRF grades up to 45.5% copper within the interval 14-16m down hole NY2024-DDH2
Cautionary Note: Visual estimates and pXRF readings described in this release and detailed in Appendix 3 should not be considered a proxy or substitute for laboratory analyses. Laboratory assays are required to determine representative grades and mineralisation intervals reported from geological logging and pXRF readings. Visual estimates also potentially provide no information regarding impurities or deleterious physical properties relevant to valuations. Drill core from this programme is being sampled for laboratory analysis at ALS laboratories and results will be reported as soon as they become available.
The Stage 1 drilling at New Years is a three hole (319m) programme aimed at verifying copper mineralisation intersected in historical holes drilled in 1964 and 2002 plus identifying geological controls on mineralisation.1 Stage 2 drilling, which will be dependent on the final Stage 1 results, will focus on extending the mineralisation intersected in Stage 1 and testing geophysical targets. Sampling for lab analysis and detailed geological logging of the holes is still in progress and final design of Stage 2 drill sites is underway. Archaeological inspections required for permitting the proposed Stage 2 drill sites is also underway.
Figure 2: NY2024-DDH2 drill core at 14.0-14.2m downhole. The pXRF copper grade over 3 readings averages 23.2%.
Managing Director of Alderan, Scott Caithness, commented:
“The visual estimates and pXRF spot readings on the core from the second and third holes drilled in the New Years programme are very exciting with both indicating that near surface potentially high grades of copper mineralisation have been intersected. There is also clear evidence that copper rich sulphide mineralisation occurs deeper in the breccia pipe.
“The 30m copper mineralised intersection in Alderan’s hole NY2024-DDH2 from 10m downhole appears to broadly correlate and extend the historical hole NY-6 intersection which was 13.7m @ 2.32% Cu within 19.8m @ 1.67% Cu from 22.9m downhole. Although pXRF assays are not yet available, based on visuals hole NY2024-DDH3 appears to have intersected copper mineralisation to a depth of around 99m from surface – much deeper than historical hole NY-2.
“The Stage 1 drilling programme has been completed with detailed geological logging of the core and sampling for lab analysis now underway. Work has also commenced on final design and permitting for follow-up drilling”
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Empire Metals Limited Announces Drilling Outlines Large, High-Grade Zone
- Selected exceptional intercepts (>6% TiO2), include:
- 44m @ 7.87% TiO2 from surface (AC25TOM159)
- 50m @ 7.84% TiO2 from 4m (AC25TOM130)
- 54m @ 7.41% TiO2 from surface (AC25TOM118)
- 98m @ 7.05% TiO2 from 2m (RC25TOM062)
- 98m @ 7.05% TiO2 from 2m (RC25TOM068)
- Large, high-grade central core identified averaging circa 6% TiO2 across a continuous 3.6km strike length
- Nearly two thirds of all drillholes averaged > 4% TiO2, with over 90% exceeding a 2% cut-off.
Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, said:"These results confirm the exceptional scale and grade of titanium mineralisation at Thomas. The continuity of high-grade mineralisation near surface is particularly exciting for future mine development. With assays received ahead of schedule, we can now accelerate resource modelling and move rapidly towards announcing our maiden MRE."
MRE Drilling Programme - Key Results
Since commencing the maiden drilling campaign at Pitfield on 27 March 2023 Empire has completed 382 drill holes for a total 32,265 metres (refer Figure 1) comprising:
- 17 Diamond drill holes for 2,704 m
- 140 Reverse Circulation (RC) drill holes for 18,764 m
- 225 Air Core (AC) drill holes for 10,797 m.
The latest May-June campaign comprised:
- 140 AC drillholes (6,360m) on a 400 x 200m grid, average depth 45.4m
- 40 RC drillholes (3,776m) within the AC grid, average depth 94.4m
Figure 1. Grey-scale magnetics overlain by airborne gravity data showing RC, AC and diamond drillhole collar locations and JORC Exploration Target areas.
During the campaign all drill holes were subsampled on a 2m interval, resulting in over 5,000 drill samples being collected, logged by our on-site team of geologists and then prepared for shipment to Intertek's Perth based analytical laboratory. The analytical assay results have now been received, showing continuous TiO2-rich mineralisation across the overall drillhole grid, which extends 5.2km by 2.6km and totals an area of 1,352 hectares (refer Figure 2).
The drilling has confirmed the presence of a large, high-grade central core at the Thomas prospect, this target being selected as the basis for the maiden MRE due to the extensive, thick and high-grade titanium mineralisation known to be hosted within the broad, in-situ weathered zone. Whilst over 90% of all drillhole sample assays show mineralisation well above a 2% TiO2 cut-off grade this central high-grade core, extends over 3.6km north-south, averages around 6% TiO2 (refer Table 1).
Table 1. Breakdown of drillhole assay results by average grade of drillhole and percentage of total drilling.
Significant analytical assay results for each drillhole above 6% TiO2 are reported in Table 2 further below.
Figure 2. RC and AC drill hole collar locations within the Thomas Prospect priority area.
Strategic Significance
The May-June campaign marked a major milestone in the development of Pitfield, laying the foundation for a globally significant MRE and enabling the identification of near-surface, high grade zones to support the development of mine planning and ore scheduling as part of upcoming economic evaluation studies.
Table 2. Significant Intercepts above 6% TiO2.
The Pitfield Titanium Project
Located within the Mid-West region of Western Australia, near the northern wheatbelt town of Three Springs, the Pitfield titanium project lies 313km north of Perth and 156km southeast of Geraldton, the Mid West region's capital and major port. Western Australia is a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction, with mining-friendly policies, stable government, transparency, and advanced technology expertise. Pitfield has existing connections to port (both road & rail), HV power substations, and is nearby to natural gas pipelines as well as a green energy hydrogen fuel hub, which is under planning and development (refer Figure 3).
Figure 3. Pitfield Project Location showing theMid-West Region Infrastructure and Services
Competent Person Statement
The technical information in this report that relates to the Pitfield Project has been compiled by Mr Andrew Faragher, an employee of Empire Metals Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Empire. Mr Faragher is a Member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Faragher has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Faragher consents to the inclusion in this release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, as incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, until the release of this announcement.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed and OTCQB-traded exploration and resource development company (LON: EEE) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource.
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