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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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