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EMU NL (ASX: EMU) (“EMU” or “the Company”) is pleased to provide an exploration update on the Georgetown Project in Queensland where the Company has extended a geochemistry program to further investigate potential it has identified for a copper porphyry discovery.
Highlights
- High grade copper veins have developed adjacent to a copper porphyry system at Fiery Creek prospect, within the Georgetown Project in Queensland
- High-grade copper assays of up to 23.5% Cu
- Mineralogy review strongly supports the presence of a shallow, constrained significant copper mineralised porphyry system
- Geochemistry favourably compares to similar geologically aged projects including Mount Leyshon, Kidston, Red Dome and nearby Mt Turner
- Copper mineralised zone of the Fiery Creek porphyry system is interpreted to lie close to surface
- Outcropping vein areas indicative of pencil porphyry type systems as documented at North Parkes and Ridgeway, NSW
- Extended geochemistry sampling program underway at Fiery Creek with planned detailed geologic mapping activity
- Geophysics survey (pole dipole, IP, resistivity, MT) scheduled for August 2024
Emu Non-Executive Chairman Peter Thomas commented,
“Emu is increasingly confident the Fiery Creek prospect has the makings of a massive multi- million-tonne copper porphyry system. In addition to Mr Maund’s assessment, the results of our geochemistry work to date at Fiery Creek have confirmed the potential for a near-surface, high- grade deposit which warrants further investigation. Emu intends to strengthen its understanding of this discovery in 2024 by applying modern exploration techniques not previously used in the area. This includes the next key step for the Company which is to undertake a definitive geophysical survey of the Fiery Creek Prospect area in August this year.”
Emu has contracted Independent Consulting Economic Geologist and Fellow of the AusIMM and AIG, Mr Nigel Maund, to assess the Company’s Fiery Creek prospect, within the Georgeotwn Project.
The scope of Mr Maund’s assessment includes:
- a comprehensive mineralogical investigation of the Fiery Creek vein samples1,
- review of EMU exploration data, and
- an update to his interim report2.
In his interim report, Mr Maund suggested the Fiery Creek quartz, copper oxide, sulphide vein array system appears to be developed within the cupolas of two possible, closely spaced “pencil porphyry – type” mineralised systems.
Further research work undertaken by Mr Maund, relying on the updated EMU geologic exploration database, has strengthened his view and interpretation of the system. Indeed, evidence of feldspar porphyry intrusive bodies and phreatic breccias and advanced argillic alteration have been confirmed from Fiery Creek samples viewed under microscope.
Figure 1. Fiery Creek Copper/Yataga Granodiorite summarising rock (brown diamonds) and termite mound sample results (black crosses)
Fiery Creek Geochemistry Suggests Shallow Copper Mineralisation
Substantial high-grade copper assays of up to 23.5% Cu were recorded with anomalous associated elements: bismuth (up to 1.88%), silver (up to 480 g/t), arsenic (up to 1,650 ppm), antimony (up to 667 ppm), zinc (up to 1,470 ppm), barium (up to 1.25 %) and tellurium (up to 215 ppm). Mr Maund noted that the system is copper dominated with significant bismuth and silver. Referencing Dr Scott Halley’s3 work, Mr Maund noted the level of erosion within a porphyry copper system can be pinpointed by its geochemical footprint and its silicate and sulphide mineralogy. See Figures 2 and 3 below. These diagrams illustrate that the Fiery Creek system is likely to have been eroded to the upper potassic alteration shell of a porphyry copper system with high grade copper impregnated veining currently exposed to surface.
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This article includes content from EMU NL, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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Investor Insight
EMU NL is an Australia-focused base and precious metals exploration company offering a compelling opportunity in the highly lucrative copper space. A strategic focus on delineating a large-scale copper porphyry system at its Yataga Copper Project at Georgetown in Northern Queensland, combined with a leadership team of significant global experience and expertise, and an upward trending copper market, all make EMU NL worthy of considerable consideration for any investors looking at the copper sector.
Overview
EMU NL (ASX:EMU) is an ASX-listed precious and base metals exploration company with two active projects in, Australia: Yataga Copper Project in Georgetown (Queensland) and the Badja gold, tungsten and lithium project (Western Australia). EMU’s primary focus is accelerating exploration at the highly promising Yataga Copper Project.
Australia is one of the most attractive regions for mining, according to the Fraser Institute. It ranks Queensland as the 13th most attractive destination for mining investment.
In 2023, Queensland's mines yielded 12.6 tons of gold, positioning it as Australia's fourth most prolific state for this precious metal. The company's presence in relatively attractive mining jurisdictions positions it to capitalize on opportunities in Australia's resource sector and deliver sustainable returns to its shareholders. The recent fundraises of AU$1.45 million have provided sufficient funding to advance its exploration projects and EMU is planning its maiden drilling programme at the Yataga Copper Project in 2025.
Gold and copper continue to demonstrate bullish trends. Various factors are driving the surge in copper prices, including demand patterns such as upgrades in utility grids, the increasing use of copper in electric vehicles, and housing construction. Additionally, the growing energy demand from data centres powering AI applications and servers contributes to the increased need for copper. Both gold and copper prices have hit their all-time high in 2024, enhancing the prospects for junior miners to progress their projects and potentially secure financing easily.
Key Projects
Georgetown Project
The Georgetown project tenements span 850 sq. km. in North Queensland and comprise three exploration permits: Georgetown, Perpendicular Peak and Fiery Creek. Of these, Fiery Creek is the most promising and the current exploration interest for EMU as it covers the Yataga Copper Project.
The Georgetown tenements are located in a resource-rich yet under-explored region in Queensland’s far north, situated within the Georgetown mining district, with a significant history of mining activities and mineral discoveries.
EMU has identified the Yataga Copper Project as a massive-scale copper porphyry system within the 70 sq. km. Yataga Igneous complex. During 2023 and 2024, EMU's reconnaissance efforts at Fiery Creek yielded substantial geochemistry success with more than 8 sq km of highly anomalous copper results from the sampling of terminte mounds by pXRF. EMU concluded 2024 with two geophysics surveys with results currently pending. EMU has advised that it will drill targets during 2025 following completion of the wet season.
The 2023/24 work has confirmed significant, large-scale potential of the project.
The fieldwork has provided support for a large-scale copper porphyry system at the Yataga Copper Project. Drilling results this year will confirm the potential however EMU is targeting large economic bulk tonnage copper resources from shallow ore bodies at Fiery Creek and the Yataga Valley prospects.
Badja Project
The Badja project is located 32 kilometres southeast of the township of Yalgoo and covers an area of 870 hectares. The project's tenements include 2 centrally granted mining leases an adjoining mining lease application covering 279.3 hectares, and a granted exploration license covering 590.3 hectares. EMU’s previous drilling work has identified areas that are prospective for high-grade gold, tungsten and lithium.
EMU is evaluating options to maximize the value of the project, either through sale or retention.
Yataga Copper Project
The Yataga copper project is composed of two prospects overlaying the copper geochemistry anomalous zones within the Yataga Igneous Complex. Most recent discoveries include widespread surficial copper mineralisation along the NNW-SSE shear zone in the central part of the Yataga Copper Project. Surface geochemical surveys have updated EMU’s ecological modelling and identified multiple intra-pluton porphyry copper centres close to the surface. The company’s
recent work has identified a combined area of 8 sq. km of copper-in-soil anomalism with significant potential for expansion. The results from EMU’s field work continue to prove the project’s potential to be a global tier 1 scale copper discovery.
Management Team
Peter Thomas – Non-executive Chairman
Peter Thomas has over thirty years of experience running a legal practice specializing in giving advice to listed explorers and miners. He has served on the boards of various listed companies, including as the founding chairman of copper producer Sandfire Resources and mineral sands producer Image Resources. His current ASX-listed company board positions include non-executive director of Image Resources and non-executive chair of Middle Island Resources.
Roland Bartsch - Non-Executive Director
Roland Bartsch MSc. BSc (Hons) is a geoscientist/mining executive with more than 30 years’ experience in mineral exploration, project development, resource evaluation and mining.
Commencing his career at Western Mining Corporation he has worked with diverse major mining organisations, international consulting groups, and junior miners on copper-gold, base metal, gold and iron ore projects extending from Greenland, the Americas, Africa, Indonesia, Solomon Islands and Australia. Recent roles include chief executive officer, country manager Australia, general manager geology, vice-president technical/geology, technical director and manager geology, mining and exploration.
Tim Staermose – Non-executive Director
Tim Staermose boasts 23 years of expertise in equity capital markets and equity research. His professional journey includes roles at international sell-side equity brokerage firms based in South Korea and Hong Kong, notably Banque Indosuez (now part of Credit Agricole) in the late 1990s and Lehman Brothers in the early 2000s. Transitioning from sell-side equity research, Staermose has since operated as an independent researcher and stock-picker for several private research firms, focusing on natural resources, gold and mining investments.
Potential for large-scale copper porphyry discovery in Queensland, Australia
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