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CuFe Ltd (ASX: CUF) (CuFe or the Company) is pleased to provide an update on the status of CuFe’s Tennant Creek Cu-Au project, which is owned 55% by CuFe and 45% by Gecko Mining Company Pty Ltd. The project has an existing JORC 2012 resource of 7.3MT at 1.7% Copper and 0.6g/t Gold (refer to CuFe’s ASX release dated 3 April 2023).
HIGHLIGHTS
- Detailed technical review has identified 4 high priority exploration targets to grow CuFe Tennant Creek global resources.
- Review has provided detailed information to initiate assessment of heritage and regulatory approvals for initial near term exploration program including approximately 5,000m of drilling.
- It has identified the potential to grow the Orlando resource based on existing drilling following an external review of the 2023 Orlando Resource and historical underground drill data.
- Detailed analysis to further define targets continues, including reprocessing and interpretation of historical geophysical data.
CuFe Executive Director, Mark Hancock, commented “With the ongoing exploration success of other juniors in the region, the sustained improvement in the copper market and historical highs in the gold price we have initiated a detailed technical review of our Tennant Creek project. The aim is to expand existing resources and highlight the exploration potential remaining in the area. We have developed a detailed suite of targets that we can translate to on ground exploration with an initial drill program to be executed post heritage and regulatory approvals. We see a lot of potential to add resources to underpin the future recommencement of mining in this world class mineral field.”
Technical Review and Scope
A detailed technical review of the Tenant Creek geology, historical data sets and exploration targets has been undertaken by Mr John Dobe as a technical consultant to CuFe. Mr Dobe is a geologist with >30 years of global exploration experience (predominantly Homestake/Barrick) specialising in project generation and project evaluations at all stages of exploration, from grassroots through to brownfields. John has a detailed understanding of mineral deposits with particular focus on porphyry Cu-Au, IOCG, epithermal Au, orogenic Au, Sediment-hosted Cu, SEDEX, and VHMS deposits.
The scope of the review included auditing and consolidation of historical drill hole geological and geophysical databases, exploration target review, generation and ranking. The outcomes of the review have helped derive an exploration strategy with the aim of growing the global resources at the CuFe Tennant Creek Project.
Review Findings and Target Ranking
The Gecko and Orlando Corridors are well explored and current resources are mostly well defined with multiple generations of surface and underground drilling including RAB, vacuum, RC and Diamond. The sharp and well-defined nature of the mineralisation does provide further opportunities for additional resources extensions immediately adjacent to the known deposits. Geophysical data is also abundant and wide ranging including IP, Helitem, magnetics, gravity and seismic.
Exploration targets in aim of growing the global resource have been identified within the Orlando and Gecko Corridor and have been allocated the following categories:
1. Resource extensions and infill
2. Near Resource / brownfields
3. Target Delineation
4. Grassroots / Generative
Resource extensions and infill targets have a higher degree of certainty and potential than those that are grassroots generative and conceptual in nature.
Targets have also been ranked by priority on the basis of their complexity, exploration maturity and prospectivity. Their relative potential size has been estimated based on technical review/analysis and conceptual models and projections (See Figure 1).
Figure 1: Targets defined during the technical review within the Gecko and Orlando corridors.
Four high priority targets have fallen out of the technical review that are located with both the Gecko and Orlando corridors. Spatially the targets are shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Location of the targets and the Orlando and Gecko Corridors
Orlando Corridor
Five targets have been identified within the Orlando Corridor, two of which are high priority, potentially adding to resources by extension and near resources / brownfields discoveries. Orlando underground resource extension includes the interpretation and modelling of the Orlando underground resources that are not included within the current Orlando Resource.
Recently MEC consulting was engaged by CuFe to review the Orlando Resources and historical drilling data. The review confirmed that there is drill hole data that supports extensions of copper and gold mineralisation from the existing open pit, into and around the historical underground workings. Currently this mineralisation is not interpreted and or reported in the existing 2023 Orlando Resource (See Figure 3 and refer to CuFe ASX announcement 3 April 2023). An immediate workstream has been initiated to develop a global resource for the Orlando deposit based on an updated validated drill hole data base including recently sourced Grade Control drilling from the Open Pit mining and historic drilling where QA/QC can be achieved. This target ranks high in terms of priority based on the short lead time with no drilling required and minimal execution costs. It also has the potential to grow the underground resource at Orlando with reasonable confidence considering the drill intercepts are confirmed and historical underground mining has recovered cooper and gold from these levels.
The second high priority target within the Orlando Corridor is an area immediately below the open pit and adjacent to the underground where there is a gap in drill coverage that leaves a portion of the resource open along strike and at depth (See Figure 3). Testing this gap will require deep drilling in the order of 350m but the potential scale of this target justifies its high ranking and priority.
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This article includes content from CUFE LTD, 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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Overview
CuFe Limited (ASX:CUF) is a multi-commodity exploration and development company with interest in a number of projects situated throughout mature mining jurisdictions in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The company's value proposition is predicated on its high-grade mature copper/gold project at Tennant Creek as well as its exposure to iron ore, gold and niobium. Its exploration portfolio includes mature copper targets at Tennant Creek and greenfield exploration ground near WA1's recent niobium discovery.
CuFe’s Tennant Creek project hosts a mineral resource estimate of 10.35 million tons (Mt) at 1.5 percent copper and 0.9 grams per ton (g/t) gold for 159 kt copper and 302 koz gold. CuFe currently owns a 55 percent interest in over 240 kilometres of the highly-prospective tenure in the Northern Territory.
CuFe's near-term plan for the mine involves a staged cutback of the Orlando open pit to gain access to an ore supply for fast start options.
CuFe is also evaluating the Yarram project, as its proximity to the Darwin port gives it the potential for low OPEX.
CuFe is led by a highly experienced management team adept at identifying opportunities, making discoveries, evaluating and developing projects and maintaining operations. The team is led by executive director Mark Hancock, who has 25 years experience in resource projects across a variety of commodities in senior finance, commercial and marketing roles.
Company Highlights
- CuFe Limited is an ASX-listed , copper, gold, iron ore and niobium exploration and development company with a multi-commodity portfolio of assets.
- The company's assets are situated in mature mining regions in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, with access to extensive pre-existing infrastructure.
- CuFe's projects are highly prospective for copper (Tennant Creek, Bryah Basin), iron ore (Yarram / Camp Creek / Robertson Range), gold (North Dam, Tambourah, Nullagine) and niobium (West Arunta).
- Two of these projects have existing JORC resources, being Tennant Creek (55 percent CuFe owned) and Yarram (50 percent CuFe owned).
- The company is led by a proven and experienced in-house team with expertise in identification, discovery, evaluation, deployment and operations.
Key Projects
Copper
Tennant Creek
CuFe’s Tennant Creek project is located in the highly prospective Gecko-Goanna copper-gold corridor of the Northern Territory. A mature project comprising three high-grade copper and gold mineral resources, it contains a combined JORC 2012 mineral resource of 10.35 MT at 1.53 percent copper and 0.9 g/t gold for 159 kt copper and 302 koz gold. Highly-prospective for further resource growth from resource extensions and new discoveries, Tennant Creek is also located near grid power, a gas pipeline, the Stuart highway and the rail line to Darwin.
The area where Tennant Creek is hosted is a re-emerging mineral field with recent neighbouring exploration success from companies such as Emmerson Resources (ASX:ERM) and Tennant Minerals (ASX:TMS). Near-mine targets include the potential to extend resources and open enrichment within the Orlando and Gecko structural corridors. Emmerson Resources, CuFe and Tennant Minerals formed a strategic alliance to collaborate on copper, gold and critical metals development opportunities in the Tennant Creek Region of the Northern Territory. This alliance aims to assess the development options including the viability of a single multi-user processing facility in the high- grade region.
The current focus for Tennant Creek is to identify and drill high-potential exploration targets with a view to growing the resource base while considering a staged cutback of the existing Orlando open pit to gain access to an ore supply for a fast start option.
Bryah Basin JV projects
Through wholly owned subsidiary Jackson Minerals, CuFe has a 20 percent interest in roughly 800 square kilometres of highly-prospective tenements proximal to the former Sandfire Resources' (ASX:SFR) Doolgunna project and Degrussa copper gold mine, as well as several other prominent gold and copper prospects. Collectively known as the Bryah Basin JV projects, the tenements are currently subject to joint ventures and farm-ins with several companies. The most prominent of these is the Morck Well project, which is under an exploration licence with Auris Minerals (ASX:AUR) alongside the Forrest project.
The Morck Well project tenements cover an area of 600 square kilometres in the highly-prospective region, which has also been recognized to have high iron ore potential and this now comprises the company’s Robertson Range iron ore project
Gold
North Dam
The North Dam project is roughly 50 kilometres south-southeast of the township of Coolgardie and in close proximity to the Wattle Dam, Spargos Reward and Lady Allison gold deposits
To date, work on the project has focused on lithium and rare earth potential but the focus of future exploration will be gold.
Tambourah
The 100 percent owned Tambourah Tenure is a prospective exploration with known gold occurrences. Located roughly 90 kilometres south of the Pilgangoora and Wodgina lithium complexes, and 175 kilometres south of Port Hedland, the project was historically explored for gold and contains known gold occurrences within alluvial material and reef systems. Current work on the project to date has involved geological mapping and rock chip sampling.
Niobium
West Arunta
The 100 percent owned West Arunta project consists of four tenements located in the highly-prospective region of the same name. The tenure is known to be prospective for carbonatite-hosted niobium and rare earth element mineralization and has IOCG potential. Spanning roughly 250 square kilometres, it is located approximately 70 kilometres north of several prominent recent discoveries by WA1 and ENC.
CuFe has recently completed native title arrangements to commence work in the ground and this is expected to occur during the 2025 field work season for the region (April to November). In the meantime Southern Geoscience Consulting has undertaken a geophysical review of publicly available airborne magnetic data for the tenements including re-processing of said data and 3D unconstrained inversion modeling. Analysis of the total magnetic imagery revealed three anomalous areas across the package, resulting in nine target anomalies for further investigation and exploration.
Iron
Yarram
The Yarram iron ore project is a mature development opportunity with the potential for low-cost production. CuFe currently holds a 50 percent interest in the project, which includes operatorship. Partially located on an existing mining lease on freehold land, Yarram has a high-grade DSO resource of 5.6 MT at +60 percent iron as well as a low-grade component of 7.1 Mt with the potential for beneficiation.
Situated 110 kilometres from Darwin Port and adjacent to underutilised mining infrastructure, Yarram also features favourable ore body geometry, with existing infrastructure and services contributing to its low capex and opex.
An initial diamond drilling program provided HG core from two deposits within the project.
Physical and thermal metallurgical testing confirms the generation of a lump product with roughly 41 percent yield, elevated gangue levels in the very fine fractions and acceptable thermal and materials handling properties, making it suitable as a blast furnace lump burden feed.
CuFe has also undertaken geotechnical testwork on the diamond drill core to provide parameters for pit optimizations and designs. Final pit shells and a high-level mine schedule have been developed for use in regulatory approvals.
The company has recently been granted a further tenement south of Yarram, known as Camp Creek which is prospective for iron ore and field work is planned for the current year.
Management Team
Tony Sage - Executive Chairman
Tony Sage is an entrepreneur with over 36 years of experience in corporate advisory services, funds management and capital raising, predominantly within the resource sector. He is based in Western Australia and has continued to be involved in managing and financing listed mining and exploration companies with a diverse commodity base.
Sage has developed global operational experience within Europe, North and South America, Africa, Oceania, Asia and the Middle East. He is currently non-executive chairman of ASX-listed Cyclone Metals Limited (ASX:CLE) and Executive Chairman of European Lithium (ASX:EUR) and NASDAQ listed Critical Metals Corp (NAS:CRML).
Mark Hancock - Executive Director
Mark Hancock has over 30 years’ experience in key financial, commercial and marketing roles across a variety of industries with a strong focus on natural resources. During his 13 years at Atlas Iron Ltd, Hancock served in numerous roles including CCO, CFO, executive director and company secretary. He has also served as a director on a number of ASX listed entities and is currently a director of Centaurus Metals Ltd and Strandline Resources Ltd.
Hancock holds a Bachelor of Business (B.Bus) degree, is a Chartered Accountant (CA) and is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia (F FIN).
David Palmer - Non-executive Director
David Palmer is a geologist and company director with more than 38 years’ experience in the global exploration industry, the majority of his career has been with Rio Tinto Exploration focused on copper/gold, base metals, industrial minerals, uranium, iron ore, diamonds throughout Australia and the Asia/Pacific.
Amongst other senior positions, Palmer led the business development, mineral title and indigenous engagement functions and was part of the management team that discovered the world-class Winu Cu-Au deposit. He holds a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours) from the University of Newcastle.
Scott Meacock - Non-executive Director
Scott Meacock has a wealth of experience as external counsel acting in, and advising on, complex corporate and commercial law transactions and disputes for clients in a wide range of industry sectors including natural resources and financial services.
Meacock currently serves as the chief executive officer and general counsel of the Gold Valley Group. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and a Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) degree from the University of Western Australia.
Matthew Ramsden - GM Development
Matthew Ramsden is an experienced geologist and project developer commencing his career in Tasmania before stints in the Pilbara with Rio Tinto and Atlas Iron, where he played a key role in the development and ramp-up of six iron ore mines.
He joined CuFe in 2021 to commence the JWD iron ore mine and now has oversight over the company’s exploration and development projects.
Ramsden is a member of the Australasian Institute of Geoscientists.
Siobhán Sweeney - Geology Manager
Siobhán Sweeney brings over 13 years’ geology experience to the CuFe team, from greenfields exploration to resource development with a strong focus on target generation and development of iron ore projects. During her eight years at Atlas Iron, Sweeney was instrumental in developing critical iron ore projects in the Pilbara such as Miralga Creek and Corunna Downs. Her background in managing complex and challenging exploration programs has been key to delivering successful projects.
Since joining CuFe in July 2021, Sweeney has been tasked with developing and implementing mine geology processes during the start-up phase of the JWD mine. Most recently she has delivered a successful exploration drill campaign to further define the Yarram iron ore deposit.
Sweeney is a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and holds a Bachelor of Science degree (hons) in geology from the National University of Ireland Galway.
Multi-commodity exploration and development assets in Western Australia and Northern Territory with a focus on copper, gold, iron ore and niobium.
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