Castillo Copper Limited (ASX: CCZ) is planning to fast track securing approval to commence RC drilling campaigns at the priority Arya Prospect and Big One Deposit at the Mt Oxide pillar in Queensland’s copper-belt.
Managing Director, Simon Paull, said CCZ’s Board has decided, given there are ample data points to formulate optimal test-drill targets, to expedite commencing RC drilling campaigns at the Arya Prospect and Big One Deposit.
In March 2019, Geoscience Australia released the results of an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey which identified the anomaly below the then newly named Arya Prospect.
Reconciling this finding with earlier work undertaken by BHP in 1997, which originally discovered the anomaly via a ground electromagnetic survey, determined it was a sizeable massive sulphide bedrock conductor.
This interpretation was made after assayed rock chips at surface, up to 1.84% Cu, were interpreted as up-dip extensions to the main sulphide body that correlated with the bedrock conductor.
BHP noted Arya Prospect was prospective for IOCG mineralisation and recommended follow up drilling. However, this never materialised likely due a base-metal down-turn in the late 1990s.
Big One
After an extensive search, CCZ secured original logs and assay results from previously listed West Australian Metals’ (ASX: WME), the former owner of the Big One Deposit.
In late 1992, WME undertook a 27-hole (1,673m) RC drilling campaign which delivered excellent economic copper intercepts up to 28.4% Cu. Notably, the drilling intersected shallow high-grade supergene copper ore.
Incrementally, in 1997, circa 4,400t of supergene ore was mined from the Big One Deposit within historic mining lease ML5481 that delivered an average 3.5% Cu grade.
Based on the underlying fundamentals of the prospects reviewed to date, the Board has decided to expedite drilling the Arya Prospect and Big One Deposit,” Mr Paull said.
“With drill-test targets selected and most preliminary work complete, we anticipate drilling commencing once Queensland’s resources regulator grants approval.”
Priority targets to drill-test at the Arya Prospect and Big One Deposit have been tailored to deliver optimal results and several drilling contractors are being invited to submit quotes to run the twin RC drilling campaigns.
Earlier work has already ensured most of the necessary landholder and accessibility agreements are in place. In addition, a contractor has been selected to clear access tracks, which were adversely affected following the wet season and severe cyclone that hit the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Mr Paull said the application to progress the drilling campaigns will shortly be filed with Queensland’s resources regulator and, once approval is secured, then the drilling teams will be fast-tracked to site.