Encounter Resources Ltd (ASX:ENR) has commenced a diamond drilling programme at the Aileron gold-copper project held in joint venture with Newcrest Mining Limited located in the West Arunta region of Western Australia.
Encounter Managing Director Will Robinson said there has been no previous mineral exploration on the project area, although gold/copper anomalism has been identified within the region.
He said the project contains a number of structural targets identified through aerial magnetic surveys, including a discrete magnetic anomaly consistent with the scale of an Ernest Henry or Carrapateena style gold-copper system.
Aileron is a large scale gold-copper opportunity in a new region. The target is interpreted to be a discrete, pipe-like, magnetic body located on a major regional structure,” Mr Robinson said.
“The magnetic anomaly is modelled to be under shallow cover and in an area of no previous mineral exploration.
Success in this initial program would focus attention on the underexplored West Arunta. The joint venture controls a dominant land position in the district with tenure covering over 70 strike kilometres of the belt.”
The initial anomaly to be drilled tested has been modelled utilising close spaced aeromagnetic data, as a steeply dipping 500m x 200m magnetic body starting from ~50m below surface.
The strongly magnetic body is modelled to a depth of 1km. The first drill hole has been planned to a depth of 500m with further drilling dependent on observations in the initial drill hole.
The Aileron drilling is co-funded through a WA Government drilling grant of up to $150,000 under the Exploration Incentive Scheme.
