Helix Resources Limited (ASX: HLX) has commenced diamond drilling as part of the company’s copper exploration activities on its wholly owned tenements along the CollerinaCopper trend, located in the prolific copper-endowed Cobar region of NSW.
The objectives of the drilling in and around the CZ Mineral Resource are:
- Recover large volumes of metallurgical samples representing oxide, transitional and fresh copper mineralisation styles;
- Test for potential extensions of shallow copper oxide mineralisation; and
- Test for extensions to the deeper, fresh copper sulphide mineralisation.
Under challenging circumstances due to COVID-19 restrictions and replacement of several long-term exploration personnel, Helix has drilled 18 holes in the current programme, for a total of nearly 2,000m.
Diamond core drilling of approximately 1,400m has started.
- Metallurgical sample drilling – completed four diamond core holes for 663.3 metres with significant oxide and fresh copper mineralisation intersected at the planned intervals.
- CZ Resource, shallow extension drilling – testing for oxide mineralisation extensions has been completed with seven RC holes completed for 599m.
The copper oxide drilling has been successful with new zones of up to 21m of visible copper mineralisation intersected in four of the seven holes.
The holes were testing for potential extensions to the current oxide Mineral Resource
- CZ Resource, deeper extension drilling – to be undertaken with combined RC pre-collars and diamond core tails.
To date seven RC pre collars were completed for 721m and diamond core tails on the pre-collars of approximately 1,400mdrilling commenced today. In a technical sense, the drilling rig is ‘aimed at what the geologists can see’ and not focused on historical, interpreted geological models.
This ‘back to fundamentals’ approach is necessary as Helix geologists are continuing to assess gaps in the database with no geological or assay data from various historical holes.
Managing Director Mike Rosenstreich said that whilst time consuming, this creates positive opportunities to significantly refine the geological model to optimise and enhance the exploration outlook at both the CZ Deposit and also for the new prospects along the Collerina Trend.
Early geological observations are very promising for increasing the resources at CZ and, in tandem with that, to have metallurgical samples to set us on a development pathway,” Mr Rosenstreich said.
“While the Helix exploration team have all recently been appointed to their positions, it is important to note they are now all strategically based in close proximity to operations in regional NSW and all highly experienced in the local geology.
“I applaud their energy and inquisitive work ethic to revisit all aspects of the previous geological models and focus on the new drilling underway as well as plugging gaps from the earlier drill data base – which I think will contribute to some very exciting discovery opportunities.
“We believe there is a lot of prospectivity along this CollerinaCopper Trend where we are adding to our ground position and initiating work to assess new regional targets in a systematic technically focussed approach – to find more copper.”
