M3 Mining Limited (ASX: M3M) has obtained successful first pass exploration drilling results at the Victoria Bore Copper Project, located approximately 130km southeast of Exmouth, WA.
A total of 1,128m of reverse circulation (RC) drilling was completed by Strike Drilling in November 2021.
Ten of the eleven holes completed intercepted copper and/or base metal mineralisation and the DHEM survey completed post-drilling has identified several off-hole conductors that remain untested.
The recent drilling indicates that Victoria Bore potentially hosts a large sulphidic system beneath the historically mined area which remains open along strike and at depth. The results illustrate certain areas of the system have encouraging levels of base metal mineralisation.
While the results warrant follow-up drill testing to delineate the extent of intercepted mineralisation, the presence of elevated base metals calls for large-scale soil sampling across the tenement package to potentially identify new zones of base metal sulphide mineralisation.
Following this successful maiden exploration programme, M3 will implement a systematic exploration program across the entire tenement package, which has never been undertaken and aim to provide a higher degree of geological understanding of this complex, but exciting area.
A fantastic result from our very first drilling activity at the Victoria Bore Copper Project. With such significant copper with associated polymetallic mineralisation alongside elevated values of zinc, lead, silver, and cobalt in early drilling we are well placed to continue this momentum,” Executive Director, Simon Eley, said.
“The initial drilling results combined with the DHEM survey have provided us with increased confidence in the overall potential of the tenement package to host additional base metal sulphide deposits. M3 Mining intends to expedite follow up geophysics and drilling to test the newly discovered conductors and further delineate additional EM anomalies for drill testing.”
The next steps from an EM perspective will involve deeper penetrating surveys to further explore for primary sulphide targets at depth.
High powered ground EM would allow highly conductive targets to be identified underneath the existing modelled conductive zones. In addition to ground EM, airborne magnetic surveys may also be considered to improve the structural understanding of the Victoria Bore Copper Project.