Altoro Metals (ASX: ARO) has strengthened the exploration case across its Novales Zinc Project in northern Spain after confirming multiple high-grade zinc results from systematic channel sampling at the historic Emilia mine, providing new data ahead of a planned surface drilling campaign.
The latest results provide modern, systematic sampling data from the Emilia workings, helping validate the high-grade nature of mineralisation previously identified through historical exploration while improving the geological understanding of an area outside the company’s existing Mineral Resource Estimate.
The strongest assay returned 2.65 metres at 21.10 per cent zinc, with several additional metre-scale intercepts grading more than 10 per cent zinc. Broader composite intervals also demonstrated sustained high-grade mineralisation, including 4.50 metres at 13.71 per cent zinc.
Rather than representing a standalone result, the new sampling adds another layer of geological confidence to the company’s broader Novales Project, where Emilia sits approximately 2.3 kilometres northeast of the San José mine along the more than 12-kilometre Novales zinc trend.
Importantly, the Emilia mineralisation lies outside Altoro’s current resource, highlighting its potential importance in future exploration targeting.
The work also provides a more systematic dataset than historical face sampling, with 28 continuous channel samples collected from underground workings and the adjacent open pit.
Those results will be integrated with historical drilling, mine data and geological mapping to refine the company’s geological model and guide drill targeting.
Zinc remains a key industrial metal used primarily in steel galvanising, and exploration activity continues to focus on identifying high-grade deposits capable of supporting future supply.
Altoro’s work at Novales is aimed at testing extensions to known mineralisation within the historic mining district rather than defining new production outcomes at this stage.
The company’s next phase of work will begin with surface drilling between Novales, Emilia and Margarita.
The program will test the continuity of zinc mineralisation between historic mining centres, assess mineralisation beyond the current Mineral Resource Estimate and generate additional geological data that could support future resource growth in this under-explored section of the Novales Project.
Altoro also said near-term activities include completing its maiden diamond drilling program at Guajaraz, commencing the Novales surface drilling campaign, testing priority targets between Novales, Emilia and Margarita, and integrating the latest sampling results into ongoing geological modelling.
