Copper producer Austral Resources Australia Ltd. has reported shallow copper intercepts from recent drilling at its McLeod Hill deposit, effectively expanding the known strike length of the copper system to more than one kilometre.
The results extend mineralisation significantly beyond the 470-metre strike footprint of the current mineral resource estimate, which currently stands at 1.68 million tonnes at 0.64 per cent copper.
Key shallow assay results from the latest reverse circulation drilling program include five metres at 2.32 per cent copper from 70 metres and 20 metres at 0.59 per cent copper from 67 metres, oxide and transitional, including five metres at 1.40 per cent copper.
Drilling extended copper mineralisation approximately 340 metres to the south and 160 metres to the north of the existing resource footprint.
The expansion follows a structural reinterpretation that identified fault offsets along the Gunpowder Creek Formation contact, revealing that historical drilling was collared incorrectly to test the continuation of the mineralised trend.
Importantly, McLeod Hill sits within existing mining leases ML5474 and ML5426, located just 4.5 kilometres from the company’s established Western Operations copper processing facility.
Austral Resources Chairman David Newling said: “McLeod Hill continues to demonstrate why exploration close to existing infrastructure is such an important part of our growth strategy.
“This combination of existing copper resources, shallow oxide mineralisation, established infrastructure and further exploration potential makes McLeod Hill a strategic brownfields growth opportunity for AR.”
Mineralisation remains open along strike in both directions and at depth.
The next steps for Austral Resources include updating geological and resource models, advancing metallurgical test work on oxide and transitional zones, and continuing step-out drilling along the prospective McLeod Hill–Canyon corridor.
