Duke Exploration (ASX:DEX) reports the scout (reverse circulation and diamond drilling) drilling phase at its flagship Bundarra project, located near Moranbah in Central Queensland, is progressing well and it is focusing on primary copper targets identified by an exploration program in Q3, 2021.
The scout drilling phase is predicted to be completed by the end of September, and the program included soil sampling, geological ground truthing and assessment, VTEM and airborne magnetics analysis over the entire Bundarra Intrusive Complex (BIC), plus a 5-hole diamond drilling campaign completed in January 2022, and the Rankin structural interpretation completed in Q2 this year.
This phase of the scout drilling program will run for a total of 4 weeks, for a planned maximum 400m diamond and 2,500 RC.
The Bundarra RC scout drilling program is now focused in the Rogers and Valkyrie areas, testing a combination of magnetic and structural targets.
The program has been initiated, and full results will be reported when received over the next 2 months.
Duke Managing Director Philip Condon said the company is targeting breccia and structural related targets.
“As part of our previously reported scout drilling program, Duke has now initiated a refined phase of drilling testing a combination of prioritised intrusive, breccia and structural related targets generated from continued analysis of our exploration data since Q3, 2021 through to the Rankin targets generated in Q2 2022.
“Once the program in the Rogers and Valkyrie areas is completed, we anticipate an approximate 6-week turnaround on assays”
Once the program in the Rogers and Valkyrie areas is completed, we anticipate an approximate 6-week turnaround on assays after which we can finalise a comprehensive Bundarra summary report for market release.”
At Rogers and Sunny Corner, 2 RC-diamond tail (500m) and 2 RC boreholes are planned, testing a number of targets that have emanated from the combined Duke/Rankin target review.
These targets include RC with a DD tail (PLBN001) investigation of a prominent magnetic high (named Sunny Corner) located northeast of Rogers; and RC with DD tail (PLBN002) testing the geometry and extent of breccia mineralisation at Rogers Prospect.
Sunny Corner (PLBN001) is associated with the highest magnetic response around the BIC.
The target is also spatially related to a resistivity low-chargeability high and a weakly anomalous copper soil anomaly.
The planned hole is strategically located to drill east-north-east at -55 degrees crossing the highest magnetic response while testing a vertical depth of 320m below the surface.
The other 2 RC boreholes at Rogers Prospect are testing the northeast strike continuity of Rogers mineralisation, plus a conspicuous high sulphur occurrence located between Rogers and Sunny Corner.
At Valkyrie, shallow heel-toe RC drilling through a variably thick regolith cover will test a conspicuous structurally controlled magnetics high as well as wrench structures identified by Rankin for copper mineralisation.
The heel-toe drilling will total approximately 2,100m depending on the thickness of regolith cover. Two lines will test these Rankin structural interpretations.
The initial short drill line will target a first order north-east striking structure associated with a high magnetic response, similar to the Sunny Corner magnetic response.
The second line will target north-east striking first order and second order structures which are potential feeder structures to Mt Flora.
The drill line also covers an interpreted buried intrusive in the middle of the BIC.
Duke Exploration is an Australian exploration company focused on large scale copper, gold, and silver systems in Eastern Australia.
Its aim is near term resource and mine development opportunities in mining friendly jurisdictions, and adding value through discovery and resource development.
The Bundarra Project is Duke’s flagship project that includes the Bundarra tenement (EPM 26499), plus the nearby Duania (EPMA 27474) and Waitara (EPMA 27609) tenements, are located approximately 130km southwest of Mackay and 50km east of Moranbah in the Central Queensland coal fields.
The Bundarra tenement occurs in the Lower Permian to Triassic Bowen Basin, west of South Connors Arch.
Copper mineralisation in the Flora and Kerlong Ranges occurs on and around the margins of the Bundarra Pluton, an early Cretaceous composite pluton that intrudes Lower Permian Back Creek Group carbonaceous shale, sandstone and marl.
The pluton crops out poorly, forming an area of low relief surrounded by a ring of hills of contact metamorphosed sediments.
Historic small-scale mining activities started in the late 1800s targeting copper, silver and gold veins around the contact of the Bundarra Pluton.
Historic drilling results confirm that metamorphic contact zone around the pluton to be associated with significant copper mineralisation at the Mt Flora mine, Isens mine, Rogers prospect and Quorn prospect respectively.
