Great Western Exploration (ASX:GTE) indicates there is a potentially large volcanic-hosted massive sulphide system, similar to the DeGrussa copper-gold deposit, at the Oval copper-gold target in Western Australia.
In 2009, Sandfire Resources (ASX:SFR) uncovered the DeGrussa deposit with the first hole returning 47m @ 5.3% copper. DeGrussa began operations in 2012 and ceased mining in 2022. The mine is now in care and maintenance, with progressive rehabilitation planned.
Multiple geological attributes support a DeGrussa-style VHMS copper-gold mineralisation system to be defined at Oval including the drilled geological units, associated textures, and alteration defined to date, as well as the position of the target on the crustal scale fertile Ida Fault.
Great Western’s latest findings come after completing the latest drillhole which tested a large downhole electromagnetic conductor at Oval.
The observations interpret the hole intersected the conductor at a depth of 824m as a 35m-wide sedimentary-volcanic unit containing multiple one to four centimetre lenses of sulphide.
Great Western, which has a market capitalisation of $14 million, says the observations also suggest the intercept is close to a possible metal-rich zone of a VHMS mineralisation system.
Assays are pending and are expected to be received between April and May 2025.
The company anticipates the assay results are likely to define a VHMS mineralisation signature within the pillow basalt intervals.
Further, a geological mapping program is underway and is expected that drilling may target a position close to the recently completed drillhole.
The Oval copper-gold target, located within the Yerrida North Project, is 800km north-east of Perth and adjacent to the DeGrussa and Monty copper-gold VHMS deposits.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Great Western Exploration
