Kincora Copper (ASX:KCC) is partnering with Fleet Space Technologies to undertake ambient noise tomography (ANT) and gravity geophysical surveys over its Nyngan Project in New South Wales.
The surveys will cover a “regionally significant” priority target separately identified by Kincora, AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU) and Fleet Space.
They will be undertaken via a combination of new proprietary low environmental impact ground exploration techniques utilising seismic noise derived from natural and anthropogenic sources and new ground gravity and existing regional magnetics and gravity.
The goal is to identify and refine targeting of new intrusive porphyry system complexes and key structural features.
The ANT velocity model is anticipated to image down to 1,900m depth, with ground gravity surveys to provide complimentary density models over the same area.
At Nyngan the ANT survey will cover about 35km2 across the northern section of the licence, with a proposed infill area of around 9km2.
Fleet Space has used the ANT survey technology before in the Macquarie Arc, having conducted “the world’s largest mineral exploration survey with ambient noise tomography” over 1,800km2 of Inflection Resources’ (CSE:AUCU) projects in the region.
This enabled the creation of a district-scale copper prospectivity map.
Kincora CEO Sam Spring says Fleet Space is making very significant investments in the Macquarie Arc aimed at proving its technology and speeding up the discovery of new “globally significant” porphyry copper deposits.
“They have successfully defined a number of new large targets for other porphyry explorers in the district, one currently being drill tested within 10km from the surveys at our Nyngan project,” he says.
“Through their knowledge of the belt, Fleet Space identified the northern Nyngan licence area as a highly prospective untested new porphyry complex target area.”
The new data from the surveys will be combined with existing regional airborne magnetic and gravity data to identify targets for maiden drill testing at shallow to moderate depths.
“The upcoming surveys will cover a large interpreted magnetic complex, and intrusive level transverse structure within it, which is an existing high-priority target and expected to be shortly drilled under the earn-in and joint venture agreement with AngloGold Ashanti,” Spring says.
Kincora says a similar two-phase approach was successfully undertaken elsewhere in the Macquarie Arc, recently at Waratah Minerals’ (ASX:WTM) Spur Project and Inflection’s Duck Creek Project.
In both cases the surveys are reported to have defined multiple additional new large intrusive porphyry targets.
The survey at Duck Creek was located as close as 3km from the Nyngan licence boundary and 10km from the targeted survey at the northern Nyngan area.
Following the survey at Duck Creek, AngloGold accelerated its exploration agreement with Inflection to drill the targets identified by Fleet Space’s technology.
Subject to access and weather conditions, the gravity surveys are anticipated to begin in early August followed by the ANT surveys from mid-August.
AngloGold can earn up to an 80% stake in Kincora’s Northern Junee-Narromine Belt Project, comprising the Nyngan and Nevertire licences, by spending up to $50 million in two stages.
The 762km2 Nyngan licence is the first ground Kincora secured in New South Wales.
Write to Angela East at Mining.com.au
Images: Kincora Copper
