Mamba Exploration (ASX:M24) has identified potential for sediment-hosted copper mineralisation at its Copper Hills prospect following a reappraisal of historical data.
The review reframes Copper Hills as a Whim Creek-style system in the Yaloginda Formation. This system differs from the intrusion-hosted volcanogenic massive sulphide model previously targeted.
Copper Hills sits within the same geological corridor as Solstice Minerals’ (ASX:SLS) Nanadie Copper-Gold Project in the broader Murchison region.
Historical mining in the 1950s recovered approximately 971 tonnes at 7.10% copper from shallow high-grade veins in the Lady Alma Intrusive area. The material was sold as an agricultural copper additive.
Previous diamond drilling by Lion Rock Minerals (ASX:LRM) in 2022 intersected thin sulphide veining consistent with vein-style leakage from a potentially larger stratabound system under the revised model.
The ‘highest-grade’ copper (Cu) intersections were 0.13m @ 4.95% Cu from 827.87m and 0.2m at 4.18% Cu from 899.15m.
Executive Director Matt Freedman says the “reappraisal points to the potential of a sediment-hosted copper system at Copper Hills — a target style not previously tested on the tenure”.
“A low-cost program of relogging, mapping, and geophysical reinterpretation will determine whether dedicated exploration is warranted,” Freedman adds.
The company plans to relog Lion Rock’s diamond core against the new stratigraphic framework. Its plans include conducting detailed geological mapping and rock-chip sampling incorporating a copper-phosphorus pathfinder program.
Mamba will also reinterpret existing magnetic, gravity, and electromagnetic datasets under the sediment-hosted model.
The revised target style is directly analogous to sediment-hosted copper-lead-zinc mineralisation at Whim Creek and Mons Cupri in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
Under the new model, the target is sediment-hosted copper mineralisation with copper veining localised near the contact between felsic and high-magnesian volcanic units.
The company’s primary Meeka East Gold Project remains on schedule, with a heritage survey taking place at the end of July.
Reverse circulation drilling is planned to commence following heritage clearance and regulatory approvals.
Mamba Exploration is a Western Australian-focused explorer advancing a portfolio of gold, copper, and nickel projects across the Ashburton, Kimberley, Murchison, and Great Southern regions.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Mamba Exploration
