New World Resources Limited (ASX: NWC) has announced significant new deep massive sulphide intercepts from the ongoing drilling program at its Antler copper project in Arizona, USA.
The company reported new thick intercepts of massive sulphides in the deepest holes drilled to date in both shoots of thick mineralisation.
The company said that >17 metres of very well mineralised material were intersected in the deepest hole the Company has drilled to date at the Antler Deposit, ANTDD202153. NWC said that >17 metres of copper and zinc-rich predominantly massive and semi-massive sulphide mineralisation was intersected in ANTDD202156.
New World said that assays are now pending for 20 completed drill holes – with final assays from high-grade portions of the thick intersection of mineralisation in ANTRCDD202025 expected next week and a steady stream of assay results anticipated thereafter.
The company said that two diamond core rigs continue drilling around the clock at the Antler Project, with 10 RC pre-collars yet to be completed with diamond core tails. NWC said that CSAMT ground geophysics survey will commence next week to help refine targets for deep extensional drilling.
Drilling at Antler project
The company had recently commenced drilling program at the Antler Copper Project. The drilling has been targeting: (i) Depth extensions of the very thick, high-grade mineralisation that extends down-dip from the historical workings, which remains completely open at depth; and (ii) The poorly explored strike extensions of the Antler Deposit, particularly to the south, where strong Induced Polarisation and magnetic anomalies coincide with outcropping mineralisation that has been mapped to extend over more than 750m of strike.
NWC said that two diamond drill holes completed during the past week – ANTDD202153 and ANTDD202156 encountered significant intercepts of massive and semi-massive sulphide mineralisation.
Massive copper-zinc deposit
NWC announced that >17 metres of very well mineralised material were intersected in the deepest hole the Company has drilled to date at the Antler Deposit, ANTDD202153, whose assays are pending.
ANTDD202153
The company said that this intercept is located ~65m down-dip from the recently announced 24.5m-thick interval of copper-zinc-rich massive sulphides intersected in the Company’s previous deepest drill hole ANTDD202144, whose assays are also pending.
New World noted that this intersection extends the “Main Shoot” of continuous, thick, high-grade mineralisation to more than 450m down-plunge from the historical stopes.
The company said that the mineralisation in the Main Shoot remains completely open at depth and follow-up drilling is in progress, to continue to define the strike and depth extents of the thick, high-grade mineralisation in the Main Shoot.
ANTDD202156
New world reported that >17 metres of copper and zinc-rich predominantly massive and semi-massive sulphide mineralisation was intersected in ANTDD202156, further increasing the depth extent of the second, “South Shoot” of thicker mineralisation discovered recently. The company said that the assays are pending.
NWC said that this intercept is located ~130m down-dip from ANTRCDD202026 – the first hole drilled into this newly discovered shoot in late 2020.
The company said that the down-dip extent of the South Shoot is now defined to be ~250m, while remaining completely open at depth. NWC said that the results indicate that the mineralisation in this second shoot may be improving at depth – as it appears to do in the Main Shoot
New World said that the follow-up drilling in progress to better define and extend the thick mineralisation in this part of the Antler Deposit.
Updates and next steps
The company said that assay results are currently pending for a total of 20 completed drill holes. NWC said that the final assays from some of the high-grade portions of drill hole ANTRCDD202025 are expected next week. A regular stream of assay results is expected to follow thereafter.
New World said that two diamond core rigs continue to drill at the Antler Project, 24-hours per day, 7 days per week. The company said that 10 RC pre-collars have been drilled in advance of completion, through target zones, with diamond core drilling.
The company said that it will be undertaking a Controlled Source Audio-Frequency Magnetotellurics (CSAMT) geophysical survey over, and along strike from, the Antler Deposit in order to delineate responses from deep extensions of the sulphide-rich mineralisation, both in the Main Shoot and the new South Shoot. NWC said that the surveying is scheduled to commence next week, with data acquisition expected to be completed within two weeks and results available in April 2021.
New World said that it intends calculating a maiden JORC Resource estimate for the project in the coming months, which will be used for mine design studies and to apply for mine permits. The company said that further infill and extensional drilling is expected to be undertaken thereafter.
Management comments
New World Managing Director Mike Haynes said: “This is another significant achievement in our exploration of the Antler Copper Deposit. In the past week, we have completed the deepest holes we have drilled so far in both the Main Shoot of thick high-grade mineralisation, which we now know extends more than 450m down-plunge from the historical workings, as well as in the recently discovered South Shoot along strike from the main workings. These holes have both intersected more than 17m of very good-looking mineralisation.
This bodes well for the potential to expand the resource base at Antler. And the thick, high-grade, nature of the mineralisation intersected should continue to positively impact the economics of our plans to resume mining operations in the near term.”
*Image Source: New World Resources Limited