Patriot Resources (ASX:PAT) has extended its prospective copper exploration corridor to 5.5km southeast from the Tonic discovery in Zambia following ground magnetics and induced polarisation surveys.
The surveys identified two additional high-priority copper targets, designated Block 1 and Block 2, within the broader Mumbwa-Kitumba mineralised corridor at the company’s 100%-owned licence.
Both targets indicate hydrothermal alteration associated with intrusive granite-syenite units and host sediments. These support interpretation of an iron oxide copper-gold affinity signature.
The company says this suggests Block 1 and Block 2 are possibly part of a fertile intrusive-related copper system.
Block 1 is interpreted as a syenite-hosted target with hydrothermal alteration indicators and potential for structurally controlled copper-silver sulphide shoots.
High induced polarisation chargeability anomalies coincide with strong northeast-southwest to east-west magnetic lineaments.
Block 2 represents a syenite-sandstone/shale target with iron-rich alteration, quartz-carbonate veining, and evidence of hydrothermal fluid flow.
Multiple coherent northwest-southeast induced polarisation anomalies coincide with high magnetic zones and interpreted structural corridors.
“With two new drill targets now defined, we are building a growing pipeline of copper opportunities alongside our recent Tonic discovery, within one of Zambia’s most prospective and rapidly growing copper corridors,” Managing Director Dominic Duggan says.
The targets are located within 5km southeast of Tonic, on the same northwest-southeast Mumbwa Fault Zone that hosts Sinomine’s Kitumba deposit — approximately 109.2 million tonnes at 0.96% copper — 18km northwest.
PAT’s maiden reverse circulation drilling at Tonic confirmed a from-surface copper-silver-zinc-cobalt discovery, including 17m @ 0.41% copper (Cu), 4.70 grams per tonne silver (Ag), and 0.30% zinc (Zn) from 29m; and 1m @ 2.56% Cu, 62.3g/t Ag, and 0.76% Zn from 55m.
The expanded target pipeline can be advanced efficiently using Patriot’s established Zambian operating base, with exploration activity staged alongside phase two drilling at Tonic.
Patriot Resources is a Perth-based explorer with a diversified portfolio of lithium projects in the US and Canada, alongside its Zambian copper assets.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Almonty Industries
