QMines (ASX:QML) has intersected a 44m interval grading 1.03% copper (Cu) from its ongoing 10,000m multi-rig drilling campaign at the Mt Chalmers Copper-Gold Project near Rockhampton, Queensland.
The company intersected 44m @ 1.03% Cu, 0.15 grams per tonne gold (Au), and 2.30g/t silver (Ag) from 103m in drill hole 26MCRD005, including 10m @ 2.20% Cu and 2m @ 5.52% Cu.
QMines notes the intercept sits above the project’s current global mineral resource copper grade of 0.75% Cu.
Meanwhile, hole 26MCDD011, located 57m south, returned multiple copper zones including 7m @ 1.02% Cu from 111m and 24m @ 0.46% Cu from 121m. QMines says the hole was abandoned at 150.5m while still in mineralisation after drill rods became stuck, with the final 0.5m sample returning 2.05% Cu.
Exploration Manager Tom Bartschi says these results continue to build confidence in the scale and continuity of the Mt Chalmers mineralised system.
“The 44m intersection in 26MCRD005 is a strong result, particularly the higher-grade copper intervals within it,” Bartschi notes.
“This drilling was primarily designed to support the Definitive Feasibility Study [DFS] geometallurgical program, so achieving these geological results while also generating fresh core for metallurgical test work is a great outcome.
“The new data will now be incorporated into the geological and resource models as the DFS drilling program continues.”
Drilling also intersected ‘high-grade’ polymetallic mineralisation in the upper sulphide horizons.
Hole 26MCDD013 returned 1.5m @ 11.73% zinc (Zn), 6.85% lead (Pb), 1.35% Cu, 7.11g/t Au, and 60.6g/t Ag from 53.9m, while hole 26MCDD012 intersected 5m @ 0.99g/t Au, 55.5g/t Ag, 1.84% Zn, and 1.09% Pb from 45m.
QMines expects results from barge drilling beneath the historical open pit, which the company says has not been drilled since 1982. It also has assays pending from 19 holes totalling 2,314m, with two rigs continuing operations through year-end.
The Mt Chalmers Project holds an ore reserve of 9.6 million tonnes (Mt) @ 0.65% Cu and 0.48g/t Au, with a mineral resource of 11.3Mt @ 0.75% Cu and 0.42g/t Au.
QMines is a copper and gold developer focused on its 100%-owned Mt Chalmers and Develin Creek projects in Queensland.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Main image: QMines
