QMines (ASX:QML) has reported one of the widest continuous copper intersections from its current 10,000m drilling program at the wholly owned Mt Chalmers Copper and Gold Project in Queensland.
Hole 26MCRD006 returned 32m @ 1.99% copper (Cu), 0.39 grams per tonne gold (Au), and 2.6g/t silver (Ag) from 138m beneath historic workings.
The intersection includes 7m @ 4.18% Cu, with a peak interval of 1m @ 11.3% Cu. Towards its base, drilling returned 7m @ 2.14% Cu and 1g/t Au from 163m.
A separate shallow polymetallic lens in hole 26MCDD008 returned 25m @ 2.08g/t Au, 92g/t Ag, 2.56% zinc (Zn), and 0.19% Cu from 56m.
This includes 7m @ 5.79g/t Au, 147g/t Ag, and 5.16% Zn. Individual 1m samples returned up to 12.6g/t Au and 260g/t Ag, which QMines says are the program’s ‘highest’ gold and silver grades to date.
All reported intervals are downhole lengths; true widths have not yet been determined.
The latest assays expand on results reported by Mining.com.au on 18 August, including 35m @ 2.88% Cu, 0.75g/t Au, and 3.3g/t Ag from 107m. That drilling provided metallurgical material and technical data for the ongoing Definitive Feasibility Study.
Exploration Manager Tom Bartschi points to the internal structure of the deeper copper zone.
“The sharp margins and internal high-grade zones are giving us a much clearer picture of the geometry and metal zoning of the feeder system beneath the historic workings,” Bartschi says.
QMines interprets the results as two parts of the broader system: deeper copper-gold mineralisation transitioning upwards into massive sulphide lenses rich in zinc, lead, silver, and gold.
However, the laboratory has identified possible understatement of silver, lead, and zinc grades between 68m and 76m in 26MCDD008 because high barite content interfered with the analysis. Additional analytical work is underway.
“Taken together with holes 26MCRD002 and 26MCDD007 announced earlier this month, the current campaign is now intersecting both the upper polymetallic lenses and the deeper copper-gold-dominant parts of the Mt Chalmers VMS [volcanogenic massive sulphide] system. With further holes completed and assays still to come, we are continuing to strengthen our understanding of the system for both mining and deeper extensions,” Bartschi says.
Mineralisation remains open, and drilling continues to test the broader system. Samples from another 10 holes are in the laboratory awaiting results.
Mt Chalmers lies about 25km northeast of Rockhampton in Central Queensland. Historical operations produced 1.2 million tonnes of ore grading 2% Cu, 3.6g/t Au, and 19g/t Ag between 1898 and 1982.
QMines is a Queensland-focused copper and gold developer advancing the Mt Chalmers, Develin Creek, and Mt Mackenzie projects.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Images: QMines
