Askari Metals has unveiled further multi-element potential at the company’s Callawa copper project in WA’s Pilbara region after a recent magnetic survey lit up an area coinciding with samples reading highly anomalous for three additional elements. The high definition drone survey covered nearly 18 square kilometres of the 167-square-kilometre project and notably, identified magnetic structures below the company’s previously collected surface samples going 1610 parts per million nickel, 119ppm cobalt and 1820ppm chromium.
The highly anomalous samples came to light after Askari recently reviewed its data collected in an initial mapping and rock sampling program in November last year. Each of the elevated nickel, cobalt and chromium results are located along a structure that Askari interprets as a demagnetised zone — which may indicate hydrothermal fluid flow.
The flow of hydrothermal fluids is a central geological process in the genesis of a broad variety of ore deposits and as such, evidence of the integral process is pursued vigorously by explorers. The company’s new coinciding geochemical and magnetic target will be the focus of future field exploration activities.
The initial field program also yielded an array of high-grade copper results going up to 6.78 per cent copper. Historical rock chip sampling across the tenement has returned even higher grades of copper along with sides of silver. One sample was unearthed at 9.35 per cent copper and 25.9 grams per tonne silver and another sample returned 7.35 per cent copper and 15.7 g/t silver. Additionally, a small historical air core drill program identified lead and zinc mineralisation south of where the old copper-rich rock chip samples were collected.
The company plans to continue exploring its newly identified multi-element trail with a large-scale field reconnaissance and soil auger program.
Askari Metals Vice President of Exploration and Geology, Johan Lambrechts said: “We have been able to successfully correlate the magnetic structures with some very exciting Nickel, Cobalt and Chromium results that supplement the high-grade copper results delineating within the project area.”
The ancient and dry landscape surrounding Askari’s project north-east of Marble Bar has a reputation as ‘elephant country’ having produced the Telfer gold mine, Nifty copper mine and more recently, Rio Tinto’s 500-million-tonne Winu copper discovery.
Whilst silver has the highest electrical conductivity of all metals, copper is the metal of choice for our ever expanding electronic network due to its malleable nature and relative abundance. However, it might not be abundant enough as many analysts have forecast an imminent and large supply gap for the lucrative metal.
A 2021 report from prominent banking house Goldman Sachs estimates that by 2030, copper demand resulting from the clean-energy revolution could grow as much as ninefold depending on the adoption of green technologies.
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By Matt Birney
