ASX-listed Galena Mining has commenced deep drilling at its Woodlands copper prospect, targeting electrical conductors identified during last year’s heliborne electromagnetic geophysical surveys of the region.
The company has interpreted potential massive sulphide copper mineralisation at depth which is broadly coincident with historical drilling intersections.
That drilling included 60 metres grading 0.3% copper from 505m depth, including 0.4m @ 8.4% copper and 16g/t silver from 558m.
Other historic results included 3m @ 1.6% copper from 188m depth.
The two regional exploration drill holes were 2km apart.
Galena’s interpretation of the geophysical data indicates that the latter intersection was returned from a poorly directed drill hole and did not adequately target the inferred conductor.
The Woodlands complex is located about 200km north of Meekatharra and 50km west of Galena’s flagship Abra base metals project, in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.
Galena CEO Ed Turner said: “Whilst Abra as a standalone and globally significant lead-silver project is the core focus of the Company, we are also excited by the ability to now begin drill testing the copper, gold and manganese prospects, Woodlands, Quartzite Well and Manganese Range.”
“Recent electromagnetic geophysical survey work conducted by Galena has identified several high priority conductors. Historic drill results have shown copper mineralisation appears to be coincident in or near the identified conductive plates making this a compelling exploration programme.”
The Woodlands project is divided into seven different prospects, with the two highest priority areas overlying the strongest electromagnetic anomalies.
These areas will be targeted during the current drilling campaign of 2,000 metres in May and will incorporate diamond coring to test the conductors at their interpreted depth.
The Woodlands prospect forms part of the company’s larger Jillawarra project that is west of Abra and contained within the same sedimentary basin as that major lead-silver deposit.
An impressive, globally significant updated mineral resource for Abra was recently reported by Galena at 36.6 million tonnes grading 7.3% lead and 18g/t silver.
The Jillawarra project also contains the Manganese Range prospect that has returned highly anomalous drilling intersections of 16m @ 1.1% lead and 35m @ 0.5% copper and the Quartzite Well prospect that produced an historical drilling result of 28m @ 2.3% lead, 32g/t silver and 1.2% zinc.
The results auger well for the wider Jillawarra project area held by Galena in this part of Western Australia.
By Matt Birney
