Exploration Success at Durnings Raises Expectations but Assays Pending
Talisman Mining has successfully completed a six-hole drilling program at its Durnings Prospect, intersecting significant copper-gold and base metal mineralisation that confirms a large polymetallic system. Further assays and a new drilling campaign at Durnings East are underway, promising more insights into the project's potential.
- Completed 2,540m drilling program with all six holes intersecting target mineralised zones
- High-grade base metals and copper-gold mineralisation confirmed in multiple drill holes
- Drilling results support NE-SW orientation of mineralised system
- New 2,400m RC drilling commenced at Durnings East with assays pending
- Structural and geophysical data guide ongoing exploration strategy
Exploration Success at Durnings
Talisman Mining Limited (ASX: TLM) has reported encouraging results from its latest drilling campaign at the Durnings Prospect, part of its Lachlan Copper-Gold Project in New South Wales. The recently completed six-hole program, combining reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling, successfully intersected polymetallic mineralised zones in all holes, confirming the presence of both base metal and copper-gold mineralisation.
The drilling targeted zones identified through detailed structural analysis and geophysical modelling, which indicated a steeply dipping NE-SW orientation of mineralisation. This approach has proven effective, with significant intercepts of lead, zinc, silver, copper, and gold recorded at various depths, extending known mineralised trends both up and down dip.
Key Intercepts and Mineralisation Highlights
Notable results include a 2.46m intercept grading 6.2% combined lead and zinc with 6.8g/t silver from 297m downhole, and a 1.9m intercept with 2.9g/t gold and 0.80% copper from 442m. These high-grade narrow lodes sit within broader envelopes of alteration, suggesting a complex but potentially rich mineral system. The drilling also extended the copper-gold zone at Durnings North, with broad zones of lower-grade mineralisation punctuated by higher-grade lenses.
Importantly, the mineralised zones correspond well with geophysical anomalies, reinforcing the interpretation of the system's geometry and providing confidence in the targeting strategy. The results build on previous drilling campaigns that have outlined a substantial polymetallic system with economic potential.
Next Steps and Ongoing Exploration
Assay results from the final hole of this program, DRDD0030, are awaited and expected within the next one to two weeks. Concurrently, Talisman has commenced a new 2,400m RC drilling program at the Durnings East target, defined by geophysical chargeability anomalies and coincident multi-element geochemical anomalies. This program aims to test extensions of the mineralised system along strike and at shallower depths.
Management remains optimistic about the scale and quality of the mineralisation at Durnings. Managing Director Andrew Munckton highlighted the 100% success rate in intersecting target zones and the encouraging signs of a large mineralised system. The company plans detailed geological and structural analysis once all assay data is received to refine targeting and identify further extensions of potentially economic mineralisation.
Talisman's exploration strategy leverages modern geophysical techniques and systematic drilling to unlock value in a historically underexplored but highly prospective region. The Durnings Prospect sits within a mineral belt hosting several significant base and precious metal deposits, underscoring the project's strategic importance.
Bottom Line?
With promising drilling results and new programs underway, Talisman is poised to further define the economic potential of its Durnings mineral system.
Questions in the middle?
- What will the pending assays from drill hole DRDD0030 reveal about the extent of mineralisation?
- How will the results from the Durnings East drilling program influence the overall resource potential?
- What are the next steps for advancing the project towards resource estimation and economic assessment?
