Exploration Advances at Bronze Fox Highlight Resource Expansion Risks and Rewards

Exploration Breakthrough at Bronze Fox

Orbminco Limited (ASX: OB1) has announced a significant advancement in its exploration efforts at the Bronze Fox Copper-Gold Project, located in the prolific Southern Gobi belt of Mongolia. Recent trench sampling has yielded encouraging high-grade copper and gold results along the western margin of the West Kasulu resource, suggesting the deposit extends beneath shallow cover further west than previously delineated.

Key trench results include a 17-meter interval grading 0.5% copper and 0.34 grams per tonne gold, with a higher-grade 6-meter section at 1.0% copper and 0.6 grams per tonne gold. These findings complement the 2024 drilling program's standout intercept of 26 meters at 0.91% copper equivalent from 14 meters depth, reinforcing the prospectivity of the western strike extension.

Geophysical Insights and Target Generation

Adding to the geological optimism, a review of a 2018 Induced Polarisation (IP) survey conducted by joint venture partner Kincora Copper Limited has revealed multiple strong, yet untested, chargeability anomalies west of the current resource boundary. These anomalies are interpreted as potential zones of sulphide mineralisation, warranting further geophysical surveys and detailed geological mapping scheduled for early 2025.

Orbminco's Managing Director, Ralf Kriege, highlighted the strategic importance of these findings, noting that the expanded geophysical coverage and subsequent drilling will aim to unlock higher-grade zones and better define the open-pit mining potential of the West Kasulu area.

Discovery Potential at Shuteen North

Beyond West Kasulu, Orbminco is targeting the Shuteen North prospect, located approximately 10 kilometers southwest. This area has never been drilled but shows extensive sub-cropping copper mineralisation and multiple intrusive phases associated with strong alteration over a 15 by 6 kilometer zone. The company interprets Shuteen North as a potential third intrusive complex within the Bronze Fox project, linked to the Shuteen lithocap, the largest in the Southern Gobi region.

Given the geological parallels with the Oyu Tolgoi project, where the lithocap was a key early exploration marker, Shuteen North represents a compelling new frontier. Planned IP surveys and surface sampling will refine targets ahead of maiden drilling expected in Q2 2025.

Outlook and Next Steps

Orbminco is preparing for an intensive exploration phase in 2025, combining geophysical surveys, geological mapping, and drilling campaigns to test both the western extension of West Kasulu and the Shuteen North target. These efforts aim to expand the known resource base and potentially upgrade the classification of mineralisation, which currently remains at an inferred level.

The company’s approach reflects a methodical strategy to leverage historical data, recent drilling success, and modern geophysical techniques to unlock value in a region with proven copper-gold endowment. Investors will be watching closely as Orbminco advances its exploration programs and delivers further results through the year.