Incomplete Sampling Leaves Key Copper-Gold Targets Open at Twin Peaks
NT Minerals Limited reveals promising initial assay results from its Ultrafine Soil Sampling Program at the Twin Peaks Project, highlighting significant copper and gold anomalism that paves the way for targeted drilling in 2025.
- Copper anomalism exceeding 100 ppm across six consecutive soil samples
- Gold anomalism above 1 ppb detected in three consecutive samples
- Anomalies coincide with the Southern V gravity lineament structure
- Sampling program incomplete due to heavy rainfall, follow-up planned
- Results support development of targeted drilling campaign in 2025
Initial Assay Results Signal Potential
NT Minerals Limited (ASX: NTM) has reported encouraging early assay results from its Ultrafine™ Soil Sampling Program at the Premiership Prospect within the Twin Peaks Project, located in Western Australia's Murchison Province. Despite the program being curtailed by significant rainfall, the partial dataset reveals a broad zone of copper anomalism, with concentrations exceeding 100 ppm across six consecutive samples and peaking at 178.01 ppm. Gold anomalism was also detected, with values above 1 ppb in three consecutive samples, reaching a peak of 3.697 ppb.
Geophysical Correlation and Exploration Implications
The detected copper and gold anomalies align with the interpreted Southern V gravity lineament, a structural feature extending approximately three kilometres southward. This coincidence suggests a structural control on mineralisation and opens new exploration avenues, particularly as the anomalism remains open and untested to the south. The Premiership Prospect’s proximity to historical copper workings at Twin Peaks and the Ringing Bell Lode further underscores its potential significance.
Innovative Sampling Technique and Historical Context
NT Minerals employed the Ultrafine™ analysis technique, developed by CSIRO, which targets the ultra-fine clay fraction of soil to detect subtle geochemical anomalies beneath transported cover. This method offers enhanced sensitivity compared to conventional soil sampling, especially in complex regolith environments like those at Twin Peaks. Historical exploration in the area, including regional soil geochemistry and shallow RAB drilling, had not effectively tested the coincident gravity and magnetic anomalies now highlighted by NT Minerals’ program.
Operational Challenges and Next Steps
The reconnaissance program was interrupted by heavy rains in December 2024, limiting sample collection to 54 of the planned 84 samples. NT Minerals is actively planning a follow-up field campaign to complete the sampling and refine background geochemical values essential for defining drill targets. Managing Director Rodney Illingworth emphasized the multi-commodity potential of the Twin Peaks Project and confirmed preparations for a targeted drilling campaign in 2025, building on these promising early results.
Strategic Positioning in a Prospective Greenstone Belt
The Twin Peaks Project covers a substantial greenstone belt with geological analogies to the Golden Grove Cu-Zn-Pb-Ag-Au deposit, located 200 kilometres to the south-southeast. NT Minerals holds exclusive mineral exploration rights over key tenements, excluding iron ore, under an agreement with 10M Pty Ltd. The project area has a rich history of copper production and exploration, but the application of modern geochemical techniques and integrated geophysical data is providing fresh insights and targets.
Bottom Line?
With anomalous copper and gold zones now identified, NT Minerals is poised to escalate exploration efforts, making 2025 a pivotal year for the Twin Peaks Project.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the follow-up sampling confirm and expand the copper-gold anomalism to the south?
- How will NT Minerals prioritize targets for the upcoming drilling campaign based on these early results?
- What are the implications of the Southern V gravity lineament for mineralisation continuity and scale?