Strong Copper, Lead, Silver Results Extend Mount Hope East and Black Hill Targets

Expanding the Mineral Footprint

Mount Hope Mining Limited (ASX: MHM) has announced encouraging results from its Stage 2 soil survey at the Black Hill and Mount Hope East prospects within its broader Mount Hope Project in New South Wales. The survey has successfully expanded the geochemical footprint, confirming strong copper, lead, silver, and zinc mineralisation that aligns with previously identified trends.

Notably, the mineralisation remains open to the southwest at both targets, a critical factor that suggests the potential for larger mineralised systems than initially mapped. The company is actively conducting additional soil sampling in these open directions to further delineate the extent of the mineralised zones.

High-Grade Results and Geological Context

The soil sampling returned notable high-grade results, including up to 320 ppm lead, 119 ppm copper, and 270 ppm silver. These findings reinforce the exploration targets and provide a robust foundation for the upcoming maiden drill program. The mineralisation exhibits distinct metal assemblages consistent with Cobar-style copper-gold and silver-lead-zinc systems, a well-known and economically significant style of mineralisation in the Lachlan Fold Belt.

Mount Hope Mining’s Managing Director and CEO, Fergus Kiley, highlighted the significance of these results, emphasizing the refined understanding of the mineralisation trends and the confidence it brings to the project’s scale potential.

Advancing Geophysical Surveys

Building on the expanded geochemical data, Mount Hope Mining has commenced a mixed Electromagnetic (EM) and Induced Polarisation (IP) ground geophysical survey. This survey, conducted by Southern Geoscience and Planetary Geophysics, targets high-grade zones at Mount Hope East and Black Hill to identify subsurface anomalies that could represent mineralised bodies at depth.

The EM/IP survey lines are strategically placed to follow up on surface geochemical anomalies and previous geophysical targets. Preliminary results are expected by late May 2025, which will be pivotal in refining drill targets and enhancing the efficiency of the maiden drilling campaign.

Regulatory Progress and Next Steps

The company has submitted its maiden drill program permit application to the NSW Resource Regulator and is collaborating closely with the department to finalise drill collar locations. Securing this permit is a critical milestone that will enable Mount Hope Mining to transition from surface exploration to drilling, unlocking the project's value potential.

Additional exploration activities, including further soil sampling and geophysical surveys across other advanced targets within the Mount Hope Project, are ongoing. These efforts aim to broaden the project’s scope and identify new zones of interest ahead of drilling.

Context Within the Lachlan Fold Belt

The Mount Hope Project lies within the Central Subprovince of the Lachlan Fold Belt, a prolific geological province hosting significant gold and copper-gold deposits. The project's geological setting and mineralisation style align with known economic systems, enhancing its attractiveness to investors and industry stakeholders.

Historical exploration by major companies has laid a foundation of data, which Mount Hope Mining has integrated with its recent surveys to develop robust grade contour maps and refine exploration targets.