Core Energy Minerals has made promising progress in its maiden drilling campaign at the Cummins Uranium Project in South Australia, identifying uranium mineralisation in both weathered basement and palaeochannel sediments. Initial gamma and scintillometer readings support a developing roll-front uranium model, with assay results pending.
- Maiden 3,000m air core drilling campaign underway at Cummins Project
- 18 drill holes completed, intersecting target geological formations
- Uranium mineralisation detected in weathered basement and palaeochannel sediments
- Gamma and scintillometer anomalies confirm uranium presence
- Assay samples dispatched; results awaited to assess scale of mineralisation
Exploration Progress at Cummins
Core Energy Minerals Limited (ASX, CR3) has reported encouraging early results from its maiden drilling campaign at the Cummins Uranium Project in South Australia. The company has completed 18 air core drill holes totaling 1,909 metres of a planned 3,000-metre program, targeting uranium mineralisation within a geologically prospective setting.
The drilling has intersected key geological formations, including weathered basement rocks and palaeochannel sediments, both of which have shown signs of uranium mineralisation. Initial gamma probe and scintillometer readings have revealed anomalous zones indicative of uranium presence, supporting the company's emerging roll-front uranium mineralisation model.
Geological Context and Historical Insights
The Cummins Project lies within the Eyre Peninsula, a Tier 1 uranium exploration and mining district known for its supportive regulatory environment and rich uranium occurrences. The project area features tertiary palaeochannels with reduced facies sediments that provide ideal trap sites for remobilised uranium accumulation, a style of mineralisation Core Energy is actively targeting.
Historical exploration by companies such as Endeavour Oil Company, Uranerz, and Areva has identified broad zones of anomalous gamma readings and uranium trap sites within the region. Core Energy’s current drilling campaign builds on these datasets, aiming to confirm and expand upon these earlier findings with modern techniques and detailed geochemical analysis.
Technical Approach and Next Steps
The company’s drilling utilizes air core methods with calibrated down hole gamma probes and portable scintillometers to detect gamma radiation associated with uranium minerals. Samples from anomalous zones have been collected and dispatched to Bureau Veritas in Adelaide for laboratory assay, which will provide quantitative uranium concentrations. These assay results are eagerly awaited to better understand the scale and grade of mineralisation.
Core Energy also notes the detection of anomalous gamma readings within the weathered basement, with encouraging signs of chlorite alteration and quartz veining near Moody Suite Granites, suggesting potential basement-hosted uranium mineralisation. The nature of this basement mineralisation, whether primary or secondary, remains to be clarified through further investigation.
Strategic Positioning and Outlook
With the drilling campaign still underway and assay results pending, Core Energy is well-positioned in a jurisdiction with strong bipartisan government support for uranium mining. The company holds a 51% interest in the project with options to increase to 100%, contingent on exploration milestones and permitting.
As the campaign progresses, Core Energy plans to complete the drilling program, integrate assay data, and refine exploration targets. The company’s methodical approach and early positive indicators suggest potential for significant uranium discoveries in this highly prospective region.
Bottom Line?
Core Energy’s ongoing drilling at Cummins is setting the stage for a deeper understanding of uranium potential in South Australia, with assay results poised to unlock the next chapter.
Questions in the middle?
- What uranium grades will the pending assay results reveal, and how might they impact resource estimates?
- Will further drilling confirm the nature and extent of basement-hosted uranium mineralisation?
- How will Core Energy’s exploration strategy evolve based on assay outcomes and geophysical data?