Byrock Project Drill Permits Granted for 1,500m Copper-Gold Program

Altitude Minerals has secured drill permits and identified multiple high-priority copper-gold porphyry targets at its Byrock Project in NSW’s Macquarie Arc, with a 1,500m aircore and RC drill program planned for November 2025.

  • Drill permits granted for shallow pipe-like Cu-Au porphyry targets
  • Targets analogous to major NSW deposits like North Parkes and Cadia
  • Comprehensive magnetic and gravity surveys completed to rank targets
  • 1,500m aircore/RC drilling planned to test top seven priority targets
  • Potential to establish a flagship project within a previously underexplored Macquarie Arc segment
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Strategic Exploration in a Premier Copper-Gold Province

Altitude Minerals Ltd (ASX – ATT) has announced a significant milestone in its exploration campaign with the granting of drill permits for its Byrock Project, located in the Macquarie Arc of New South Wales. This region is renowned for hosting some of Australia’s most prolific copper-gold porphyry deposits, including Newcrest Mining’s Cadia and Evolution Mining’s North Parkes mines. The Byrock Project represents an interpreted northwestern extension of this mineralised arc, previously obscured beneath shallow cover.

Leveraging a combination of high-resolution airborne magnetics, ground gravity surveys, and detailed geological reviews, Altitude has identified a suite of pipe-like geophysical anomalies that resemble “pencil” porphyry systems, discrete, pipe-shaped intrusions known to host high-grade copper and gold mineralisation. These targets are buried under less than 80 metres of transported cover, making them accessible to relatively shallow drilling.

Target Ranking and Drill Program Details

The company has meticulously ranked 39 magnetic features down to a shortlist of seven high-priority targets based on magnetic intensity, footprint, depth to basement, geological context, and gravity response. Notably, the T47 target stands out with a large magnetic footprint exceeding 50 hectares and a depth to magnetic source of approximately 72 metres. Historical drilling from 1978 intersected high-potassium calc-alkaline intrusions with copper-gold fertile characteristics, reinforcing the prospectivity of this target.

Altitude plans a low-cost, high-impact drilling campaign commencing in November 2025, comprising approximately 1,500 metres of aircore drilling with reverse circulation tails to obtain fresh rock samples. This approach allows rapid testing of multiple targets with the flexibility to extend drilling depth if initial results warrant further investigation. The program is expected to take two weeks, with assay results anticipated within 4 to 6 weeks post-drilling.

Regional Context and Exploration Rationale

The Byrock Project lies within the Lachlan Fold Belt, a geological domain that hosts several world-class porphyry copper-gold deposits. Recent exploration activity by major players such as AngloGold Ashanti and Kincora Copper in adjacent areas underscores the region’s potential. Altitude’s strategy focuses on identifying underexplored segments of the Macquarie Arc, applying modern geophysical techniques and geological insights to uncover hidden mineralisation.

Importantly, the project’s targets exhibit geochemical and structural signatures consistent with fertile porphyry systems, including potassic alteration and quartz-sulphide B-veins. These features, combined with discrete magnetic and gravity anomalies, suggest the presence of economically significant mineralisation at depth.

Looking Ahead

Altitude Minerals’ upcoming drill program at Byrock represents a critical test of its exploration model and has the potential to deliver a new copper-gold discovery in a top-tier mining jurisdiction. Success here could establish Byrock as a flagship project within the company’s portfolio, which already includes a pipeline of large-scale targets across multiple commodities and regions.

As the company prepares to execute its drilling campaign, investors and industry observers will be keenly watching for assay results that could validate the prospectivity of these targets and unlock significant shareholder value.

Bottom Line?

November’s drill results at Byrock could redefine Altitude Minerals’ growth trajectory in NSW’s premier copper-gold province.

Questions in the middle?

  • Will the initial shallow drilling confirm the presence of economically viable copper-gold mineralisation?
  • How might assay results influence Altitude’s plans for deeper diamond drilling and project development?
  • What implications could Byrock’s success have for exploration activity in the underexplored northwest Macquarie Arc?