Sample Recovery Issues and Pending Assays Leave Ilgarari’s Full Potential Uncertain
Lord Resources has reported promising diamond drilling results at its Ilgarari Copper Project, confirming and extending high-grade copper mineralisation. These findings pave the way for an expanded Phase 2 drilling program.
- High-grade copper assays up to 4.59% Cu confirmed
- Tailings Lode extended over 330 meters down-plunge
- Hidden Lode extended 70 meters down-dip and 100 meters along strike
- Four drill hole assay results pending, expected in November
- Data integration and Phase 2 drilling plans underway
Exploration Success at Ilgarari
Lord Resources Limited (ASX, LRD) has released initial assay results from its recent diamond drilling campaign at the Ilgarari Copper Project in Western Australia. The results validate earlier visual observations of copper mineralisation and confirm extensions to both the Tailings and Hidden Lodes, reinforcing the potential of this emerging copper asset.
Among the standout intercepts are high-grade copper assays including 0.7 meters at 4.59% copper and 1.5 meters at 3.20% copper. These grades are significant, especially as they extend known mineralised zones well beyond historical workings. The Tailings Lode, in particular, has been extended by more than 330 meters down-plunge to the northeast, aligning closely with a previously modelled electromagnetic (EM) conductor, which supports the geological model underpinning the project.
Extending the Mineralised Zones
The Hidden Lode has also seen encouraging extensions, with drilling confirming mineralisation 70 meters down-dip and 100 meters along strike. One drill hole intercepted a broad zone of copper mineralisation over 10 meters at 0.59% copper, including a higher-grade section of 1.04 meters at 1.33% copper. These results suggest that the mineralised system is more extensive than previously understood and could support a larger resource base.
Lord Resources’ Exploration Manager, Georgina Clark, expressed optimism about the results, highlighting the high-grade hits and the successful extension of the Tailings Lode. The company is awaiting assay results from four additional drill holes, expected in November, which will provide further clarity on the project's potential.
Next Steps and Strategic Outlook
Following the receipt of assay data, Lord Resources plans to integrate the new information into an updated geological model. This will include structural logging and potentially down-hole EM surveys to refine the understanding of conductor geometry around the high-grade zones. The company is preparing for a Phase 2 drilling program aimed at further testing depth and strike extensions on both lodes and exploring along-conductor targets.
The Ilgarari Copper Project, located approximately 110 kilometers south of Newman, Western Australia, is held under an earn-in agreement with Blackrock Resources Pty Ltd. Lord Resources is progressing exploration with a view to unlocking the full potential of this historically mined copper district, which has seen intermittent production since the late 1960s.
While the true widths of mineralised intercepts have yet to be calculated and some drill holes experienced sample recovery challenges, the current results provide a strong foundation for continued exploration and potential resource development.
Bottom Line?
With high-grade copper extensions confirmed, Lord Resources is poised to accelerate exploration at Ilgarari, but pending assays will be critical to shaping the next phase.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the pending assays confirm further high-grade mineralisation?
- How will the updated geological model influence Phase 2 drilling targets?
- What is the timeline for potential resource estimation and development decisions?