Validation of Historical Copper Grades Key as Norfolk Nears Completion of Drilling Phase
Norfolk Metals progresses its maiden drilling campaign at the Carmen Copper Project in Chile, completing 29 of 34 planned RC holes and identifying promising new targets in the Higueritas Belt. The company also initiates re-assay of historical drill core to validate high-grade copper and gold grades.
- 29 of 34 planned RC holes completed in maiden drilling program
- New copper oxide mineralisation and strong IP anomalies identified in Higueritas Belt
- Historical drill core selected for re-assay including gold analysis
- Aim to validate historical high-grade intercepts and advance towards JORC resource
- Assay results pending, with metallurgical studies planned
Maiden Drilling Nears Completion
Norfolk Metals is steadily advancing its maiden reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling (DDH) program at the Carmen Copper Project in Chile, with 29 of the 34 planned RC holes completed. The company has brought forward some diamond drill collars into the RC phase to expedite confirmation of historical high-grade copper intercepts along the Tabaco Thrust. This strategic move aims to validate legacy data and refine the understanding of the deposit’s grade distribution ahead of the next drilling phase.
New Targets in the Higueritas Belt
Exploration efforts have expanded into the Higueritas Belt, a 7.5-kilometre-long zone adjacent to the main Carmen-Tabaco Belt that has seen limited historical work. Reconnaissance mapping and surface sampling have revealed visible copper oxide mineralisation associated with structural features and coincident with a strong induced polarization (IP) chargeability anomaly at depth. Norfolk has planned immediate RC drilling to test these new targets, with follow-up diamond drilling to probe the large IP anomaly further.
Re-assaying Historical Drill Core
To add further value, Norfolk has commenced re-logging and quarter-cutting of selected 2006 diamond drill core for re-assay, including gold analysis which was not previously conducted. This re-assay program focuses on both high-grade oxide and sulphide intervals within the Carmen NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate (MRE), aiming to confirm and potentially upgrade historical copper grades. The inclusion of gold assays could reveal additional economic upside.
Towards a JORC-Compliant Resource
The Carmen Copper Project currently hosts a historical Canadian NI 43-101 resource estimate of 5.6 million tonnes at 0.6% copper, but this is not JORC-compliant. Norfolk’s drilling and re-assay work are designed to validate and upgrade this resource to meet JORC standards, a critical step for advancing the project’s development potential. The company also plans metallurgical studies using rejects from the RC drilling to explore improved leaching strategies.
Looking Ahead
While no new assay results have been released yet, Norfolk Metals is positioning itself to deliver a comprehensive dataset later this quarter, including interpreted drill results and JORC reporting. The company’s Executive Chairman, Ben Phillips, highlights the Higueritas Belt as a “sleeping giant” with significant exploration upside given its analogous geological signatures to the main Carmen area. Investors will be watching closely as assay results and further drilling data emerge.
Bottom Line?
Norfolk Metals is on track to unlock new value at Carmen, but the market awaits assay results to confirm the project’s true potential.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the re-assay of historical drill core reveal significant gold grades alongside copper?
- How extensive and economically viable is the copper mineralisation in the newly identified Higueritas Belt?
- When can investors expect the maiden JORC-compliant resource estimate and what impact will it have on project valuation?
