Torpy’s Drilling Hits 16m at 18% Zinc and 13% Lead in Maiden RC Campaign

Historic Mine Meets Modern Exploration

Ballymore Resources (ASX:BMR) has delivered an encouraging start to its maiden reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the Torpy’s Crooked Creek silver-lead-zinc mine, part of its Ruddygore Project in north Queensland. The company’s second drill hole, BTPRC002, intersected two visually impressive lenses of massive sulphide mineralisation dominated by sphalerite and galena, the primary ores of zinc and lead respectively.

This discovery is significant as Torpy’s Crooked Creek has not seen drilling since a limited diamond core program in 1977. The historic mine, active between 1904 and 1914, was renowned for its exceptionally high-grade silver and lead production, reportedly averaging 435 grams per tonne silver and 15.3% lead. Ballymore’s drilling confirms extensions of this mineralisation at shallow depths, validating their geological model that targets structural intersections of two major faults.

Promising Grades and Structural Insights

Hole BTPRC002 intersected two main mineralised intervals – a 16-meter zone averaging approximately 18% sphalerite and 13% galena starting at 87 meters depth, and a 15-meter zone with 8% sphalerite and 7% galena from 125 meters, including a higher-grade 3-meter section with 9% sphalerite and 17% galena. These visually estimated grades, while preliminary and awaiting laboratory confirmation, suggest robust mineralisation that could underpin a valuable resource.

The drilling targeted a plunging structural “shoot” formed at the intersection of northwest- and north-northeast-trending faults, a concept supported by detailed geological mapping and geophysical surveys. Ballymore’s Managing Director, David A-Izzeddin, highlighted the importance of this structural reinterpretation, noting the potential for multiple high-grade lenses beneath the historic workings.

Ongoing Exploration and Broader Project Context

Drilling is ongoing at Torpy’s, with further holes planned to test additional modelled conductors and extensions of the mineralised shoots. Assay results, including silver and other critical metals, are expected in December, alongside downhole electromagnetic (EM) surveys designed to detect off-hole sulphide extensions.

Beyond Torpy’s, Ballymore is advancing exploration at other promising targets within its portfolio, including the Maniopota polymetallic skarn and the Seventy Mile Mount gold project near the historic Mount Leyshon mine. These programs reflect Ballymore’s broader strategy to apply modern exploration techniques to historically productive but underexplored Queensland mineral belts.

Historic Legacy and Future Potential

The Torpy’s Crooked Creek mine’s early 20th-century production was limited by the processing technology of the time, particularly the inability to economically treat zinc-rich ores. Ballymore’s discovery of significant sphalerite mineralisation suggests that modern metallurgical methods could unlock value from this previously marginalised component. The company’s systematic approach, combining geological reinterpretation, geophysics, and targeted drilling, positions it well to delineate a potentially sizeable and high-grade base metals resource.

While visual estimates provide an exciting preview, the awaited assay results will be critical to confirm the economic potential. Ballymore’s progress at Torpy’s will be closely watched by investors seeking exposure to base metals and silver in a historically rich but modernly underexplored region.