True North Copper Unveils 7.9% Copper Hit, Extends Aquila Strike Over 700m
True North Copper has announced a major breakthrough at its Mt Oxide Project, hitting a standout 7 meters at 7.9% copper at the Aquila Prospect, extending the mineralised strike to over 700 meters and confirming a robust copper-cobalt-silver system.
- 7m at 7.9% copper intercept at Aquila Prospect
- Strike length extended to more than 700 meters and remains open
- Phase 2 drilling completed with 26 holes for 7,074 meters
- High-grade shoots confirmed within continuous Cu-Co-Ag mineralisation
- 2026 drilling program planned to target extensions and new trends
Significant Drilling Success at Aquila
True North Copper Limited (ASX, TNC) has reported impressive results from its Phase 2 drilling program at the Aquila Prospect, part of the Mt Oxide Project in Northwest Queensland. The company’s latest assays reveal a remarkable 7-meter intercept grading 7.9% copper, part of a broader 59-meter zone averaging 1.77% copper. This intercept is among the strongest copper grades reported this year from a new Australian discovery.
The Phase 2 program, which concluded with 26 reverse circulation drill holes totaling 7,074 meters, has extended the known mineralised strike length of the Aquila trend by an additional 200 meters to the north. The total strike length now exceeds 700 meters and remains open in all directions, underscoring the potential scale of this mineral system.
Robust Copper-Cobalt-Silver Mineralisation Confirmed
Drilling results have confirmed a continuous copper-cobalt-silver system with several high-grade shoots. These shoots are zones of elevated copper grades within a broader mineralised envelope, indicating strong continuity and potential for resource growth. Notably, holes MOX255 and MOX256 delivered standout intercepts, including 33 meters at 2.83% copper and 8 meters at 2.71% copper respectively.
The mineralisation is structurally controlled by the north-south oriented Mount Gordon Fault Zone and associated cross-cutting structures, a geological setting comparable to other significant deposits in the Mt Isa Inlier. Copper sulphides occur in proximity to hematite-silica alteration zones and graphitic shales, suggesting a complex but promising mineral system.
Strategic Outlook and Next Steps
True North Copper’s Managing Director Andrew Mooney highlighted the rarity and significance of such a discovery in the Mt Isa region, noting the grade, scale, and continuity of mineralisation at Aquila. The company plans a follow-up drilling campaign in 2026, targeting extensions below the high-grade shoots and exploring parallel trends such as Apollo and Acanthis, which remain largely untested.
Additional geophysical surveys, including induced polarisation (IP) lines, are scheduled to refine targeting and extend exploration coverage. Assay results from 12 remaining holes totaling 3,313 meters are pending and expected to provide further insights into the mineral system.
Implications for True North Copper’s Growth Strategy
This drilling success at Aquila aligns with True North Copper’s three-stage growth strategy, advancing near-term cash flow from the Cloncurry Copper Project, expanding resources at Mt Oxide, and pursuing new discoveries across regional Tier 1 targets. The robust results reinforce Aquila’s potential as a substantial copper resource comparable to major deposits in the region, potentially underpinning future development and value creation.
Bottom Line?
With high-grade intercepts and an expanding mineralised footprint, True North Copper’s Aquila discovery sets the stage for a pivotal 2026 exploration campaign.
Questions in the middle?
- How will pending assay results from the remaining 12 holes impact the overall resource potential?
- What are the expected timelines and scale for the 2026 follow-up drilling program?
- How might the discovery at Aquila influence True North Copper’s valuation and development plans?