Diamond Drilling at Oonagalabi Tests Potential Tier-1 Copper-Zinc-Gold System
Litchfield Minerals has commenced its maiden diamond drilling campaign at the Oonagalabi Project, targeting two key intrusive-related zones that could unlock a major copper-zinc-gold mineral system.
- Maiden diamond drilling underway at Oonagalabi, co-funded by Northern Territory Geological Survey
- Targets include Bomb-Diggity pipe-like intrusive and ‘Magnetic Finger’ gold-bismuth zone
- Phase 1 drilling revealed distinct copper-zinc and gold-silver-bismuth mineralisation styles
- Potential IOCG-style mineralisation analogous to Tennant Creek identified
- Multiple VTEM targets and intrusions expand exploration scope across the corridor
Diamond Drilling Begins at Oonagalabi
Litchfield Minerals Limited has officially kicked off its maiden diamond drilling program at the Oonagalabi Project in the Northern Territory, marking a significant step in exploring what could be a large-scale copper-zinc-gold mineral system. The 1000-metre campaign, co-funded by the Northern Territory Geological Survey, focuses on two high-priority intrusive-related targets, the Bomb-Diggity pipe-like magnetic anomaly and the so-called 'Magnetic Finger' within the Oonagalabi Main Zone.
Intrusive Targets and Mineralisation Styles
Previous phase 1 reverse circulation drilling at Oonagalabi identified two distinct mineralisation events. The first is an earlier copper-zinc ± lead system hosted in calc-silicate units, interpreted as either SEDEX-style or skarn-related and strongly metamorphosed. Overprinting this is a later gold-silver-bismuth mineralisation event associated with intense magnetite alteration, which Litchfield interprets as potentially intrusion-related and analogous to iron-oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) systems like those found at Tennant Creek.
The Bomb-Diggity target itself is a substantial 1km by 1km pipe-like magnetic body believed to represent a primary heat, fluid, and metal source driving mineralisation. The second diamond hole will test the Magnetic Finger, an elongate magnetic feature linked to gold-bismuth mineralisation and magnetite alteration, further probing the possibility of an IOCG-style system.
Expanding the Exploration Horizon
Beyond these two targets, Litchfield has identified multiple additional intrusions along the major crustal boundary between the Aileron and Irindina Provinces. These intrusions coincide with high-priority electromagnetic conductors detected by airborne VTEM surveys, suggesting a broader mineral system with multiple heat and metal sources. This expanding target pipeline significantly enhances the project’s potential to host a Tier-1 discovery.
Managing Director Matthew Pustahya emphasised the importance of this drilling phase as a first direct test of the system’s ‘engine rooms’ and highlighted the strong technical merit supported by NTGS co-funding. The company remains optimistic about the corridor’s scale, architecture, and fertility to host a major mineral system, with ongoing work expected to refine and expand exploration targets.
Looking Ahead
While assay results from the diamond drilling are still pending, the campaign represents a critical milestone in validating Litchfield’s intrusion-driven exploration model. The combination of geological, geophysical, and geochemical data points to a complex, multi-phase mineral system with significant discovery upside. Investors and analysts will be watching closely as the company advances its understanding of the Oonagalabi corridor’s potential.
Bottom Line?
Litchfield’s diamond drilling at Oonagalabi could unlock a major mineral system, but assay results will be the true test.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the diamond drilling confirm the presence of a large-scale IOCG-style mineral system?
- How will the VTEM targets influence the next phase of exploration and drilling?
- What are the implications of multiple intrusive bodies for the project’s overall resource potential?
