Red Hill Minerals has completed its inaugural diamond drilling campaign at the Broken Hill Project, revealing extensive lead-zinc-silver mineralisation, particularly at the Dementus Target, underscoring the project's Tier 1 potential.
- Maiden diamond drilling program completed with 3,734 metres across five holes
- Broad Broken Hill Type lead-zinc-silver mineralisation intersected at Dementus
- Significant assay highlights include 91.1m at 0.1% lead and 152.6m at 0.2% zinc
- Lower-grade polymetallic copper-gold mineralisation found at Immortan and K1 targets
- Follow-up high-resolution gravity and AMT surveys planned to refine targets
Exploration Breakthrough at Broken Hill
Red Hill Minerals Limited (ASX, RHI) has announced the completion of its maiden diamond drilling program at the Broken Hill Project in New South Wales, a key asset within its Curnamona Earn-In Joint Venture with Peel Mining Limited. The program, comprising five diamond drill holes totalling 3,734 metres, targeted prospective stratigraphic horizons known for hosting Broken Hill Type (BHT) lead-zinc-silver mineralisation.
Among the standout results, the Dementus Target delivered broad zones of lead-dominant BHT mineralisation, including a 91.1-metre interval grading 0.1% lead and 0.3 grams per tonne silver starting from 328 metres depth. This mineralisation is hosted within a stacked lode horizon package exceeding 250 metres, indicating a significant mineralised system. Additionally, a deeper zinc-rich zone returned 152.6 metres at 0.2% zinc and 1.3 grams per tonne silver, with higher-grade intervals within this zone suggesting proximity to a potential vent source in the Lower Broken Hill Group.
Supporting Targets and Geological Insights
Other targets tested during the program, including Woolly, Immortan, and K1, yielded lower-grade but encouraging polymetallic mineralisation. Woolly returned 81 metres at 0.1% zinc and 0.2 grams per tonne silver, while Immortan showed copper-gold mineralisation with 7 metres at 0.2% copper, 0.6 grams per tonne silver, and 0.1 grams per tonne gold. The K1 Target, a hydrothermal magnetite body near the NSW-SA border, produced modest gold and copper values but has been downgraded based on recent drilling.
The geological setting of the Broken Hill Project is complex, situated within the Curnamona Province's Willyama Supergroup. The presence of classic BHT textures, lead-dominant sulphide mineralogy, and encouraging alteration indices at Dementus affirm the project's Tier 1 potential for significant base metal deposits concealed beneath cover.
Next Steps and Strategic Focus
Red Hill plans to prioritise follow-up exploration at the Dementus Target, leveraging high-resolution gravity and Audio-Magnetotelluric (AMT) surveys scheduled for February. These geophysical techniques aim to refine structural interpretations and vector towards higher-grade mineralisation zones. The company also benefits from NSW Government co-funding of up to $250,000 for drilling under the Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Exploration Program, underscoring the strategic importance of this project.
While the drilling results are promising, true widths of mineralisation remain to be determined, and further drilling will be essential to establish resource continuity and grade. The integration of geophysical data with assay results will guide the next phase of exploration, potentially unlocking a significant new base metals province in the region.
Bottom Line?
Red Hill’s maiden drilling confirms Broken Hill’s promise, but the journey to resource definition is just beginning.
Questions in the middle?
- What will the upcoming gravity and AMT surveys reveal about the structural controls on mineralisation?
- How might further drilling refine the grade and continuity of the Dementus Target mineralisation?
- What impact will NSW Government co-funding have on accelerating exploration activities?