True North Copper has enhanced its Cloncurry Copper Project resource base by adding a 1.0 Mt gold-copper resource at Wynberg, featuring 61,000 ounces of gold and 3,000 tonnes of copper. The update supports near-term development prospects and broadens the project's metal exposure.
- Wynberg resource updated to 1.0 Mt at 1.86 g/t Au and 0.25% Cu
- 61,000 ounces gold and 3,000 tonnes copper added to Cloncurry portfolio
- Total Cloncurry resource now 17.75 Mt with 128,000 tonnes copper and 152,000 ounces gold
- Metallurgical studies suggest complex processing involving gravity, leaching, and flotation
- Wynberg positioned as low-capital, near-term gold-copper development opportunity
Wynberg Resource Upgrade Strengthens Cloncurry Portfolio
True North Copper (ASX:TNC) has delivered a meaningful upgrade to its Wynberg Gold-Copper Project near Cloncurry, Queensland, reporting a new Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 1.0 million tonnes grading 1.86 g/t gold and 0.25% copper. This translates to 61,000 ounces of gold and 3,000 tonnes of copper, classified across Measured, Indicated, and Inferred categories. The update not only adds metal inventory but also introduces copper and silver metrics to Wynberg for the first time, highlighting the project's evolving profile as a combined gold-copper system.
Incorporating additional drilling and refined geological modelling, the Wynberg resource upgrade underpins the assumptions of a recently released Wynberg Scoping Study and enhances the strategic value of the broader Cloncurry Copper Project (CCP). With Wynberg now part of the portfolio, TNC's total Cloncurry Mineral Resource swells to 17.75 million tonnes at 0.73% copper and 0.26 g/t gold, containing 128,000 tonnes of copper and 152,000 ounces of gold.
Near-Term Development Opportunity with Strategic Optionality
Located just 25 kilometres east of Cloncurry town, Wynberg benefits from existing infrastructure, regional processing facilities, and a granted Mining Lease with key approvals in place. The deposit is shallow and amenable to open-pit mining, with the updated resource constrained within a conceptual pit shell using a 0.4 g/t gold cut-off grade. This lower cut-off compared to the previous 0.75 g/t Au has increased tonnage but lowered the average grade from 2.7 g/t to 1.86 g/t gold, reflecting a more robust and economically realistic resource model.
Metallurgical testwork conducted over several phases since 1990 indicates that Wynberg is not a straightforward heap leach project. Instead, the preferred processing route is likely to involve a combination of gravity recovery, cyanide leaching, and flotation to handle the coarse/free gold and variable copper sulphide mineralisation. Early cyanide leach tests showed variable recoveries and high reagent consumption in copper-rich zones, while more recent gravity and CIP testwork confirmed the necessity of gravity circuits to optimise gold extraction. No flotation testwork has been completed yet, leaving some processing parameters subject to further technical evaluation.
Geological Complexity and Resource Confidence
The Wynberg deposit sits within the Eastern Fold Belt of the Mount Isa Inlier, a geologically complex Proterozoic terrain. Mineralisation is structurally controlled, hosted within quartz-carbonate veins and carbonate breccias, with multiple parallel lodes dipping steeply. The updated MRE is supported by extensive drilling campaigns dating back to 1988, including recent grade control drilling that has improved geological confidence and resource classification. The resource is reported with Measured, Indicated, and Inferred categories based on drill spacing, geological continuity, and geostatistical analysis.
While the resource model incorporates a detailed oxidation profile and density assignments by lithology, some areas still carry lower confidence due to drillhole spacing or complex structural controls. The Competent Person has judged the resource estimate to appropriately reflect the deposit's geological understanding and data quality.
Integration into True North’s Three-Platform Growth Strategy
Wynberg complements True North Copper’s broader strategy to drill out and grow the Mt Oxide resource, develop near-term cash flow at Cloncurry, and pursue discovery across regional IOCG targets. The addition of a high-value gold-copper resource at Wynberg diversifies the metal exposure of the CCP and offers flexible development pathways, potentially accelerating near-term revenue generation.
The updated resource base positions TNC to evaluate multiple mining and processing scenarios across the Cloncurry district, with Wynberg’s shallow gold-copper mineralisation offering a practical development option alongside the company’s extensive copper assets. This resource upgrade follows recent progress on the Mt Oxide system and the Cloncurry pre-feasibility study, reinforcing the company’s momentum in the region.
While the metallurgical complexity at Wynberg warrants further study, the resource update provides a stronger foundation for technical and economic assessments. The project’s proximity to existing infrastructure and granted mining leases reduces development risk compared to greenfield projects.
Bottom Line?
Wynberg’s upgraded gold-copper resource adds a near-term development option to True North’s Cloncurry portfolio, but metallurgical complexities and processing routes remain key uncertainties to resolve.
Questions in the middle?
- How will ongoing metallurgical testwork influence processing strategies and project economics at Wynberg?
- What impact will commodity price fluctuations have on the economic viability of the lower-grade, higher-tonnage resource?
- Can further drilling close to Wynberg extend mineralisation at depth or along strike to enhance resource scale?