GreenTech Metals’ copper hits could lift Whundo resources

GreenTech Metals will now focus drilling at its Whundo project to test the potential for near-term copper production opportunities.

GreenTech Metals is eyeing near-term production opportunities at its Whundo copper project. Pic: Getty Images

• Drilling at GreenTech’s Whundo project has returned high-grade copper hits at the Shelby and Austin ore shoots

• Results extend mineralisation down-plunge beyond known mineralisation, raising the likelihood of resource upgrades

• Further drilling will further test the depth and lateral extents of both Austin and Shelby as well as the near surface copper oxide mineralisation at Yannery.

Special Report: GreenTech Metals’ Whundo project in the West Pilbara, WA, continues to stand out after drilling returned strong copper intersections in new zones.

Stage 2 drilling to test two major conductors on the unmined Shelby and Austin ore shoots returned mineralised zones with variable high-grade intersections.

At Austin, a hole returned a 7.14m intersection grading 1.46% copper, 1.23% zinc and 0.08g/t gold from 277.16m including 3.45m at 2.42% copper, 2.41% zinc and 0.1g/t gold from 278m.

Watch: Thomas Reddicliffe and Julian Hanna dig into a Pilbara perforation

Meanwhile, the hole at Shelby hit a 9.94m zone at 1.32% copper and 0.18g/t gold from 598.2m including 2.5m at 2.21% copper, 0.16% zinc and 0.08g.t gold from 602m and a separate intersection of 3.69m at 1.18% copper and 0.35g/t gold from 626.3m.

Importantly for GreenTech Metals (ASX:GRE), the results confirmed that high-grade copper mineralisation extends down-plunge beyond the known mineralised envelopes, highlighting the potential for resource growth at Whundo.

There is also potential for more as new electromagnetic surveys completed on each drill hole indicate that the highly conductive plates at Shelby and Austin continue down-plunge.

“We are very encouraged with these results which confirm our visual confirmation of massive to semi-massive sulphides containing copper and other metals associated with the conductor targets tested at both Shelby and Austin,” executive director Tom Reddicliffe said.

“The results confirm that these two mineralised shoots are continuing down plunge and present a great opportunity to expand the Whundo project resources.

“This program validates our model around the potential scale of the Whundo project based on the plunging mineralised copper shoots.”

Resources, prospects and conductors at the Whundo project. Pic: GreenTech Metals

Whundo project

The Whundo project comprises six known mineralised copper-zinc shoots, typically plunging to the north at 30-40 degrees.

These mineralised shoots, known as Whundo East, Whundo West, Austin, Shelby, Yannery and Ayshia, occur within a defined generally northeast trending zone over a strike of 2km.

A further combined 2km of this prospective zone remains open to the west and the east of known mineralisation within the tenement.

Despite hosting a resource of 6.2Mt at 1.12% copper and 1.04% zinc, the project is considered to be underexplored particularly at depth as VMS deposits can extend to considerable depths.

Stage 1 drilling in September last year confirmed the continuity of mineralisation at Whundo with 16m at 1.2% copper, 0.12% zinc and 0.035g/t gold from 230m from Austin while drilling at Ayshia returned 10m at 1.2% copper, 1.2% zinc and 0.09g/t gold from 260m.

The current Stage 2 drilling was originally aimed at expanding the existing Whundo/Ayshia prospects and defining new resources where possible.

However, strong copper prices have caused the company to consider near-term opportunities for potential copper production from Whundo.

As such, upcoming drilling will test down plunge and lateral extents of the Austin shoot, lateral extents of the Shelby shoot, the down plunge extent of the Ashyia shoot and the upper high-grade oxide zone at Yannery.

It will also drill a core hole at Whundo to provide material for metallurgical test work.

Results from the drilling will feed into a conceptual Whundo mine study that will evaluate the economics of near-term production opportunities as well as the suitability of the Radio Hill site as a processing option.

The rig in action over the Whundo deposit cluster. Pic: GreenTech Metals

This article was developed in collaboration with GreenTech Metals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

Originally published as GreenTech Metals’ copper hits could lift Whundo resources