Hillgrove pushes Nugent mineralisation boundaries with copper-gold assays

Development of Nugent is being fast-tracked by Hillgrove to ramp up copper production at the wider Kanmantoo copper project.

Hillgrove Resources says the results clearly show the continuity and depth potential of the Nugent copper-gold system. Pic: Getty Images

• Underground drilling extends Nugent mineralisation 380m below pit

• Drilling returned standout assays including 26m at 1.21% copper

• First ore from Nugent remains on track for December 2025

 

Special report: Hillgrove Resources is rapidly advancing the Nugent deposit within the Kanmantoo copper project, with new drilling results showing impressive depth extensions down to 380m below the historic pit, which is 60m below the current Mineral Resource Estimate

The extensional drilling program has returned multiple results including 8.4m at 1.3% copper and 0.23g/t gold from 207.2m, 26m at 1.21% copper and 0.27g/t gold from 299m and 16m at 1.19% copper and 0.23g/t gold from 200m.

Interestingly, hole 25KVUG0532 is 60 metres below the existing 19.3Mt resource at 0.77% copper and 0.14 g/t gold, which remains open down plunge and will continue to be tested with further drilling.

Hillgrove Resources (ASX:HGO) is aiming to increase throughput and copper production from Kanmantoo through the development of Nugent, with first ore targeted from the deposit in the December 2025 quarter.

60,000m drilling target

Drilling carried out in April at the Valentines Pit intersected the alteration zone 180m below the known mineralisation and 300m from the existing underground development.

Despite being in the early phases, the first of these holes at Valentines demonstrated the potential for copper mineralisation within the current mining lease to supplement feed from Kavanagh, Spitfire, and Nugent for its underutilised 3.6Mtpa processing plant.

Underground drilling is progressing toward the 60,000m target, including 19,000m of exploration drilling, with a third rig coming online mid-month.

Watch for more on HGO: Hillgrove on track for copper guidance

Confidence in resource growth potential

HGO CEO and managing director Bob Fulker said the results of this extensional drilling program at Nugent are material to the company as they clearly demonstrate the continuity and depth potential of the Nugent copper-gold mineralisation system.

“In particular, the deepest of the holes that we drilled to the 700mRL (25KVUG0532), which is 380 metres below the Nugent pit – or 60 metres below the existing 2024 mineral resource estimate and the planned development,” he said.

“These results continue to extend the known depth of the Nugent mineralisation and are pleasingly at grades higher than the global reserve grade of 0.76%.

“Results such as these continues to reinforce our confidence in the significant resource growth potential at Nugent and more broadly, Kanmantoo.

“We are well into the process of accelerating the Nugent development and look forward to bringing this deposit into production later in the year.”

This article was developed in collaboration with Hillgrove Resources, 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.