Anax Metals hits multiple zones of near surface zinc-lead-copper in Pilbara
Drilling at Mons Cupri within Whim Creek has unearthed mineralised zones up to 62m thick, with high-grade intervals assaying up to 10.34% zinc, 4.75% copper, and 5.22% lead.
“Tens of metres in thickness intersected” is the way Anax Metals (ASX: ANX) describes its latest drill results from the Whim Creek project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The company says the “outstanding” drilling results intersected near-surface massive/semi-massive and sulphide stringer copper, lead, zinc, gold and silver.
There are multiple zones of near surface, high-grade mineralisation, which have been described as being “tens of metres” in thickness.
Anax has an earn-in agreement with Venturex Resources (ASX: VXR) to develop Whim Creek.
The 80% earn-in was completed last month.
The intersections include 11m at 5.01% zinc, 5.22% lead and 0.87% copper from 32m down hole.
Another section returned 42m at 2.34% copper, including 11m at 4.37%.
Then there was an 18m intercept returning 5.2% zinc, 2.48% copper and 1.53% lead, with two higher grade sections (including 3m at 10.34% zinc).
Another hole hit 62m at 1.9% copper, 1.03% zinc from 78m, including 7m at 4.75% copper and 2.74% zinc.
Gold, silver assays still to come
The cores were passed through a Minalyzer, a scanner unit, but that was not able provide accurate analyses for gold and silver.
However, analysis of bulk composites prepared for ore sorting test work did return significant shows, including up to 2.08 grams per tonne gold and 89g/t silver.
The Whim Creek copper-zinc project is located about 120km southwest of Port Hedland.
Within the project there are four main prospects: Whim Creek, Mons Cupri, Salt Creek and Evelyn, where structurally controlled volcanic hosted massive sulphide (VHMS) style, copper-zinc-lead mineralisation has been targeted and/or resources defined.
Salt Creek, Whim Creek and Mons Cupri occur within volcanicastics and sediments of the Bookingarra Group, part of the Archean Whim Creek Basin.
The Evelyn deposit, 25km to the south, occupies the contact between sandstones and ultramafics of the De Grey Group in the Croydon Anticline structure of the Mallina Basin, considered to be laterally equivalent to the Whim Creek Greenstones.
‘Significant’ near-mine potential
The project has a JORC resource of 6.9 million tonnes at 0.93% copper and 1.83% zinc.
Anax describes the project as having “significant near-mine exploration potential”.
Ore sorting test work is currently in progress at both Steinert (Perth) and Tomra (Sydney). Test work is likely to be completed towards the end of February 2021 and results will be released once the program has concluded.
Feasibility study activities are progressing well with numerous work streams in progress, the company says.