Austral Resources (ASX: AR1) has delivered copper grades of up to 15.98% with drilling at the Snow Queen prospect within its Cameron River project in Queensland.
A significant intercept of 10 metres at 7.52% copper from 35m including 4m at 15.98% from 38m confirmed the presence of high-grade mineralisation associated with a breccia system at the contact between the Hardway Granite and Corella Formation.
The result supports the company’s targeting model and highlights the prospectivity of a broader mineralised corridor within Cameron River.
A geochemical copper-in-soil anomaly remains open to the west-north-west.
Organic Copper Opportunities
Snow Queen is one of 35 historical workings within Austral’s landholding that the company is systematically advancing as part of its pipeline of organic copper opportunities.
Exploration completed at the prospect in 2025 defined a coherent, high-tenor (more than 500 parts per million) copper-in-soil anomaly extending over 400m of strike associated with a brecciated intrusive-sedimentary contact consistent with mineralisation styles observed elsewhere in the district.
Snow Queen has previously returned best surface sampling results of 2.7% copper, 0.13 grams per tonne gold and 2.3g/t silver.
Austral expects to re-commence regional drilling at selected targets later this year focused on extending the known mineralisation and testing new geochemical and structural anomalies.
Near-mine exploration is continuing in parallel, with a view to identifying additional sources of copper mineralisation within haulage distance of Austral’s Rocklands copper project and processing facility that is on track for a strategic restart in mid-2027.
Mineable Inventory Conversion
Austral chief operating officer Shane O’Connell said the Snow Queen results demonstrated the company’s ability to generate and drill high-quality copper targets within its tenure.
“As an established copper producer, we are focused not only on discovery but on converting these opportunities into mineable inventory that can be integrated into our existing production and processing infrastructure,” he said.
Snow Queen’s proximity to the Rocklands facility reinforces Austral’s strategy of advancing copper opportunities by leveraging existing infrastructure.
“We see significant value in systematically testing these targets, with the aim of identifying additional sources of copper mineralisation that could complement and sustain our current operations.”
