Aruma Resources opens Fiery Creek exploration program with high-grade copper assays

Aruma Resources (ASX: AAJ) has reported a positive start to exploration work at its Fiery Creek copper project in the Mt Isa region of Queensland, with high-grade copper assays received from its initial surface sampling program.

Aruma has fast-tracked initial exploration work at Fiery Creek, which it acquired along with the nearby Bortala copper project and the Wilan uranium project in South Australia’s Olympic Dam precinct, in early August.

Managing Director Glenn Grayson said the first-phase sampling program has validated the decision to acquire Fiery Creek.

High-grade results

“The multiple high-grade copper results, along with the silver and antimony mineralisation returned at the Piper target from our initial surface sampling program, provide early confirmation of the Fiery Creek project’s exploration potential,” Mr Grayson said.

“These results, in conjunction with historic exploration results, help provide key baseline data for our next phase of field work.”

“Ground-based geophysical surveys are planned in the coming weeks with the aim of defining targets for a maiden drilling program.”

“Also of significant wider importance is that the data generated from soil sampling to date indicate strong copper anomalism across the Fiery Creek project, beyond the initial Piper and Fiery Creek targets.”

Piper follow-up

The highlight results from the priority Piper prospect in the north-west of the project area include multiple very high-grade copper samples along with high-grade silver and encouraging antimony results.

The company is planning to follow up the discovery of sample rocks from Piper at an outcropping cross-cutting quartz breccia mapped for 700 metres.

Mr Grayson said this is an excellent example of the prospectivity of Fiery Creek.

Historical assays

Aruma’s early work at Fiery Creek is following up historical high-grade copper assays of up to 36%.

Since acquiring the project, the company has implemented a systematic exploration strategy with the initial sampling running alongside a mapping program.

This work is planned to continue across the project area and follow up on previous broad-scale gravity and magnetic surveys conducted at the Fiery Creek area, with detailed ground-based geophysical surveys aiming to complement existing data.

Planned activities include both a ground gravity survey at Piper and Fiery Creek and an induced polarisation survey over the Piper prospect.