Duke Exploration identifies ‘extensive’ anomalies at Quorn within Bundarra copper-silver-gold project
Duke Exploration believes Bundarra is a near-term copper, silver and gold development opportunity.
Recent ASX debutant Duke Exploration’s (ASX: DEX) preliminary exploration at Quorn has been more successful than the company anticipated with an induced polarisation survey identifying “extensive” anomalies at the central Queensland project.
According to Duke, the gradient array induced polarisation survey at Quorn was the first modern exploration at the site.
Duke chairman Toko Kapea said the IP survey results were “better than expected” and confirm the company’s theory that it is exploring a “very large mineral system” at the wider Bundarra project.
The company is replicating the exploration strategy it is pursuing at the Mt Flora prospect which is 10km away and where resource drilling is underway.
With the IP results, Mr Kapea said it had confirmed the company’s suspicions the Quorn mineral system is bigger than Mt Flora. The anomalies at Quorn are larger and stronger, which Duke has interpreted being a result of larger and well-mineralised sulphide vein systems.
Follow up soil sampling, 3D IP and ground electromagnetic surveys are expected to provide drill targets and lead to further discoveries at Quorn.
Advancing Bundarra
Duke anticipates Bundarra has the potential to host a large tonnage copper and silver deposit.
The project was subject to historic small-scale mining in the late 1800s where copper, silver and gold veins were targeted.
Back then, the project was recognised as the highest grade copper project in the country with nearly 50 historic workings.
Mt Flora is the most advanced target where a phase one drilling program is half complete with a total of 43 holes for 7,040m planned.
First assays are anticipated imminently.
In the March quarter next year, Duke expects to wind up the reverse circulation program at Mt Flora and use the results to guide the phase two infill drilling campaign.
Once the soil and geophysics surveys at Quorn have been finished, Duke will plan a drilling program at the target, with Mr Kapea saying he anticipates it to begin in the March quarter.
Drilling is also in the pipeline for the Prairie Creek gold target and potentially more drilling for the Quarry discovery – depending on assay results. However, results appear promising at Quarry with nine holes drilled for 1,014m all pulling up visible copper.