Hammer Metals lights up Hardway with ‘outstanding’ copper-rare earth drill hits

North Queensland-focused copper-gold explorer Hammer Metals (ASX: HMX) has confirmed a potentially significant shallow copper-rare earths discovery at the Hardway prospect, within its Mt Isa portfolio, following spectacular new drill results reported today.

Hammer said wide-spaced reverse circulation drilling at Hardway to follow up a discovery intercept of 30 metres grading 1.1% copper from 48 metres and 26 metres at 0.14% total rare earth and yttrium oxides (TREYO) reported earlier this year had come up trumps.

The new drilling returned a series of “outstanding” intercepts including a best result of 57 metres grading 1% copper from surface, including 10 metres grading 2.87% copper, 0.11g/t gold and 0.09% TREYO from 25 metres.

Other results included 24 metres grading 1.06% copper and 0.20% TREYO from 14 metres within 58 metres grading 0.55% copper from surface and 13 metres grading 1.20% copper from 35 metres within 38 metres grading 0.66% copper from 13 metres.

The company stated that the cobalt mineralisation was also observed in numerous holes, with a maximum assay of 0.21% cobalt.

Hammer Metals’ managing director Dan Thomas said the Hardway prospect was unique in the Mt Isa Inlier due to the combination of copper and rare earth element (REE) mineralisation, as well as the heavy rare earth dominated REE assemblage.

“Hardway is an exciting new discovery which continues to deliver exceptional drilling results,” he said.

“Drilling has now confirmed the presence of both copper and heavy rare earth mineralisation along a 1-kilometre-long trend, building on the results we reported earlier this year and showing that this is an exciting emerging opportunity in our broader portfolio.”

Follow-up drilling

Hammer said that given the wide-spaced nature of the drilling to date, a follow-up program was now being designed with the aim of optimising the discovery and focusing in on zones with the best potential to add metal inventory at higher grades.

This next phase of drilling is likely to focus on a 500-metre strike extent which has returned elevated grades of copper and REE mineralisation.

“There is also exciting potential in the immediate surrounds, with a recent geological review identifying a new zone of higher grade REE and copper mineralisation at the Easy Life prospect, located 1.2km to the south-west of the historic workings at Hardway.”

“This will be a priority for follow-up exploration,” Mr Thomas added.

Hammer said it was also about to commence drilling at the Hope South prospect, located immediately adjacent to recent results reported by Carnaby Resources (ASX: CNB) at its Mount Hope prospect.