Nifty East drilling results improves copper resource confidence for Cyprium Metals

Cyprium Metals (ASX: CYM) has received all results from extensional infill drilling at the Nifty copper project in Western Australia, targeting oxide and sulphide mineralisation extending east and west at depth beneath the former open pit.

The program comprised 21 reverse circulation holes for 5,725 metres to confirm the mineralisation identified in previous drilling and improve the confidence and classification of inferred resources.

Results have demonstrated potential to define additional shallow mineralisation for a planned re-start of the heap leach operation and growth of the existing 900,000 tonnes-plus of contained copper resources.

Significant widths of copper intersections achieved during this latest drilling program were 18m at 0.45% copper from 65m, including 1m at 2.35% from 67m, and 17m at 0.52% copper from 248m, including 2m at 1.14% from 255m; 11m at 0.66% copper from 326m, including 2m at 1.57% from 332m, and 5m at 0.51% copper from 354m, including 1m at 1.40% from 354m; and 12m at 0.74% copper from 234m, including 2m at 1.20% from 236m, 1m at 1.50% from 239m and 1m at 1.26% from 241m.

Other strong results were 5m at 0.47% copper from 72m, including 1m at 1.36% from 73m and 13m at 1.08% from 314m, including 1m at 1.12% from 316m and 3m at 3.10% from 321m; 13m at 0.52% copper from 242m, including 1m at 1.48% from 243m and 1m at 2.13% from 246m; 7m at 1.14% copper from 196m, including 4m at 1.76% from 196m; and 4m at 0.70% copper from 128m, including 2m at 1.17% from 129m.

Resource model

Cyprium executive director Barry Cahill said the new assays would add to the project’s resource model.

“The first phase of drilling at Nifty East firmed up our understanding of the copper mineralisation extending from the current open pit and demonstrated excellent potential to grow the existing resource,” he said.

“The results will be joined with our previously released West drilling results and there is clear potential to expand the mineral resource as further phases of drilling proceed.”

Project re-start

Cyprium is focused on first phase development of the Nifty copper project, which involves a return to heap leaching and solvent extraction electrowinning (SX-EW) to produce copper metal cathode onsite.

Mr Cahill said the significant inventory and increase of heap leachable oxide mineralisation confirmed by a mineral resource estimate in May of 16.1Mt at 0.9% copper for approximately 144,300t of contained copper metal presents additional upside opportunity on project economics.