Norfolk Metals intersects native copper in first hole at Roger River
Norfolk expects assays from the maiden drill hole at Roger River next month.
Diversified explorer Norfolk Metals (ASX: NFL) reports that the first hole at its Roger River gold project in northern Tasmania has intersected native copper and sulphide mineralisation.
Roger River lies south of the small town of Smithton and covers 261sq km, including 30km of strike along the Roger River Fault zone.
A maiden drill hole extended from surface to 318m at the project. Visual logging of the drill core identified native copper in discrete zones from 58.5m to 145.4m, comprised of disseminated to blebby copper.
Also revealed were strong magnetic, potassium and hematite alteration zones.
Chalcopyrite — copper-iron-sulphide — was observed at 86.5m from surface.
Following up multiple gold and copper anomalies
The recent soil orientation program at Roger River identified multiple gold and copper anomalies.
These were also found at the recently defined target, now named A1.
Norfolk executive chairman Ben Phillips said the consistent occurrences of native copper in the first hole at Roger River is very encouraging.
In its prospectus prior to its March ASX listing, Norfolk stated that the Roger River Fault copper occurrences are poorly understood and would require work.
“We look forward to exploring this virgin fault via our defined targets,” Mr Phillips said.
He added that the preliminary results from this first drill hole indicate the splays off the Roger River Fault are fertile and also validates the early decision to acquire the exploration licence for that ground.
“NFL now holds over 30km of strike length of the Roger River Fault containing known copper and gold occurrences at surface.”
‘Fully committed’ to drill uranium project
Norfolk also holds the Orroroo uranium project in South Australia, located to the south of Boss Energy’s (ASX: BOE) Honeymoon uranium deposit which is on the path to being restarted, with first production expected by the December quarter of 2023.
In August, Norfolk was granted additional exploration areas north and south of its existing ground.
In its recent quarterly report, Norfolk stated it remains committed to drill testing the uranium roll front project outlined in its prospectus.
The company has also begun discussions with landowners and South Australian heritage bodies.
Orroroo lines within the Walloway Basin, an elongate tertiary basin approximately 50km long and up to 15km wide.