QMines identifies new cluster of copper-gold anomalies at Artillery Road prospect
QMines (ASX: QML) has confirmed that a recent electromagnetic survey at the Artillery Road prospect in Queensland has identified a new cluster of copper-gold anomalies suggestive of a larger skarn system.
Inversion analysis on work done by EMergo and Mitre Geophysics revealed more than 40 induced polarisation conductor targets at depth within the prospect, which forms part of the company’s flagship Mt Chalmers project.
The findings follow results from initial drilling at Artillery Road that confirmed a large mineralised skarn deposit.
Improved understanding
Geochemical modelling, field mapping and petrographic analysis of reverse circulation samples are believed to have improved the company’s understanding of the deposit.
These samples suggest that Artillery Road is part of a larger skarn system.
QMines is now preparing access agreements with the aim of ground-truthing, mapping and completing soil sampling at the new targets.
Drilling imminent
Executive chair Andrew Sparke said drilling of the anomalies would commence once the field work is completed.
“We will be ready to drill these new targets as soon as access and compensation agreements have been finalised,” he said.
“With more than 40 newly-identified anomalies to assess, we believe we have an excellent pipeline of regional drilling targets, which will extend well into the future.”
Alteration envelope
Skarn mineralogy is mappable in the field and serves as the broader “alteration envelope” around potential ore bodies.
Most skarn deposits are predictably zoned in mineralogy and geochemistry, and recognition of distal alteration features is important in the early exploration stages.
Details of skarn mineralogy and zonation can be used to construct deposit-specific models for developing exploration programs or regional syntheses.
Copper skarns
Copper skarns are considered to be the world’s most abundant skarn type and most commonly form close to intrusive stock contacts with a relatively oxidised skarn mineralogy dominated by magnetite and garnet.
They are common in orogenic zones related to subduction in oceanic and continental settings and have stockwork veins, brittle fractures and brecciation, along with intense hydrothermal alteration.
These features are indicative of a relatively shallow environment formation.
Historical mapping
Upon acquiring the Mt Chalmers project in 2020, QMines commenced digitising and collating all known historical geological mapping results from previous explorers.
The Artillery Road prospect was mapped by Geopeko and Newmont in the 1980s and QMines discovered a series of gossan outcrops while ground-truthing the versatile time domain electromagnetic targets in the area.
They are thought to be the surface expression of the Artillery Road skarn.