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Litchfield geophysics reveals 14 high-priority NT sulphide targets
Brought to you by BULLS N’ BEARS
By Doug Bright
Emerging explorer Litchfield Minerals has identified a highly encouraging suite of preliminary geophysical conductor anomalies from its recently completed helicopter-borne VTEM survey at its flagship multi-commodity Oonagalabi project, 125 kilometres northeast of Alice Springs.
The survey, co-funded by a Northern Territory Government geophysics and drilling collaboration grant, highlighted 14 priority one conductor targets with strong sulphide potential. The survey was interpreted by geophysicist Kate Hine of Mitre Geophysics.
Litchfield Minerals looks set to start drilling multiple targets identified by its recent VTEM geophysics at its multi-commodity Oonagalabi project in the Northern Territory, 125km northeast of Alice Springs.
The development reinforces Oonagalabi’s potential as a major mineralised system where Litchfield plans to start drilling of selected targets in mid-September.
The VTEM survey delineated five conductor clusters across the Oonagalabi project. Three clusters are along the same stratigraphic horizon as the known copper-zinc mineralisation hosted in the Oonagalabi Anticline.
‘These VTEM results have significantly advanced our understanding of the scale and potential of the Oonagalabi system.’
Litchfield Minerals managing director Matt Pustahya
A fourth cluster lies deeper in the anticlinal nose, suggesting structurally controlled mineralisation. A fifth cluster, in the Harts Range foothills, has potential for regional discoveries.
Other weaker conductors at Oonagalabi align with strong induced polarisation (IP) chargeability, hinting at links between near-surface disseminated mineralisation and deeper sulphide-rich zones.
Litchfield Minerals managing director Matt Pustahya said: “These VTEM results have significantly advanced our understanding of the scale and potential of the Oonagalabi system. Identifying five distinct clusters of conductors - including several with clear sulphide signatures in the same horizon as known mineralisation - is a major leap forward.”
Pustahya emphasised the emergence of the Bomb Diggity structural corridor as a potential heat and metal source. When combined with a suite of high-priority targets along strike from historical intercepts, Bomb Diggity provides the company with a strong position heading into drilling and a potentially transformative quarter.
The first cluster features strong, late-time conductors along a 400-metre strike at 150m depth on the eastern limb of the Oonagalabi Anticline, aligned with the mineralised horizon which hosts the Oonagalabi and Silverado prospects. The association suggests a semi-massive to massive sulphide source, potentially of sedimentary exhalative (SEDEX) origin.
A second high conductance cluster sits 6km southwest of the first and extends along a 600m strike at shallow depths between 50m and 100m depth.
Hosted in the same prospective horizon as the first cluster, it lies 1.2km east of altered ultramafic rocks mapped by the Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS), although field inspections suggest they might be more like rocks noted within the mineralised Oonagalabi Formation.
The second cluster may resolve into separate discrete sulphide sources once final data processing has been undertaken, coupled with more mapping to explore possible ultramafic links to potential magmatic nickel-sulphide systems.
The third conductive cluster sits north of an east-trending structure at the Bomb Diggity prospect, flanking a magnetic anomaly that is likely tied to an inferred magmatic intrusion.
Positioned less than 500m from outcropping rocks of the Oonagalabi Formation, the conductor points to a possible heat or metal source feeding into the broader system.
The fourth conductive cluster shows a small – 100m x 50m – highly conductive geophysical anomaly at about 50m depth that coincides with a magnetic feature sitting above the Oonagalabi Formation in the nose of the anticline. The feature is believed likely to be sulphide-driven.
Finally, the fifth cluster - identified about 5km northwest of Bomb Diggity in the Mt Riddock Amphibolite - is a narrow, highly conductive 55m x 15m response, which indicates possible Virginia-type copper mineralisation.
The Virginia-type of copper mineralisation refers to structurally-controlled copper deposits typically found in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont provinces of Virginia, which are often associated with metamorphosed sedimentary and volcanic rocks.
Such deposits are characterised by copper sulphides, such as chalcopyrite, occurring in quartz veins, fractures, or disseminated within host rocks like the Precambrian Alligator Back Formation.
Litchfield is preparing to kick off a mid-September drilling program at its intriguing Bomb Diggity target to test for possible intrusion-related targets. The work will be followed by drilling of selected high-priority VTEM conductors and other interpreted gold-rich zones at Oonagalabi, including at Bomb Diggity.
Litchfield’s next steps will include ground-truthing of conductors. Access checks and drill collar planning will begin next week, when all the VTEM results and interpretations are to hand. The company has slated drill pad and access earthworks for the first week in September.
The Oonagalabi system, hosted in the Strangways Metamorphic Complex, spans about 3km x 0.5km and extends to at least 500m depth. The project area shares geological similarities with KGL Resources’ Jervois project, about 150km east-northeast of Oonagalabi.
KGL’s mid-February feasibility update found that its Jervois copper project is technically robust and financially viable, based on its total proven and probable 14.38-million-tonne reserves at 1.77 per cent copper and containing 265,000 tonnes of copper, 9.4 million ounces of silver and 761,000 ounces of gold which will support an average annual steady-state production of about 30,000 tonnes per annum of copper, 1016 ounces per annum of silver and 8900 ounces per annum of gold.
With drilling imminent and high-priority sulphide targets in sight, Litchfield could be on the cusp of unlocking Oonagalabi’s full potential.
As Litchfield moves towards a potentially transformative quarter, keen observers could see some significant updates from its emerging multi-commodity Oonagalabi prospect.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au