Kincora Copper Ltd. First phase drilling results and commencement of phase two at the Fairholme project
- Air-core drilling program at up to six prospects, including the Gateway and Anomaly 2 prospects commenced, seeking to follow up and expand previous geochemical anomalies, often with coincident geophysical anomalies across the wider Fairholme project
- Maiden 5-holes for 1,684 metres diamond-drilling program by Kincora at the Gateway prospect returned broad anomalous copper, gold and base metal mineralisation (eg KFHD003 with 80m @ 0.11 g/t gold & 0.16% copper), with localised higher grade zones (eg KFHD001 with 1m @ 1.42 g/t gold & 2m @ 0.91 g/t gold), and, identified zonation and controls to mineralisation. The system's strike at Gateway is over 600m with the upcoming 9-hole air-core program focused on strike extension and higher grade potential
- Kincora has been awarded a A$200,000 grant for drilling at the Gateway prospect under the latest New Frontiers Cooperative Drilling program from the NSW Government 1
- The Fairholme project is host a number of large mineralised systems located adjacent and on strike from Evolution Mining's flagship Cowal mine and wider regional exploration portfolio (total resource inventory ~15Moz gold and >0.5Mt copper 2)
- Diamond drilling (hole TRDD032) continues at the southern trend discovery zone at the Trundle Park prospect within Kincora's brownfield Trundle project
MELBOURNE, March 31, 2022 - Kincora Copper Ltd. (the Company, Kincora) (TSXV: KCC) (ASX: KCC) is pleased to provide an exploration update for drilling activities at the Fairholme project, located in the Macquarie Arc of the Lachlan Fold Belt (LFB) in NSW, Australia.
John Holliday, Technical Committee chair, and Peter Leaman, VP of Exploration, noted:
"Our initial five-hole diamond drilling program at the Gateway prospect has confirmed the mineralised system, and identified zonation and controls. The system covers a strike of greater than 600m with the focus now both to extend the southern trend and finding better grades, with a nine-hole air-core program planned at Gateway.
Importantly, the air-core program will also seek to follow up many geochemical anomalies at other under-explored prospects across the wider Fairholme project where there is a 16km mineralised strike along trend from the gold corridor at the Cowal mine. For example, initial drilling at the Anomaly 2 prospect is already returning interesting visual results following up a single previous drill hole interval of 9m @ 1.05 g/t gold and 0.04% copper.
Many of these anomalies, like Anomaly 2, have not been drill tested in over 15 years despite hosting significant existing mineralised footprints, and the significant resource growth and exploration success at the adjacent Cowal project."
Figure 1: A world-class geological setting for gold and copper-gold deposits
The Fairholme project has various similarities to the neighbouring wider Cowal gold-base metals systems
1 For further details refer to the January 31st, 2022 press release "Kincora awarded $389,500 in drilling grants" |
2 The gold corridor at Cowal host a 13.7Moz gold endowment and the Marsden porphyry deposit a further >0.5Mt copper and >1Moz gold resource endowment - source: bespoke Mar'20 request by Richard Schodde from MinEx Consulting for Kincora Copper. Endowment reported on a pre-mined resource basis. |
2 source Evolution Mining Investor Webinar, September 2020. 4 source Evolution Mining BMO conference presentation, February 2022. |
Fairholme project
The Fairholme project is host to a number of advanced to early stage exploration prospects across a 16km north-south mineralised strike, with relatively limited effective previous drilling having identified multiple and large mineralised systems.
Kincora's initial focus with the completed maiden 5-hole diamond drill hole program, and recently commenced follow up air-core program, is the Gateway prospect located less than 15km along strike from the five epithermal, carbonate base-metal deposits that comprise the Cowal mine (targeted endowment 15Moz gold3).
Kincora's diamond drilling is the first program at Fairholme since Evolution Mining acquired the Cowal project in 2015 and grown the resource inventory from 3.4Moz gold to 9.6Moz (net of 1.6Moz mine depletion4). The recently commenced Kincora air-core program is the first to follow up various shallow geochemical anomalies since 1997.
Evolution is also undertaking regional exploration outside of the Cowal mine stating its wider portfolio is a world-class geologic setting for gold and copper-gold deposits with a number of large mineralised system footprints on key structures. Kincora's Fairholme project has various geological similarities to the wider Cowal mineral systems and mine.
The first phase, five-hole diamond program by Kincora at the Gateway prospect has identified zonation and controls to mineralisation, with the prospects system covering over 600m in strike. A second phase and follow up drilling program, air-core, will seek to both extend the southern mineralised trend and strike, and test for higher-grades.
Kincora has been awarded a A$200,000 project drilling grant for the diamond and air-core drilling programs at the Gateway prospect under the latest New Frontiers Cooperative Drilling program from the NSW Government1. The grant follows a competitive expert panel review process, monies are non-dilutionary and fund direct per meter drilling costs on a matched dollar-for-dollar basis.
Figure 2: Multiple big mineralised system footprints with relatively limited follow up of previous shallow geochemical anomalies at a number of prospects
A four-hole air-core program has commenced at Anomaly 2 before moving to complete up to 9-holes at Gateway. Other permitted and proposed air-core drill prospects listed on right hand side image.
Diamond core drilling program
Kincora's maiden drilling program at Gateway followed up along a previously identified NNW structural trend with multiple shallows to moderate depth, broad width and high-grade gold-copper intervals from previous drilling (Figures 2 & 3).
Five-holes for 1,684 metres, namely KHFD001 to KFHD005 (Figure 3) has returned broad anomalous copper, gold and base metal mineralisation, with localised higher-grade zones. The mineral system at Gateway covers a strike of over 600m, 140m wide and remains open along strike and at depth (Figure 2).
The program has identified zonation along the NNW-SSE trending structural corridor, with predominantly gold along the west side, copper-gold in the central zone and gold-zinc towards the east (Figure 3). The central zone appears to be favourable for gold-copper and remains open for further testing towards the SSE and NNW (Figure 3).
The highest gold grades in the Kincora holes were observed in KFHD001 with: 1m @ 1.42 g/t gold and 0.03% copper from 47 m downhole (in saprolite) and 2m @ 0.91 g/t gold and 0.07% copper from 292m down hole (foliated volcaniclastic sandstone). Anomalous copper grades were observed to occur close by to diorite intrusions, but hosted mainly by foliated andesite dominant volcaniclastic siltstones and sandstones, with some intervals observed with quartz veins containing pyrite and minor blebs of chalcopyrite.
Notable gold and copper intervals include: KFHD002 with 6m @ 0.15 g/t gold and 0.32% copper from 196m downhole, and 2m @ 0.20 g/t gold and 0.43% copper from 196m downhole (in foliated volcaniclastic siltstones), and KFHD005 with 28m @ 0.11 g/t gold and 0.14% copper from 470m, including: 2m @ 0.18 g/t gold and 0.34% copper from 472m, and; 4m @ 0.26 g/t gold and 0.20% copper from 488m downhole (Figure 3). Full significant intervals are available in Tables 2-6.
Figure 3: Gateway diamond and air-core programs are looking to confirm and expand a large mineralised corridor and better understanding the controls of the mineral system
Air-core drilling commenced
An air-core drilling program at up to six prospects at the Fairholme project has commenced. The program is following up and seeking to expand previous geochemical anomalies, often with coincident geophysical anomalies, at the Anomaly 2, Gateway, Driftway C, Glencoe, Manna Creek and Kennel prospects within the Fairholme project.
While there has previously been 552 air-core holes for 46,099 metres drilled at the Fairholme project, there are a number of very attractive single or multiple point geochemistry anomalies not followed up - for example at the Anomaly 2 prospect where previous drilling returned 9m @ 1.05g/t gold and 0.04% copper from 75m depth (Figure 2).
Kincora's air-core program is the first since 1997 at many of these target areas (last air-core drilling by Newcrest Mining) and drilling is initially taking place at the Anomaly 2 prospect. Initial visual results of drill hole three of the program (FHAC003), see Figure 5, are already providing encouragement.
Following on from the testing of Anomaly 2, a 9-hole program at the Gateway prospect is seeking to expand the mineralising strike towards the south (and towards the gold corridor at the Cowal mine) and test for higher-grade potential, benefiting from the first phase, 5-hole diamond program completed in 2021. Depending on ground conditions and access, permits and plans are approved for up to 28-holes at the prospects outlined in Figure 2.
The ongoing program is analogous to the original Geopeko reconnaissance RAB drilling to bedrock program over targets, largely selected on the basis of geophysical data and insufficiently followed up geochemical data. This program ultimately led to the discovery of the Cowal gold-base metal deposits.
Figure 4: Air-core drilling is underway initially at the Anomaly 2 prospect, for the first time following up 9m @ 1.05g/t gold and 0.04% copper
End of hole at FHAC003: refusal at 151m in quartz-diorite with carbonate-epidote veins, FeOx veinlets and epidote alteration
Table 1: Fairholme project, Gateway prospect - Collar Information
Table 2: Fairholme project, Gateway prospect: KFHD001 - Summary of significant intervals
Porphyry gold and copper intercepts are calculated using a lower cut of 0.10g/t and/or 0.05% respectively. Internal dilution is below cut off
Table 3: Fairholme project, Gateway prospect: KFHD002 - Summary of significant intervals
Porphyry gold and copper intercepts are calculated using a lower cut of 0.10g/t and/or 0.05% respectively. Internal dilution is below cut off; and, * Dilutions related with Core loss
Table 4: Fairholme project, Gateway prospect: KFHD003 - Summary of significant intervals
Porphyry gold and copper intercepts are calculated using a lower cut of 0.10g/t and/or 0.05% respectively. Internal dilution is below cut off; and, * Dilutions related with Core loss
Table 5: Fairholme project, Gateway prospect: KFHD004 - Summary of significant intervals
Porphyry gold and copper intercepts are calculated using a lower cut of 0.10g/t and/or 0.05% respectively. Internal dilution is below cut off; and, * Dilutions related with Core loss
Table 6: Fairholme project, Gateway prospect: KFHD005 - Summary of significant intervals
Porphyry gold and copper intercepts are calculated using a lower cut of 0.10g/t and/or 0.05% respectively. Internal dilution is below cut off; and, * Dilutions related with Core loss
Fairholme Project background
The Fairholme Project is located in the southern sector of the Junee-Narromine Belt of the Macquarie Arc in the Cowal block with license contiguous to Evolution Mining's flagship Cowal mine and exploration license portfolio (including the Marsden porphyry deposit, which hosts a 0.56Mt copper and 1.1Moz gold resource).
The Cowal mine hosts a cluster of epithermal, quartz-carbonate-base metal-gold mineralisation deposits across a 7.5 x 2km north-south oriented "gold corridor", located on the western edge of Lake Cowal. In 2015, Evolution Mining acquired the Cowal mine from Barrick and has since grown gold inventory from 3.4Moz to 9.6Moz (net of 1.7Moz mine depletion), with a target total endowment of 15Moz Au (noting total historical production of 4Moz gold).
The Fairholme Project includes two contiguous licenses covering a total of 169.2km2 and was secured by Kincora in the March 2020 agreement with RareX Limited ("REE" on the ASX). Kincora is the operator, holds a 65% interest in the Fairholme Project and is the sole funder until a positive scoping study is delivered at which time a fund or dilute joint venture will be formed.
For further information on the Fairholme and Cowal Projects please refer to Kincora's website: https://kincoracopper.com/cowal-project/
This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Kincora Copper Ltd. (ARBN 645 457 763)
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information regarding Kincora contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although Kincora believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Kincora cautions that actual performance will be affected by a number of factors, most of which are beyond its control, and that future events and results may vary substantially from what Kincora currently foresees. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration results, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The information contained herein is stated as of the current date and is subject to change after that date. Kincora does not assume the obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) or the Australian Securities Exchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Drilling, Assaying, Logging and QA/QC Procedures
Sampling and QA/QC procedures are carried out by Kincora Copper Ltd., and its contractors, using the Company's protocols as per industry best practise.
All samples have been assayed at ALS Minerals Laboratories, delivered to Orange, NSW, Australia. In addition to internal checks by ALS, the Company incorporates a QA/QC sample protocol utilizing prepared standards and blanks for 5% of all assayed samples.
Diamond drilling was undertaken by DrillIt Consulting Pty Ltd, from Parkes, under the supervision of our field geologists. All drill core was logged to best industry standard by well-trained geologists and Kincora's drill core sampling protocol consisted a collection of samples over all of the logged core.
Sample interval selection was based on geological controls or mineralization or metre intervals, and/or guidance from the Technical Committee provided subsequent to daily drill and logging reports. Sample intervals are cut by the Company and delivered by the Company direct to ALS.
All reported assay results are performed by ALS and widths reported are drill core lengths. There is insufficient drilling data to date to demonstrate continuity of mineralised domains and determine the relationship between mineralization widths and intercept lengths.
True widths are not known at this stage.
Significant mineralised intervals for drilling at the Fairholme project are reported based upon following cut off grade criteria:
- Porphyry intrusion system gold and copper intercepts are calculated using a lower cut of 0.10g/t and 0.05% respectively.
Significant mineralised intervals are reported with dilution on the basis of:
- Internal dilution is below the aforementioned respective cut off's; and,
- Dilutions related with core loss as flagged by a "*".
The following assay techniques have been adopted for drilling at the Fairholme project:
- Gold: Au-AA24 (Fire assay), reported.
- Multiple elements: ME-ICP61 (4 acid digestion with ICP-AES analysis for 33 elements) and ME-MS61 (4 acid digestion with ICP-AES & ICP-MS analysis for 48 elements), the latter report for KFHD005.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information in this news release was prepared in accordance with the standards of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum and National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and was reviewed, verified and compiled by Kincora's geological staff under the supervision of Paul Cromie (BSc Hons. M.Sc. Economic Geology, PhD, member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Society of Economic Geologists), Exploration Manager Australia, who is the Qualified Persons for the purpose of NI 43-101.
JORC Competent Person Statement
Information in this report that relates to Exploration Results, Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Paul Cromie, a Qualified Person under the definition established by JORC and have sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'.
Paul Cromie (BSc Hons. M.Sc. Economic Geology, PhD, member of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Society of Economic Geologists), is Exploration Manager Australia for the Company.
Mr. Paul Cromie consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
The review and verification process for the information disclosed herein for the Trundle, Fairholme and Nyngan projects have included the receipt of all material exploration data, results and sampling procedures of previous operators and review of such information by Kincora's geological staff using standard verification procedures.
JORC TABLE 1
Section 1 Sampling Techniques and Data
(Criteria in this section apply to all succeeding sections).
Criteria | JORC Code explanation | Commentary |
Sampling techniques |
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Drilling techniques |
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Drill sample recovery |
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Logging |
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Sub- |
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· |
Quality of |
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Verification |
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Location of |
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Data spacing and |
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Orientation |
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Sample |
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Audits or |
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Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results
(Criteria listed in the preceding section also apply to this section.)
Criteria | JORC Code explanation | Commentary |
Mineral |
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Exploration |
| · All Kincora projects have had previous exploration work undertaken. The review and verification process for the information disclosed herein and of other parties for the Trundle project has included the receipt of all material exploration data, results and sampling procedures of previous operators and review of such information by Kincora's geological staff using standard verification procedures. Further details of exploration efforts and data of other parties are providing in the March 1st, 2021, Independent Technical Report included in the ASX listing prospectus, which is available at: https://www.kincoracopper.com/investors/asx-prospectus |
Geology | · Deposit type, geological setting and style of mineralisation. |
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Drill hole Information |
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Data |
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Relationship between mineralisation widths |
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Diagrams |
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Balanced reporting |
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Other substantive exploration |
. |
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Further |
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SOURCE Kincora Copper Ltd.
Contact
Sam Spring, President and Chief Executive Officer, sam.spring@kincoracopper.com or +61431 329 345; For media enquiries: Media & Capital Partners, Angela East at Angela.East@mcpartners.com.au; Executive office, 400 - 837 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 3N6, Canada, Tel: 1.604.283.1722, Fax: 1.888.241.5996; Subsidiary office Australia, Leydin Freyer Corp Pty Ltd, Level 4, 100 Albert Road, South Melbourne, Victoria 3205