Taruga Minerals has recently launched a 2,000m RC drilling blitz across its Mt Craig project in South Australia targeting several prospects that have displayed anomalous polymetallic mineralisation. Strong copper, rare earths, lithium, cobalt and zinc anomalism were all noted within highly reactive dolomites that the company says show a similar geological setting to the Burra Monster copper mine nearby that produced 75,000 tonnes of copper.
RC drilling will target Kipushi-style and Burra-style polymetallic mineralisation associated with diapiric breccia systems exposed across the project.
Diapiric breccia systems have been known to host some mammoth polymetallic deposits worldwide including the African Copperbelt Kipushi deposit that houses 40 million tonnes grading a whopping 18 per cent copper and 52 per cent zinc in addition to rare earth metals mineralisation.
RC drilling will target the newly identified Hydrothermal Hill and New Burra prospects among others that were identified through an extensive sampling program that highlighted geochemical anomalies over a strike of more than 3km along the western margin of the diapiric breccia at Morgan’s Creek.
Recent diamond drilling at the Hydrothermal Hill prospect intercepted chalcopyrite or copper sulphide mineralisation with drill assays pending. The Hydrothermal Hill prospect shows a large breccia system with structural fluid pathways surrounding the prospect.
The New Burra prospect lies to the south of Hydrothermal Hill and is comprised of highly reactive dolomites that are known to be favourable host rocks for economic metal deposition in the area.
RC drilling at Mt Craig is also set to target the Oxide Hill prospect that recently returned strong cobalt, rare earths, lithium and copper anomalism from rock chip and soil sampling. Previous drilling at Oxide Hill also confirmed the strong presence of rare earths, lithium, zinc, copper, scandium and vanadium.
Mineralisation at the Mt Craig project is exposed from surface with no transported cover sequence, allowing a full spectrum of exploration techniques to be utilised to effectively prioritise targets.
According to the company, the Mt Craig project hosts an ideal suite of rocks and trap sites for polymetallic deposition.
Favourable features at the Mt Craig project include the presence of the Worrumba Anticline, a major structure creating a fluid pathway for metalliferous fluids, in addition to the presence of over 60 recorded copper occurrences and 30 small scale copper mines.
The Mt Craig project sits within the Adelaide Fold Belt and is situated at the intersection of the G2 and G8 structural corridors that host the majority of South Australia’s major base metal deposits, including the enormous Olympic Dam deposit.
With both critical metals and base metals scattered all over Taruga’s South Australian tenure, the company is spoilt for choice as it starts poking around with the drill rig.
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