Duke’s new Qld tenement could add to Bundarra copper menu

Duke has picked up a new exploration tenement with intriguing copper hits from historical drilling just 20km east of its flagship Bundarra project in Queensland.

Historical drilling carried out between 1972 and 1979 at the new Waitara tenement had returned results such as 24m grading 0.31 per cent copper from a depth of 24m, 12m at 0.43 per cent copper from 74m and 44m at 0.29 per cent copper from 92m.

Duke Exploration (ASX:DEX) added that its geology is similar to that of the Bunderra pluton, albeit at a smaller scale.

Despite this, little exploration has been conducted at Waitara since the 1970s and most of the drillholes are shallow and thus unlikely to have adequately tested the porphyry mineralisation.

The company noted that no modern geophysics have been carried out on the tenement, opening up the possibility of identifying new drill targets using these techniques.

Electrical geophysical methods such as induced polarisation and VTEM have been shown to accurately map sulphide mineralisation at Bundarra and similar methods could be successful at Waitara.

duke exploration waitara location — Location of Bundarra Project (EPM 26499 (Bundarra), EPM 27474 (Duania) and EMP 27609 (Waitara) compared to historic prospects and main target areas. Pic: Supplied

“We are pleased to have the Waitara tenement granted as this will allow us to get on the ground to confirm the interesting historic exploration results from past explorers,” chairman Toko Kapea said.

“Waitara is only 20km to the east of Bundarra with the main access on sealed roads, so any discovery could easily be transported to Bundarra that would add to the potential resource base that is being developed from our exciting results to date.

“We look forward to adding resources from this new opportunity in the future and like Bundarra expect a few surprises along the way.”

Work programs

Duke is continuing the Phase Two infill drilling program at Mt Flora based on results from the first phase of drilling.

The company will also complete pattern resource drilling at the Quarry anomaly with a focus on the higher grade northern strike extension along with follow up geophysics surveys at Quorn to allow planning of a drilling program.

Gradient array and pXRF soil sampling will be extended to cover anomalous areas from the Quorn surveys that are open while similar surveys will be completed over the Isens Underground mine area with the goal of starting drill testing by the second quarter of 2021.

It is finalising land access and drill planning at the Prairie Creek gold target and is sourcing a second rig to fast-track resource and exploration drilling over Mt Flora, Quorn and the Quarry prospects.

This article was developed in collaboration with Duke Exploration, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.