- Godolphin drilling to test Cyclops and Yeoval East targets in central west NSW
- Previous drilling at Cyclops returned broad copper hits, including high grade zones
- Yeoval East has the potential to host copper-gold porphyry similar in style to the known Yeoval deposit
Godolphin has launched a 2,400m RC drill program at the Cyclops and Yeoval East prospects within its Yeoval project in central west NSW to test multiple copper and gold targets.
The 290km2 Yeoval project within NSW’s famed Lachlan Fold Belt is a known copper-gold producer with over 60 historical mine workings scattered along a 20km strike.
Yeoval has typical porphyry copper-gold style mineralisation with an existing resource of 12.8Mt grading 0.38% copper, 0.14 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, 2.2g/t silver and 120 parts per million molybdenum.
In 2022, Godolphin Resources (ASX:GRL) drilled two holes to the north and south of this resource to test for extensions to copper-gold mineralisation.
The first targeted the Cyclops prospect about 2km to the north while the second was drilled about 350m to the south.
Assays confirmed that the drilling had intersected multiple zones of high-grade copper mineralisation with coincident gold, silver and molybdenum.
Notably, the Cyclops hole had returned intercepts such as:
- 18m at 0.52% copper from 118m including 8m at 1.01% copper from 118m and 4m at 1.75% copper from 122m; and
- 14m at 0.42% copper from 88m including 2m at 1.51% copper from 94m.
More recently, high resolution ground magnetic surveys were completed across the Cyclops, Yeoval East and Goodrich to assist with the definition of drill targets while infill soil sampling was carried out across Goodrich and Yeoval East.
Additionally, drilling at Goodrich also returned broad intercepts of copper mineralisation.
Location of the Cyclops and Yeoval East prospects. Pic: Supplied (GRL).
New drilling to improve understanding
Godolphin is now spinning the drill bit once again at Yeoval with the goal of testing new targets at the Cyclops and Yeoval East prospects on tenement EL8538.
Drilling at Cyclops will target extensions to known high-grade copper mineralisation related to quartz magnetite chalcopyrite veins or pods associated with intersecting NW-NNW structures.
At Yeoval East, the drill program will test for porphyry copper-gold mineralisation similar in style to the Yeoval deposit.
“Drilling at Yeoval East and Cyclops follows extensive reconnaissance undertaken by Godolphin’s exploration team which highlighted a number of targets across both prospects,” managing director Jeneta Owens said.
“The program designed for Cyclops will see a total of ten holes drilled, targeting areas of known copper mineralisation and provide the company with a much greater understanding of the prospect’s potential.
“Further, the RC program at Yeoval East will test targets defined from high-grade soil and rock chip samples taken from areas outside of the prospect’s JORC 2012 mineral resource estimate.”
Road ahead
Drilling is expected to take between four and six weeks with final assays expected to be available shortly after the program is completed.
Once all drilling data has been collated and verified, a detailed review of all drillhole and assay information, in conjunction with geological modelling, will be completed to better understand the nature and extent of both the higher grade mineralisation and disseminated copper mineralisation at the two prospects.
This review will seek to identify the potential for economic mineralisation and if any further drilling or assessment is warranted.
This article was developed in collaboration with Godolphin Resources, 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.