Lefroy can be forgiven for feeling excited today after intersecting significant copper mineralisation at the Lovejoy prospect about 1.5km north of the Burns discovery.

Diamond hole LEFD008 intersected a thick, 145m interval of copper mineralisation from a down-hole depth of 130m which includes a 42m length of hydrothermal breccia, which hosts extensive native copper and copper sulphides from 233m.

Adding further interest, the native copper mineralisation in the breccia zone is further demonstrated by copper coating the outside of several steel drill rods from the drill string.

While visual observation is no substitute for laboratory assay results, the results do provide further evidence for Lefroy Exploration (ASX:LEX) that the Burns copper-gold discovery and its surrounding prospects are all part of a very large, copper-gold intrusion-related, hydrothermal system.

Samples for LEFD008 have been submitted to the lab for priority assay to fast-track results and the company has moved to advance this new find with the drilling of step-out hole LEFD009.

“This is a remarkable new discovery of copper mineralisation 1.5km north of Burns, which is open. With every hole drilled we advance and grow the overall Burns project,” managing director Wade Johnson said.

“We believe the copper-rich breccia is a component of a larger magmatic system, the limits of which we are yet to define.

“Lovejoy has always been a high priority target given its unique geophysical signature, as well as the significant results generated from LEFR297 in 2021 that ended in 1.5% copper at 258m.

“We have acted immediately on this new discovery and while we eagerly await the assays from LEFD008, we expect more encouraging visual results with follow-up diamond hole LEFD009.”

Lovejoy prospect

Lovejoy is the northernmost magnetic anomaly of a linear trend of discrete magnetic features extending 2km northwest from Burns, each of which was evaluated by reverse circulation drill holes that intersected altered diorite and basalt in 2021.

Previous drilling intersected the strongest alteration in dioritic porphyry in two RC holes – LEFR296 and 297 – completed on the western margin of the Lovejoy magnetic anomaly on the edge of Lake Randall.

LEFR297 intersected significant intervals of hematite-silica altered breccia and returned assay results of 10m at 0.21 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, 0.6% copper and 2.5g/t silver from 218m and 8m at 0.22g/t gold, 0.51% copper and 1.75g/t silver from 250m to end of hole.

The last 2m of the hole ended in strong copper mineralisation hosted by altered diorite porphyry and basalt, with associated gold and silver credits.

Importantly, the whole rock geochemistry from hole LEFR297 at Lovejoy shows a similar character to that observed at the Burns anomaly.

Recently completed diamond hole, LEFD008, was collared 5m west of LEFR297 with the goal of extending mineralisation at depth and to gain a detailed understanding of the style and geometry of the breccia-hosted mineralisation.

Besides intersecting the basalt intruded by a suite of diorite porphyries, the diamond hole also extended the mineral system a further 70m down-hole beyond the depth that LEFR297 was abandoned due to high flows of water.

This extended interval intersected another altered porphyry which demonstrates the growth potential of the intrusive suite.

 

 

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Lefroy 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.