QMines preps 10,000m drilling blitz to boost big copper resource

QMines plans 10,000m drilling program at Develin Creek
This drilling will be completed by the company’s reverse circulation drilling rig with planned hole depths between 50-200m.
Meanwhile, work will continue across additional satellite targets identified via the Electromagnetic survey conducted last year around Mt Chalmers

Special Report: QMines is embarking on its first ever drilling campaign at the Develin Creek project in QLD, focusing on improving confidence at the Sulphide City, Scorpion and Window deposits.

QMines (ASX:QML) signed a term sheet to acquire an initial interest of 51% at the Develin Creek project in August 2023 from Zenith Minerals (ASX:ZNC).

Develin Creek is approximately 90km from Rockhampton in Queensland and nearby QMines’ Mt Chalmers project, where a pre-feasibility study has highlighted a shallow, open pit operation with high recoveries, low capex and an initial 10.4 year mine life.

Just one month after acquiring Develin Creek, QML revealed a 3.2Mt at 1.05% copper, 1.22% zinc, 0.17 g/t gold and 5.9 g/t silver resource at the site, with 47% of resources falling into the indicated JORC category.

QMines (ASX:QML) — Location and infrastructure surrounding the Mt Chalmers and Develin Creek projects. Pic via QML

10,000m Drilling Program

QML plans to launch a 10,000m drilling campaign at Develin Creek over the coming months to add additional mill-feed to the company’s Mt Chalmers operations, further improving the current 11.3Mt resource and 9.6Mt ore reserve.

This will be achieved by drilling up to 60 reverse circulation (RC) holes across the Sulphide City, Scorpion and Window deposits.

Step out and infill exploration drilling will be carried out with geological understanding expected to be improved as a result.

The program will be completed by the company owned RC drilling rig at planned hole depths between 50-200m.

QML says drilling will begin in the coming weeks with the wet season rainfall abating allowing rig access to the project area.

Investigation Continues Across Satellite Deposits

“Now that the Mt Chalmers pre-feasibility study has been delivered, the company will focus on upgrading additional resources at the Develin Creek project,” QML executive chairman Andrew Sparke says.

“Meanwhile, we will also continue to investigate additional satellite targets identified via the electromagnetic survey conducted last year around Mt Chalmers.

“These targets remain a high priority and the company expects to expand the drilling operations at the Artillery Road prospect in Q3-2024”.

This article was developed in collaboration with QMines, 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.