Terra Metals’ infill drilling has plugged a 2.7km gap in Dante mineralisation left by historical drilling. Pic: Getty Images
Terra Metals sews up Dante gap with shallow, high-grade polymetallic hits
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- Terra Metals’ infill drilling at Dante returns wide zones of high-grade mineralisation
- Results close a 2.7km gap in previous drilling, demonstrating continuity of mineralisation along the reef
- Work underway on metallurgical optimisation test work and a maiden resource estimate
Special Report: Infill drilling at Terra Metals’ Dante project in WA has returned wide zones of shallow, high-grade polymetallic mineralisation that supports the potential for a higher tonnage and lower strip ratio resource.
Notable results from infill drilling at Reef 2 North are:
- 15m at 12.89% titanium dioxide, 0.28% copper equivalent, and 0.54% vanadium pentoxide from a down-hole depth of 42m (HRC029);
- 9m at 14.46% TiO2, 0.29% CuEq and 0.48% V2O5 from surface (HRC021); and
- 4m at 12.96% TiO2, 0.43% CuEq and 0.52% V2O5 from 72m within a broader 40m interval of mineralisation (HRC030).
Metallurgical optimisation test work and a maiden resource estimate are underway with Terra Metals (ASX:TM1) saying these are expected to be completed using existing sample inventory and drill data.
In late March, metallurgical testing produced a copper-gold-PGM concentrate, vanadium-magnetite concentrate and titanium-ilmenite concentrate.
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Using simple and low-cost processing techniques these concentrates had excellent recovery rates.
“These latest results confirm the continuity of wide zones of hanging wall mineralisation and high-grade reef mineralisation from surface at Reef 2,” managing director Thomas Line said.
“The excellent metal recoveries and concentrate grades achieved in the Dante Reefs Phase 1 metallurgical work highlighted the economic potential of the hanging wall mineralisation, indicating potential for a larger tonnage and lower strip ratio resource.”
Closing the gap
The drill results from a further 13 reverse circulation holes at Reef 2 within the Dante project have confirmed wide zones of hanging wall mineralisation and high-grade reefs from surface.
This work has closed a 2.7km gap in previous drilling, demonstrating continuity of mineralisation along the reef.
TM1 notes the results provide further confidence in the scale and grade of the system.
The wide mineralised zones from surface as well as excellent metal recoveries and concentrate grades achieved in Phase 1 metallurgical work indicate the potential for increased resource tonnage, supporting potential for a low-strip ratio, open-cut mining scenario.
Dante in the West Musgrave region consists of extensive outcropping copper-gold-titanium-PGE-vanadium mineralised layers that are similar to coal seams.
Polymetallic mineralisation is strongly correlated with increased concentrations of titanomagnetite and includes economic concentrations of copper, gold, titanium, platinum and vanadium.
This article was developed in collaboration with Terra Metals, 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.
