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1338m @ 1.33% CuEq?!? Belararox is exploring virgin ground between several monster Argentinean copper and gold discoveries
Special Report: The receipt of environmental approvals means Belararox can get boots on the ground in its hunt for epithermal … Read More
The post 1338m…
- Two of nine recently submitted Environmental Impact Assessments for the Toro-Malambo-Tambo project have been approved, others pending
- Exploration at high-priority Tambo South target to begin in September
- Toro-Malambo-Tambo directly along strike from monster deposits including Pascua Lama (22Moz), Veladero (6.1Moz), and Filo del Sol (1338m @1.33% CuEq)
The receipt of environmental approvals means Belararox can get boots on the ground in its hunt for epithermal gold and porphyry copper systems at its Toro-Malambo-Tambo (TMT) project in Argentina.
The TMT project is in the underexplored gap between the El Indo and Maricunga metallogenic belts, which host some monster deposits.
El Indo includes the Barrick Gold/Shangdong Gold Veladero joint venture, which is expected to produce 160,000oz-180,000oz of gold from a 6.1Moz resource in 2023, as well as the 22Moz Pascua Lama deposit.
Maricunga hosts Lundin Group’s Filo del Sol epithermal copper-gold-silver deposit — where drilling returned a massive 1,338m intersection grading 1.33% copper equivalent from 150m — as well as the $4.1bn Josemaria porphyry copper-gold mine development.
Surrounded by monsters, Belararox (ASX:BRX) is understandably keen to get started on exploring its extensive 32,000 hectare project where it has already identified 11 prospective copper-gold porphyry targets.
These were defined from satellite spectral imagery processed by Fathom Geophysics and interpreted by independent hydrothermal systems specialist, Dr Steve Garwin.
Geologist Dr Steve Garwin is one of the world’s foremost porphyry experts.
He has been involved in several exploration and mining projects, including the Batu Hijau copper-gold porphyry copper deposit in Indonesia and the discovery of the world-class Alpala porphyry deposit in Ecuador.
Of the three target areas that make up the TMT project, Toro – located in the south – is the most advanced with historical exploration activities completed between 1995 – 1999 and 2012 -2014.
Mineralisation observed in the historical drill core during the due diligence process strongly supported the potential of the project to contain a significant system rich in base and precious metals.
EIAs pave way for on-ground exploration at Tambo South
With the approved EIAs, the company can now start on ground exploration over the high-priority Tambo South (Tambo Sur) target when the field season starts this month.
Tambo South is one of three targets along a north-northwesterly trending zone of ASTER-deduced hydrothermal alteration that is characterised by minerals such as jarosite, pyrophyllite, and muscovite that are common in the upper portions of porphyry and epithermal systems.
Field work will seek to confirm the scale of hydrothermal alteration as snow cover potentially masks part of the mineral system at the target.
“The greenlight on the first 2 EIAs marks a significant stride in advancing exploration at the TMT project,” managing director Arvind Misra said.
“It’s a crucial move forward towards exploration and track construction endeavours. These actions pave the way for investigating the high-sulphidation and/or porphyry targets, a credit to the expertise of our director, Jason Ward, and consultant Dr Steve Garwin.”
Ward added that exploration can now begin at Tambo Su, which is one of the company’s highest priority targets and shows a hyperspectral alteration signature indicative of porphyry style mineralisation.
“The field program which will commence in the coming weeks will mark the first recorded systematic exploration at Tambo Sur and I am excited by what we may discover,” he says.
The approval allows the company to carry out geological reconnaissance and mapping, surface sampling (soil sampling, talus sampling, and rock chip sampling), trenching, and ground-based geophysical surveys.
Seeking access
Belararox’s EIAs also include a proposal to establish a tentative initial access track that aims to provide connected access to all its tenements.
This proposed access track is carefully designed, accounting for the distinctive geology and terrain characteristics of the project.
Initial exploration across the entire project is also expected to lead to up to 10,000m of diamond core drilling at the advanced Toro target and a further 2,000m of diamond drilling at the adjacent Malambo target.
Historical drilling at Toro had returned some very thick, rich and shallow intercepts of zinc and silver with traces of other elements with ARRLSDD00001 the standout with a 266m intersection grading 0.76% zinc, 14.6 parts per million (or grams per tonne) silver, 0.05ppm gold, 0.04% copper and 0.09% lead from a down-hole depth of just 56m.
Forward activity
Belararox is now preparing to immediately commence work in line with the start of the field season in September.
It will send a scout crew using quad bikes through the northern access, to assess the possibility of alternative access to the Tambo Sur high-sulphidation and/or porphyry target from the north.
This crew will also assess the Tambo Sur high-sulphidation and/or porphyry target and ground truth the layout of the northern track.
It will also establish an environmental baseline with a registered biologist collecting water samples as per permitting requirements.
This article was developed in collaboration with Belararox, 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.
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