Noronex dives deeper to chase extensions of Namibian copper target

Noronex Limited has launched a 2000-metre diamond extensional drilling campaign at its Fiesta copper target in the southwest extremity of the company’s Humpback project in the Kalahari Copper Belt in Namibia.

The program aims to further explore significant copper-silver mineralisation intercepted in a previous 19-hole reverse circulation drilling program, which was funded under Noronex’s earn-in agreement with ASX-listed mining and metals firm South32.

The Fiesta ground embraces the western closure of a dome-like structure on the key prospective NPF-D’Kar contact that is known to host copper mineralisation throughout many Namibian and Botswanan copper projects.

Previous anomalous intercepts at Fiesta exhibit many characteristics of other copper deposits as far as 400 kilometres to the east, including MMG’s giant 370-million-tonne Khoemacau copper project in Botswana.

One of Noronex previous RC holes reached 300m depth and impressively nailed a thick 5m run assaying 1.4 per cent copper and 58 grams per tonne (g/t) silver for a combined grade of 1.9 per cent copper equivalent from 249m.

It also probed a further 33m going 0.8 per cent copper and 31g/t silver from 265m to 298m, including 4m at 2 per cent copper and 83g/t silver from 265m as well as 4m running 2.3 per cent copper and 87g/t silver from 277m.

The hole is a major 500m step-out from previous intercepts. Mineralisation was logged to 298m and is inferred to extend deeper.

The hole was drilled on the same section but 40m south and in front of a previous 270m hole which intersected 12m assaying 0.65 per cent copper equivalent, although it was terminated early due to limited drill rod capacity.

Emboldened by its latest results, Noronex is now re-entering the 270m hole with a diamond tail to test for depth continuity of thick mineralisation in the 300m hole.

Recovering diamond core of the mineralisation is a key step to understanding the potential of the Fiesta system and will provide key information on its size potential. The current phase of drilling will test the full width and depth extent of the mineralisation and inform planning for additional drilling to extend the strike of the system, which remains open to the west.

Noronex has signed a contract with experienced Namibian drilling contractor Kodo Drilling for 2000m of diamond drilling at Fiesta and the surrounding prospects.

The company plans to drill beneath known mineralisation and hopes to sniff out strike extensions of mineralisation while also acquiring detailed information from the core on the structural controls, style and orientation of the various mineralised phases.

The current drill testing was delayed by recent rains, however, given Noronex first two holes are re-entries of previous reverse circulation drill holes to test below known mineralisation, the current program will take considerably less time to complete.

Noronex also completed a seven-hole reverse circulation drilling campaign in March at its contiguous Damara copper project on the Botswana border.

Assay results from the program have been delayed due to sampling delays between the drill programs while the company trialled various analytical techniques.

The results are now expected in May. In the meantime, Noronex will be keenly awaiting the results from the two diamond core extensions and confirmation of some thick copper mineralisation.

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