Auking Mining has confirmed a broad, near-surface copper/zinc sulphide deposit at Emull, within its flagship Koongie Park project in Western Australia’s Halls Creek region.
The company’s 1094 metre reverse circulation program, consisting of eight holes, found mineralisation was mostly in the primary zone as sulphides (chalcopyrite and sphalerite) and remains open at depth and along strike.
Furthermore, significant magnetic anomalies exist to the north-west and to the south-west of the main mineralised zone, which remain to be tested for a similar style of mineralisation.
Auking chief executive officer Paul Williams said the discovery represented a “pivotal” change in the company’s potential mining development strategy at Koongie Park, which hosts a JORC-compliant mineral resources of 8.9 million tonnes.
“Strong potential now exists for a shallow, bulk tonnage, open pit operation to be established at Emull,” he said.
Further drilling was now planned at Emull before the end of 2022.
The Koongie Park project is neighboured by several significant mining and development operations including Nicholson’s gold mine, Panton PGM project, and Savannah nickel mine.
Auking has secured a 75 per cent ownership of the project in a joint venture with Astral Resources.