Coincident High-Grade Gold And Copper Geochemistry Identified At Surface
Titan Minerals Limited’s (ASX: TTM) geology interpretation work of a recently completed, high resolution airborne geophysical survey on the Copper Duke Project in southern Ecuador has identified a number of promising new targets.
The high-resolution airborne survey has further enhanced targeting at the El Huato prospect and identified additional clusters of intrusion centres at the El Huato and Catamayo Prospects defined from multiple discrete magnetic anomalies within and adjacent to the known geochemical footprint.
The results have defined an extensive corridor hosting porphyry related features. Multiple clusters of intrusive centres in an 9km long by up to 2km wide arcuate trend are coincident with outcropping porphyry style mineralisation confirmed at surface.
The company said existing high tenor gold and copper surface mineralisation from trench and channel sample activity is associated with several of the geophysical anomalies reported, and several additional magnetic anomalies in the extended corridor require follow-up field work in this underexplored porphyry field.
The Copper Duke area hosts several mineralised porphyry style systems confirmed in surface geochemistry and mapping work to date. Significant gold and copper values at surface associated with both disseminated style mineralisation and quartz hosted veining and stockworks are observed across a contiguous corridor of target areas comprised of the El Huato, Lumapamba, and Catamayo Prospects.
To the north of the contiguous trend of prospects hosting multiple clusters of intrusion centres, the underexplored Ningomine Prospect has the largest footprint of geophysical anomalism featuring vein hosted gold and copper mineralisation across several scattered outcrop areas.
Geophysical results are interpreted to be associated with magnetite alteration often corresponding with broad zones of high tenor surface geochemistry previously reported by the company. Better results from trench and channel sampling at surface include:
- 28.3m @ 0.87g/t gold, 1.1% copper and
- 1m @ 43.7g/t gold, 2.94% copper and
- 1.3m @ 10.7g/t gold, 4.53% Cu within the Lumapamba Prospect
- 15.3m @ 1.32g/t gold with 13m @ 0.46% copper and,
- 8m @ 2.63g/t gold, 0.46% copper at the El Huato Prospect
- 12.4m @ 3.04g/t gold, 1.8% copper at the Catamayo Prospect
- 0.8m @ 5.12g/t gold, 0.44% copper and
- 1.9m @ 0.30g/t gold, 4.11% copper within the Ningomine Prospect
Managing Director, Laurie Marsland, said the scale, geometry and extent of geophysical anomalism identified at the Copper Duke Project is similar to many major porphyry districts in the world, including Cerro Casale and Reko Diq.
“We are cautious not to overstate the potential of Copper Duke. It is an exceptional copper gold porphyry exploration project, one that would be attractive to any major mining company and we think results to date support our view,” Mr Marsland said.
“Our work has identified clusters of intrusion related anomalism over an area of greater than 12 sq. km, on par with many tier one deposits around the world. And when considering scale, geometry, and geophysical anomalism, in our opinion, Copper Duke is similar to many major porphyry districts in the world. Comparisons to projects such as Cero Casale and Reko Diq are being made.
“We are very excited to own the Copper Duke Project and about its potential to create value for our shareholders as our understanding of the asset unfolds.”
