Arrow set to drill five copper-gold targets near Menzies

ASX-listed explorer, Arrow Minerals plans to kick off an RC drilling program next month at its Strickland copper-gold project 100 kilometres west of Menzies in WA’s Eastern Goldfields. The Perth-based company is fixing to drill test five “compelling” copper-gold volcanogenic massive sulphide targets that feature strong airborne electromagnetic responses supported by strong geochemical anomalies.

Arrow identified the five volcanogenic massive sulphide drill targets following a reappraisal of historic surface and drilling geochemical data and a round of field mapping and airborne electromagnetic surveys.

According to the company, all targets exhibit highly anomalous geochemistry and EM signatures that are typical of volcanogenic massive sulphide copper-gold deposits like the long-life Golden Grove project’s Gossan Hill and Scuddles deposits approximately 300km west of Strickland.

Previous exploration at Strickland was focused on the search for gold and Arrow says its planned drill program will be the first undertaken for base metals in the area.

Last year Arrow conducted a reanalysis of all prior exploration data from Strickland and says it recognised the geological and geochemical signatures typical of volcanogenic massive sulphide copper-gold mineralisation from this work.

Based on those findings and subsequent field visits, airborne electromagnetic surveys were flown over a handful of interesting anomalies, culminating in the generation of the five drill-ready targets.

The surveys identified discrete conductors coincident with strong copper and gold anomalies of up to 2.2 per cent copper and 9.6 grams per tonne gold encountered in the historical exploration activities.

The strong discrete geophysical anomalies along with the coincident high-grade copper, gold, silver and pathfinder elements in the right geological setting have generated high-quality targets.

The Strickland tenement is situated in a province that hosts several VMS deposits, and represents a fertile environment for further discoveries.

The company’s initial round of RC drilling at Strickland will consist of approximately seven holes for an aggregate coverage of approximately 1,300 metres.

They will be followed by borehole electromagnetic surveys in all holes that Arrow says will allow for the detection of conductive sulphide mineralisation lateral to, or below the boreholes to ensure that all mineralised zones are picked up for further drill testing.

Targets that show both buried conductors and anomalous samples in the same area are always pulse quickening and things could get a bit interesting for Arrow as it seeks to pierce the heart of the conductors.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@wanews.com.au