Tennant Minerals: Exploration Fast-Tracked at Bluebird Copper-Gold Discovery
New diamond drilling to extend Bluebird discovery and high-resolution drone magnetic survey to prioritise additional targets along 5km strike
24 March 2022
- Parallel exploration programs being fast-tracked at Tennant Mineral’s 100%-owned Bluebird copper-gold discovery in Tennant Creek to follow up on latest exceptionally thick, high-grade drilling intersections, including:
- 50.0m @ 2.70% Cu and 0.52 g/t Au from 158m (down hole) in BBDD00091, including 24.0m @ 5.01% Cu and 1.01 g/t Au from 159m,
- 35.5m @ 2.58% Cu and 0.27 g/t Au from 194m (down hole) in BBDD00102, including 18.0m @ 4.74% Cu and 0.50 g/t Au from 197m,
- Titeline Drilling are contracted and mobilising a diamond rig to Bluebird for a follow-up 1,500m drilling program designed to grow the footprint of the Bluebird copper-gold discovery
- Initial holes will target the central part of the shallow westerly plunging copper-gold shoot above the exceptional BBDD0010 and BBDD0011 intersections. Drilling will then step out to the west, testing extensions to the mineralisation in an area which remains completely open
- The accelerated exploration program also includes a high-resolution drone-magnetics survey to better define multiple, coincident, magnetic-gravity targets within the 5km Bluebird Corridor. Historical shallow drilling failed to effectively test these targets and the results from this survey will guide new drilling for further copper-gold discoveries along the corridor
- Success in the next diamond drilling phase - and definition of multiple new targets for repeats of Bluebird along strike - will open up the potential for a major new, high-grade copper-gold discovery at the eastern end of the Tennant Creek Mineral Field
Tennant Minerals Chairman, Mr Matthew Driscoll, commented:
“We are very excited to continue this highly-successful drilling program at Bluebird, to see how big this new copper-gold discovery at Tennant Creek can grow.
“In addition, the new drone magnetics survey we are undertaking will enable us to better define and prioritise the multiple copper-gold targets already identified over the 5km potentially mineralised corridor. These targets are all similar, if not larger, than Bluebird, which adds to our confidence in making further high-grade copper-gold discoveries and thus unlocking the true potential of this exciting discovery.”
Tennant Minerals Limited (ASX: TMS) (“Tennant”, or the “Company”) is pleased to announce it has fast-tracked exploration at Bluebird copper-gold discovery (“Bluebird”) to follow-up on recent exceptional drilling results.
Bluebird is located within Tennant’s 100% owned Barkly Project, 45km east of Tennant Creek township in the Northern Territory (see location, Figure 6).
Follow-Up Diamond Drilling Program
Tennant has finalised a new drilling contract with Titeline Drilling Pty Ltd (“Titeline”), who are mobilising to carry out a follow-up diamond drilling program at Bluebird. A minimum of 6 holes for 1,500m of diamond drilling is planned to commence early to mid-April.
Initial holes will target the central part of the shallow westerly plunging copper-gold shoot above the BBDD0010 (see Figure 1) and BBDD0011 (see Figure 2) intersections2, immediately down plunge from the thick high-grade intersection in BBDD0009 of 50.0m @ 2.70% Cu, 0.52 g/t Au from 158m incl. 24.0m @ 5.01% Cu, 1.01 g/t Au1.
Further step-out holes, 40m to the west of the BBDD0011 intersection, on section 448,300mE, will extend testing of the Bluebird coper-gold discovery to over 200m strike-length (see longitudinal projection, Figure 3). The scoped dimensions of the deposit will then be of similar scale to other, major, copper-gold deposits in the Tennant Creek Mineral Field such as the Peko deposit 20km to the west of Bluebird that historically produced 147,000 tonnes of copper grading 4% Cu and 414,000oz of gold at 10 g/t Au between 1934 and 19813.
Figure 1: Cross-section 448,360mE with BBDD0010
Figure 2: Cross-section 448,340mE with BBDD0011
The recent intersections of high-grade copper with gold mineralisation in BBDD0010 (Figure 1) and BBDD0011 (Figure 2) both penetrated the primary copper-sulphide (chalcocite) zone after passing through a transitional supergene zone that included native copper. Copper grades are generally similar in the sulphide zone (e.g. chalcocite intersection of 5.0m @ 6.53% Cu, 0.67 g/t Au from 197m in BBDD00102), with higher-grade bismuth, cobalt and iron but lower grade gold when compared with the supergene zone (e.g. previous intersection 20m at 0.61% Cu, 8.17g/t Au, from 157m in BBDD0024, see Figure 3).
The intersection of high-grade copper in primary sulphide mineralisation and iron enrichment at Bluebird indicates that Bluebird is a significant primary sulphide deposit associated with an iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG) system - typical of the high-grade copper-gold ore-bodies mined in the Tennant Creek Mineral Field.
Figure 3: Bluebird longitudinal projection with BBDD0010 & BBDD0011 intersections and planned hole pierce points
High-Resolution Drone Magnetic Survey to Define Multiple Targets in 5km Bluebird Corridor
Previous detailed gravity surveying indicates that Bluebird is associated with a gravity high, that is part of a five kilometre (5km) long gravity anomaly or “ridge” (see Figure 4 below), indicating widespread iron enrichment in the primary zone below the near surface leaching that penetrates to >80m depth at Bluebird.
Figure 4: Bouger 1VD gravity image with Bluebird Prospect and magnetic targets in the 5km Bluebird Corridor
In addition, previous ground magnetics indicates that Bluebird is associated with a bullseye magnetic anomaly that is evident in recently pre-processed magnetic imagery (see Figure 5 below). The re-processing has reversed the apparent polarity of the magnetic anomalies and has now highlighted multiple “positive” magnetic features along strike from Bluebird, associated with coincident gravity highs (Figure 4).
Figure 5: Reversed Ground-Magnetics Image, with Bluebird and other magnetic targets in the Bluebird Corridor
In order to better define these magnetic anomalies along strike from Bluebird a new, high-resolution, drone magnetic survey is being flown over the 5km Bluebird gravity/magnetic corridor to better define at least 12 other priority targets for further drilling.
This drone magnetic survey will be carried out in early April, just prior to the diamond drilling program, so that processing can be carried out to define priority targets for further, targeted, drill-testing.
It is evident that there are multiple coincident magnetic – gravity highs along the 5km Bluebird Corridor that have not been effectively tested with previous drilling and may be associated with additional high-grade copper-gold deposits.
Planning of a further, extensive, RC drilling program will be fast-tracked following completion of the drone-magnetics survey and modelling of both the gravity and magnetics data.
Appendix 1, JORC Table 1, includes drilling details and sampling procedures in previous drill holes.
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REFERENCES
1 08 March 2022. Tennant Minerals (ASX. TMS): “Spectacular 50m @ 2.70% copper intersection at Bluebird”
2 15 March 2022. Tennant Minerals (ASX. TMS): “More Exceptional Copper Intersections from Bluebird”
3 Portergeo.com.au/database/mineinfo. Tennant Creek - Gecko, Warrego, White Devil, Nobles Nob, Juno, Peko, Argo
4 24 September 2019. Blina Minerals (ASX: BDI): “Strategic Acquisition of High-Grade Gold-Copper Project”
5 18 March 2020. Blina Minerals (ASX: BDI): “High-Grade Copper and Gold Intersected in Drilling program at Bluebird”
6 09 December 2014. Blaze International Ltd (ASX: BLZ): “High Grade Copper Sulphide Intersection at Bluebird”
7 06 December 2021. Tennant Minerals (ASX. TMS): “New Intensely Mineralised Cu Zone Intersected at Bluebird”
CONTACT AND AUTHORISATION
This release was authorised by the Board of Tennant Minerals Ltd (ASX:TMS).
For enquiries please contact Tennant Minerals Ltd:
Matthew Driscoll
Non-Executive Chairman
M: +61 417 041 725
Stuart Usher
Company Secretary
M: +61 499 900 044
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION
This release contains forward-looking statements concerning Tennant Minerals Ltd. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and actual events and results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking information provided by the Company, or on behalf of, the Company. Such factors include, among other things, risks relating to additional funding requirements, metal prices, exploration, development and operating risks, competition, production risks, regulatory restrictions, including environmental regulation and liability and potential title disputes.
Forward looking statements in this release are based on the company’s beliefs, opinions and estimates of Tennant Minerals Ltd as of the dates the forward-looking statements are made, and no obligation is assumed to update forward looking statements if these beliefs, opinions and estimates should change or to reflect other future developments.
COMPETENT PERSONS DECLARATION
The information in this report that relates to exploration results is based on information compiled or reviewed by Mr Nick Burn who is Exploration Manager for Tennant Minerals and a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Mr Burn has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 edition of the ‘Australasian Code of Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves’. Mr Burn consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
ASX LISTING RULES COMPLIANCE
In preparing this announcement the Company has relied on the announcements previously made by the Company and specifically dated 09 December 2014, 24 September 2019, 18 March 2020, 06 December 2021, 13 December 2021, 21 December 2021, 8 March 2022 and 15 March 2022. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects those announcements previously made, or that would materially affect the Company from relying on those announcements for the purpose of this announcement.
