500m pegmatite identified at Harts Range Project
500m pegmatite identified at Big Jay Prospect at Harts Range; 13 samples sent for analysis; heliborne survey planned January 2025.
- Pegmatite length at Big Jay Prospect 500m
- Distance from Alice Springs 140km north-east
- Previous assay - Niobium oxide 29.80% NB2O5
- Previous assay - Uranium oxide 14.04% U3O8
- Rock chip samples sent for analysis 13
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Castillo Copper Limited (LSE: CCZ, ASX: NFM), is pleased to announce that its exploration planning is well underway at the Harts Range project, 140km north-east from Alice Springs with new targets identified and further rock chip samples sent for testing.
A notable finding was at the newly named Big Jay Prospect (Figure 1) where a 500m long pegmatite was observed. The geology team consider this to be prospective for uranium-niobium-HRE mineralisation
Highlights:
- A second reconnaissance trip to the Harts Range Project, highly prospective for Uranium, Niobium & Heavy Rare Earths (HRE) mineralisation, have revealed more key targets including a 500m long pegmatite at the Big Jay Prospect
- This follows assays from rock chips samples collected from outcropping pegmatites during the first recent visit to the Harts Range Project returning excellent high-grade readings up to 29.80% NB2O5, 14.04% U3O8, 1.63% Dy2O3, 0.22% Tb4O7 and 23.02% Ta2O5[1]
- Aim was to assess historical prospects1,2 including Cusp, Bobs, Bobs West and Dune (renamed from Niobium Anomaly), take fresh field readings and collect rock chips samples
- Big Jay Prospect is 1.6km SSE from Bobs, which is considered prospective for uranium-niobium-HRE mineralisation
- 13 samples from the prospective areas have been dispatched to the laboratory for analysis
- Next steps will be the commission of a heliborne radiometric and magnetic survey during January 2025
Ged Hall, Chairman, commented: "The geology team's recent follow up visit to the Harts Range Project reinforces the Board's commitment to accelerating development efforts and identifying new prospective targets in the region. The critical next phase of the exploration campaign will be a heliborne geophysical survey which has the potential to significantly expand the areas of interest."
IDENTIFYING NEW TARGETS AT HARTS RANGE
Positive progress has stemmed from the geology team's second reconnaissance visit to the Harts Range Uranium, Niobium & Heavy Rare Earths Project1,2 in late November 2024. The key objectives were to assess historical prospects and visit new areas of interest that could become viable targets.
The first task undertaken was to visit known prospects - Cusp, Bobs, Bobs West and Dune (renamed from Niobium Anomaly) - that are prospective for uranium-niobium-HRE mineralisation1 (Figure 1). The team took field readings, noted key observations and collected rock chips samples for further analysis.
Figure 1: Harts Range prospects location map
Source: The Company's geology team
Interestingly, two new areas were identified proximal to the Cusp and Bob Prospects that exhibited potential for base metal mineralisation. The team undertook a preliminary assessment at both sites and collected some rock chip samples that will be assayed.
Next Steps
All 13 samples collected from the reconnaissance trip have been sent to Intertek (Malaga - Perth, Western Australia) for geochemical analysis. Once the results are returned and interpreted, the findings and insights will be released to the market.
In addition, the Board is targeting to finalise a heliborne radiometric and magnetic survey during January 2025, which should aid delineating and identify additional targets across the Harts Range Project for field investigation.
Note: * Open file company reports sourced from the Northern Territory Mineral Industry Reports Management System (IRMS). Available at: https://geoscience.nt.gov.au/gemis/ntgsjspui/handle/1/3 Riley, A. (31 October 2024) - Minerals Test Report (Unpublished for CCZ). Produced by: https://www.intertek.com/
About Castillo Copper
Castillo Copper Limited is an Australian-based focussed explorer, with a strategy to develop multi-commodity assets that demonstrate future potential as an economic mining operation. Through the application of disciplined and structured exploration, Castillo Copper has identified assets deemed core and is actively progressing these interests up the value curve. Current focus will be on advancing exploration activity at the Harts Range Niobium, Uranium and Heavy Rare Earths Project which is circa 120km north-east from Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.
Other interests include the NWQ Copper Project, situated in the copper-belt district circa 150km north of Mt Isa in Queensland and the Broken Hill Project in western New South Wales.
Castillo Copper is listed on the LSE under the ticker "CCZ" and ASX under the ticker "NFM".
[1] ASX:CCZ Announcement: HIGH-GRADE ASSAYS UP TO 29.80% Nb2O5 & 14.04% U3O8 VALIDATE HARTS RANGE PROJECT POTENTIAL, dated 6 November 2024
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