By Tartana Minerals Limited (ASX: TAT) (the Company), is pleased to advise that it has received assays and metallurgical testwork based on sampling the D15 metallurgical hole drilled in May this year. D15 hole was a diamond hole drilled at initially PQ size and decreasing to HQ size and drilled to 300 metres depth and was drilled parallel and below TRC098 which had previously intersected 77 m @ 0.62% Cu.
Highlights:
Tartana D15 assays confirm broad zones of copper mineralisation including 76 m @ 0.60% Cu, 178 m @ 0.40% Cu or 221 m @ 0.35% Cu, all from 31 m depth downhole.Excellent copper recoveries (89%) to saleable copper concentrate when testing a sample that was below the resource grade average.Bulk Sample Tomra ore sorting results indicate that using this process will result in a 72% grade increase and recover 71% of the contained copper.Mineralisation trends indicates the presence of a higher grade zones (1 million tonnes @ 0.82% Cu) enabling the potential for a high grade starter pit with the remaining resource at 8.5 million tonnes @ 0.38 % Cu which can be upgraded if required.The results form part of a Scoping Study which will investigate options for third party processing and/or installation of a copper sulphide crushing, milling and flotation plant or a combination of both. This is separate from the current copper sulphate pentahydrate production which is ongoing.
The hole was successfully completed on 13th May 2024. The assay and metallurgical data have now been received and as discussed below, have returned positive results which can be incorporated into a Scoping Study which will also consider processing options. These options include third party processing and/or installation of a copper sulphide crushing, milling and flotation plant and which may be a combination of both.
Tartana Primary Copper Mineralisation
The Company has previously advised the presence of primary copper (chalcopyrite) mineralisation below the Tartana pit floor and in early 2023 reported 45,000 tonnes of contained copper resource to 130 m depth (see ASX release dated 9 February 2023). The details are outlined in Figure 1.
The resource grade and tonnage for the total primary and transitional resources at different cut-off grades are presented in Figure 2.
The Company has designed a drilling programme with a target of increasing the current resource to greater than 100,000 tonnes of contained copper which includes drilling to test mineralisation below 130 m depth and also shallower mineralisation on the periphery of the resource.
However, prior to embarking on this drilling campaign, in May 2024 the Company drilled a metallurgical test hole (D15). This was a diamond hole drilled with large diameter core commencing with PQ size and then reducing to HQ core to increase the recovered core sample. It was drilled to 300 metres depth and was drilled parallel and below TRC098 which had previously intersected 77 m @ 0.62% Cu although D15 was drilled beyond the edge of the existing resource. The purpose of the hole was to:
Test mineralisation trends including continuity downdip from TRC098 and other nearby holes and beyond the existing resource.Check assay grade variability between chips from the earlier RC drilling and diamond drill core.Inspect geological features such as lithologies, bedding trends and structural logging.Provide an adequately sized sample for flotation and recovery testwork to produce a saleable copper concentrate. Provide a large bulk sample for testing for Tomra ore sorting
The hole was successfully drilled and completed on 13th May 2024. An outline of the findings is presented below.
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