Litchfield Minerals lands proof of strong copper, zinc potential in NT drilling
- Doug Bright
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Litchfield Minerals Limited (ASX: LMS) has reported compelling assay results from its phase two reverse circulation (RC) drilling at its Oonagalabi copper-zinc project in the Northern Territory.
The results have confirmed runs of thick, continuous copper and zinc mineralisation, spiced up with multiple high-grade internal zones. Intercepts highlight the presence of a robust, stacked system that is still open along strike and to depth, which Litchfield infers as reinforcing the potential for a large-scale copper-zinc discovery.
The standout result hauled in a whopping 128-metre intercept averaging 0.60 per cent copper, 1 per cent zinc and 4 grams per tonne (g/t) silver.
The cumulative intercept incorporated higher-grade runs through five distinct sub-intervals evenly distributed down the hole between 23m and 231m depth, for a total downhole distance of 208m.
What is particularly important is the broad mineralised envelopes hosting stacked, higher-grade zones.
Litchfield Minerals Managing Director Matthew Pustahya
Those five intervals each ran between 21m and 29m in downhole thickness and carried grades ranging between 0.37 and 0.88 per cent copper, 0.46 and 2.14 per cent zinc and between 2 and 6.7g/t silver.
The same hole also reported five distinct higher-grade zinc intervals across a broader 161-metre aggregate interval between 23 and 239m depth. Those sections graded an average of 0.5 per cent copper and 1 per cent zinc over a total downhole distance of 216m.
The best individual intercept was 29m grading 0.89 per cent copper, 2.14 per cent zinc and 6.7g/t silver from 23m.
A second hole returned 91 metres of mineralisation across three intervals, averaging 0.6 per cent copper and 1 per cent zinc from 23m to 147m depth.
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Three more notable zones within that run ranged from 25m to 39m thick and carried grades of 0.31 to 0.81 per cent copper and 0.53 to 1.33 per cent zinc.
The best individual intercept in that second hole was 39m assaying 0.81 per cent copper, 1.09 per cent zinc and 5.8g/t silver from 75m.
A third hole put into the company’s separate VT2 geophysical target intercepted 34m at 0.17 per cent copper and 0.78 per cent zinc from 190m.
These results from Oonagalabi reinforce our conviction that we are dealing with a large, robust copper–zinc system with genuine scale. Intercepts such as 161 metres of continuous mineralisation from near surface, containing multiple higher grade internal zones, demonstrate both the thickness and continuity of the system and further de-risk Oonagalabi from a geological perspective.
Litchfield Minerals Managing Director Matthew Pustahya
The company says the results have emphatically validated the geophysical survey that initially identified its standout VT2 target.
Geologically, the presence of high-grade cores within broader mineralised envelopes in the first two holes is highly significant, indicating a robust, well-developed system. Mineralisation remains open down-dip and along strike, with multiple intercepts in both holes indicating stacked or repeated horizons.
Litchfield believes the intercepts could be part of a potentially large, continuous copper-zinc system capable of delivering significant scale and grade potential.
Management says its drilling strategy remains systematic. It is prioritising progressive step-outs from previously drilled holes to a minimum distance of 100m to define the outer boundaries of the broader mineralised envelope.
It plans to then progressively home in on the mineralised envelope towards higher-grade core zones, where it expects that sulphide intensity will increase.
Other priority targets lie about 500m to the northeast and about 1km southwest of the current drilling area, with as-yet untested favourable geology offering clear expansion upside.
The VT2 target is turning out to be a highlight, with the latest hole - out of two drilled into this target so far - confirming the presence of a blind, preserved sulphide system that coincides with the VTEM and downhole EM geophysical conductors.
Phase three RC rig mobilisation is planned for the second half of this month to target the company’s VT1 conductor, the VT2 IP and EM geophysical anomalies and the VT2 extensions. It will also step out along inferred northeasterly extensions of the Oonagalabi Main Zone.
Additionally, the company is planning deeper geophysics to assess the broader mineral system, while further southward extension drilling is slated for a phase four program in April.
The latest batch of strong results has landed at just the right time, underscoring the potential upside from last week’s milestone inclusion in BHP’s elite 2026 Xplor accelerator program.
The program will provide US$500,000 (A$717,700) in equity-free funding coupled with direct access to BHP’s world-class technical expertise, exploration frameworks and networks.
Integration and interpretation of the latest results with previous work is set to get a serious boost from BHP’s technical firepower as the geos focus on chasing down feeder structures and higher-grade accumulations.
With Oonagalabi already demonstrating strong strike continuity, open extensions in both directions and a fertile sulphide system confirmed by both geophysics and drilling, the new partnership is likely to inject powerful momentum into the hunt for scale and grade.
It also validates the project’s large-scale potential and the company’s progressive refinement of its exploration program.
The market certainly liked what it saw today, with the company’s shares up 23 per cent and reaching as high as 85.5 cents in early trade on the largest turnover in almost five months,
Litchfield is clearly onto something substantial at Oonagalabi and the company should expect sharpening interest as the program advances.
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