Orion Minerals has intersected additional copper sulphide mineralisation at the Flat Mine East prospect within its Okiep Copper Project in South Africa’s Northern Cape, confirming down-dip continuity of the orebody beyond previously reported high-grade intersections.

Image by Natanaelginting on Magnific

The latest result comes from the first resource optimisation drill hole completed at Flat Mine East, Okiep Copper Project, targeting an open zone approximately 36m down-dip from earlier drilling.

According to the company, the hole intersected visible copper sulphide mineralisation, supporting the company’s geological model and highlighting further resource growth potential within the Flat Mines area.

Flat Mine East forms part of the broader Flat Mines development cluster, which includes Flat Mine North, Flat Mine South and Flat Mine Nababeep. The cluster underpins Orion’s phased development strategy for the Okiep Copper Project.

Orion Minerals managing director and CEO Tony Lennox said the latest drilling continues to demonstrate the scale and continuity of mineralisation within the project area.

“Our ongoing drilling at the Okiep Project continues to demonstrate strong resource growth potential, particularly down-dip of previously intersected wide, high-grade copper mineralisation. Importantly, the newly intersected mineralisation remains open down-dip, which Orion is targeting with the next drill hole at FME, OFMED158.”

“While we remain cautious ahead of laboratory assays, these early observations provide further encouragement regarding the continuity and scale of the mineralised system beyond the current resource envelope. These latest results reinforce the quality and growth potential of the Flat Mines area as a cornerstone of Orion’s broader Okiep development strategy. We look forward to reporting assay results in approximately three weeks,” he added.

Highlights:

  • Recently completed resource optimisation drill hole OFMED157 at Flat Mine East (FME) has intersected a 7.88m zone of significant visible copper sulphide mineralisation from 311.26m down-hole.
  • The OFMED157 intersection is located 36m down-dip from a previously reported high-grade copper intersection in hole OFMED154, which returned:
    • 15.00m at 4.80% Cu from 248.00m; and
    • 9.27m at 3.01% Cu from 185.00m, within:
    • 78.00m at 1.57% Cu from 185.00m.
  • Significantly, OFMED157 is located 100m along strike from a previously reported high-grade copper intersection in hole OFMED153, which intersected:
    • 49.35m at 5.05% Cu from 231.00m, including:
    • 21.66m at 9.41% Cu from 258.69m.
  • The intersection in OFMED157 is characterised by disseminated, blebby to massive and semi-massive vein-type bornite-chalcopyrite mineralisation in norite.
  • The new intersection confirms that the highly prospective mafic norite and previously confirmed significant copper mineralisation continues down-dip beyond the current Indicated Resource envelope.
  • Assay results have also been received for resource optimisation drill hole OFMND244 at Flat Mine North (FMN), including:
    • 21.34m at 1.55% Cu from 147.72m in OFMND244.