Peak Mine Drilling Yields Copper Grades up to 6.4% and High-Grade Gold Hits

Exploration Highlights at Peak Mine

Aurelia Metals Limited (ASX: AMI) has delivered a compelling exploration update from its Peak Mine in the Cobar District, NSW, revealing significant copper and gold mineralisation across several key deposits. The first half of FY25 drilling programs have notably advanced the understanding of the ore bodies at Kairos, Jubilee North, New Cobar, and Hercules, underpinning a strategic shift towards copper-gold dominant ores.

At Kairos, situated in the Peak South Mine, drilling intersected copper grades reaching 6.4% over 1 metre within a broader 6.4 metre interval averaging 2.7% copper. These results confirm that the Kairos deposit extends at least 300 metres down dip beyond current mine development and remains open at depth, suggesting substantial untapped potential. However, exploration to the south indicates limited further extension in that direction.

Extending the Orebody at Jubilee North and New Cobar

Exploration at Jubilee North has successfully extended the known mineralisation approximately 150 metres north along strike and remains open both up-dip and down-dip. Noteworthy intersections include a 13 metre interval averaging 1.1% copper with higher-grade zones up to 7.6% copper. Adjacent New Cobar drilling also confirmed strong copper grades down-dip, with intervals such as 6.3 metres at 3.0% copper and associated gold and silver credits. These findings reinforce the continuity of the mineral system and provide valuable feed for the planned development of the nearby Great Cobar copper deposit.

High-Grade Gold and Copper at Hercules

The Hercules lens within the Perseverance deposit has emerged as a significant new focus, with drilling intercepting high-grade gold and copper mineralisation close to existing underground infrastructure. A standout intersection includes 22.9 metres at 0.6% copper and 1.6 g/t gold, featuring zones with up to 30 g/t gold over 1 metre. The proximity of this mineralisation to current development suggests it could be readily mined, adding near-term value to the Peak South Mine operations.

Strategic Implications and Future Outlook

Andrew Graham, Aurelia’s Chief Development and Technical Officer, emphasised the significance of these results, highlighting the strong future outlook for the Peak Mine. The transition from gold-zinc-lead dominant ores to copper-gold dominant ores is well supported by the recent drilling success. The complementary nature of copper mineralisation at New Cobar and Jubilee to the Great Cobar deposit enhances the strategic value of Aurelia’s Cobar portfolio.

Looking ahead, the company plans follow-up drilling in the second half of FY25 to further test down-dip extensions at Kairos and continue expanding mineralisation at Jubilee North and New Cobar. The Hercules area will also see additional drilling to delineate the northern extensions of this promising gold-copper lens.