Altair Minerals Unveils New Central Porphyry System at Venatica Copper Project
Altair Minerals has identified a new Central Porphyry system at its Venatica Copper Project, revealing dense ultra-potassic stockwork veining and promising multi-stage mineralisation. Early community engagement signals strong local support for ongoing exploration.
- Discovery of a new Central Porphyry system at Venatica West
- Dense ultra-potassic stockwork and multi-stage mineralisation indicating copper enrichment potential
- Central Porphyry remains open with significant alteration likely extending beneath soil cover
- Regional porphyry cluster identified trending southwest to northeast over 10km
- Positive early community engagement and approval for exploration activities
Discovery of the Central Porphyry System
Altair Minerals Limited (ASX: ALR) has announced a significant breakthrough at its Venatica Copper Project in Peru with the identification of a new Central Porphyry system. Located approximately 3km southwest of the high-grade Irka NE Porphyry, this discovery was made during a recent site visit where geologists observed an outcrop featuring dense ultra-potassic stockwork veining composed of quartzite, magnetite, and secondary biotite. This outcrop represents only a small portion of what is believed to be a much larger intrusive system concealed beneath soil and colluvial cover.
The ultra-potassic alteration and dense stockwork veins are typical hallmarks of Bornite-Gold rich copper porphyry systems, suggesting that Altair is positioned above the core of this new porphyry. The presence of multi-stage mineralisation, indicated by an argillic overprint from later hydrothermal fluids, points to complex geological processes that may have remobilized and enriched copper concentrations at depth.
Regional Porphyry Cluster and Exploration Potential
This Central Porphyry discovery adds to a growing cluster of porphyry targets at Venatica West, which now includes the Irka NE and Irka SW Porphyry-Skarn systems. The spatial alignment of these systems along a southwest to northeast structural trend suggests a regional porphyry corridor extending over 10 kilometers. Such a corridor is highly prospective given the proximity to multiple billion-tonne copper deposits within the Andahuaylas-Yauri Porphyry Belt.
Altair’s exploration team notes that the dense secondary biotite veining is a critical indicator for the potential scale of the deposit. In analogous large-scale porphyry systems, secondary biotite facilitates copper substitution in host rocks, potentially expanding the mineralised footprint by several hundred meters beyond the core.
Community Engagement and ESG Commitment
Next Steps in Exploration
Looking ahead, Altair intends to undertake detailed geological mapping, geochemical sampling, and further fieldwork to delineate the full extent of the Central Porphyry system. The company also plans to explore Venatica East, a largely untouched area with over 17 kilometers of anomalous copper stream sediments, representing a compelling greenfield opportunity. These efforts aim to confirm the mineralisation potential and advance the project toward a globally significant copper discovery.
CEO Faheem Ahmed highlighted the significance of the find, emphasizing the dense veining and multi-stage mineralisation as key indicators of both scale and grade potential. With multiple high-grade surface targets already identified, Altair is positioning Venatica as a cornerstone asset in its portfolio.
Bottom Line?
Altair’s Central Porphyry discovery at Venatica could redefine the project’s scale, but extensive drilling and sampling remain critical to unlock its full value.
Questions in the middle?
- What are the anticipated timelines and budgets for drilling to test the Central Porphyry’s depth and lateral extent?
- How might the multi-stage mineralisation impact the potential grade and metallurgy of the copper deposit?
- What further community engagement strategies will Altair deploy to ensure sustained local support as exploration intensifies?
