Octava Minerals Revives Federation Project with Historic High-Grade Targets

Exploration Restart at a Historic Site

Octava Minerals Ltd (ASX – OCT) has initiated active exploration at its Federation copper-zinc-silver-tin project in Western Tasmania, marking a significant step forward for the company’s critical minerals portfolio. The focus is on the Sweeney’s prospect, a site that has seen little serious exploration since the late 1970s and early 1980s, despite historic indications of substantial mineralisation.

The Federation project, located just 12 kilometres west of Zeehan, covers approximately 121 square kilometres and sits within a geologically complex granite dome known as the Heemskirk Granite. This setting is known for hosting tin and base metal mineralisation, with previous explorers identifying promising zones of copper, zinc, silver, tin, lead, and antimony.

Historic Data Highlights Potential

Renison Limited’s exploration in the late 1970s included sampling of the main adit at Sweeney’s, which recorded an impressive 47 metres grading 0.96% zinc, 0.64% tin, and 7 grams per tonne silver. Peak 2-metre intervals showed even higher grades, including 4.17% zinc, 3.32% tin, 1.23% lead, and 0.58% antimony. These results underscore the prospectivity of the site.

Additionally, eighteen diamond drill holes were completed, with ten intersecting significant mineralisation. Notable intercepts include 23 metres at 1.19% copper, 1.70% zinc, 121 g/t silver, and 1.17% tin from 71 metres depth. Despite these encouraging results, exploration ceased, leaving the mineralisation open at depth and along strike.

Modern Techniques to Unlock Value

Octava’s Managing Director, Bevan Wakelam, highlighted the importance of the current fieldwork, noting the team’s success in locating historic drill holes and workings, which will inform a planned drilling program. The company intends to apply modern electromagnetic (EM) geophysical surveys to better delineate the sulphide mineralisation, a technique not previously employed at Sweeney’s.

The mineralisation style, including semi-massive to massive sulphides hosted within resistive country rock and minimal conductive overburden, is well suited to EM methods. This approach could significantly enhance drill targeting and resource definition, potentially revealing extensions of the mineralised zone.

Strategic Location and Infrastructure

The Federation project benefits from proximity to established mining centres, processing facilities, and hydroelectric power stations, factors that could support future development. The tenements are fully granted and owned by Magnes 25 Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Octava Minerals, providing a secure tenure base for exploration and potential resource development.

While historic data provides a strong foundation, Octava acknowledges the limitations of the legacy exploration, including irregular drill hole orientations and incomplete quality assurance documentation. The upcoming drilling and geophysical surveys will be critical in validating and expanding upon these early findings.