Exploration drilling has started to grow resources at American West Metals’ Storm project
Additional rigs will explore below the known copper deposits and test large-scale copper targets at underexplored prospects
EM survey underway to define new exploration targets and high-grade copper resource expansion areas
Special Report: American West Metals has started exploration drilling and geophysics aimed at growing resources at its flagship Storm copper-zinc project in Nunavut, Canada.
Storm covers 4000km2 and currently contains four deposits that host a collective resource of 17.5Mt at 1.2% copper and 3.4g/t silver for 205,000t of contained copper and 1.9Moz silver.
American West Metals’ (ASX:AW1) project at Somerset Island sits within the Tier 1 Polaris minerals district where there’s strong government support for critical minerals projects, including copper.
The company raised $10m in February to expand exploration at Storm, which has plenty of room to grow given the current resource covers just 5% of the project area.
High priority target areas at the Storm project. Pic: American West Metals
Drill bits spinning for copper
AW1 has now started reverse circulation drilling to initially test new, high-priority exploration targets proximal to the known Storm deposits.
This is aimed at discovering new zones of near-surface, high-grade copper mineralisation.
It will then move to define resources at the Thunder prospect where the discovery hole returned a thick 48.6m intersection grading 3% copper within a broader 76m interval at 2% copper from a down-hole depth of 32.4m and test electromagnetic targets adjacent to the Cyclone deposit.
The company has also lined up additional rigs to join the program in the coming weeks.
These rigs will carry out resource expansion and infill drilling at the Cyclone and Chinook deposits, explore below the known copper deposits and test large-scale copper targets at the underexplored Tornado, Blizzard, and Tempest prospects.
A high-powered moving loop electromagnetic survey is also underway to define new exploration targets and high-grade copper resource expansion areas.
“This initial phase of drilling will use the tracked RC drill rig to move quickly through the initial exploration and resource definition areas,” managing director Dave O’Neill said.
“We believe these targets will give us strong potential for the discovery of new zones of copper mineralisation and confirmation of the resource potential in key areas. Early success in these areas will help to prioritise and focus the remainder of the drilling program.
“We are also excited to commence the high-powered Moving Loop Electromagnetic (MLEM) survey at Storm.
“This survey has the potential to generate new targets in higher resolution and at deeper levels than previous surveys, opening the area for further copper discoveries and providing important targeting information for the resource drilling.”
He added that EM surveys have so far proven to be a reliable targeting tool at Storm with all EM anomalies tested to date correlating with high-grade copper sulphides.
Other activity
Besides the drilling, AW1 is preparing to carry out a broad range of environmental monitoring and survey activities during 2024.
Additionally, final assessment and reporting is being completed on a range of beneficiation processing methods on a variety of ores from the Cyclone and Chinook deposits.
This article was developed in collaboration with American West Metals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
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