Mr Mick Billing, Executive Chairman, commented: This program is a key milestone in further demonstrating the technical viability of the Insitu Recovery (ISR) process at Kapunda.
“We look forward to both the technical component of testing the hydraulic properties of the host rock, and also the drill sample assays, particularly for copper and gold.”
“The Thor investment in EnviroCopper Limited is becoming one of increasing importance as the resource base at both Kapunda and Moonta grows, technical hurdles are addressed, and prospects for commercial viability continue to develop.”
The directors of Thor Mining Plc (“Thor”) (AIM, ASX: THR) are pleased to report they have been advised by EnviroCopper Limited of the commencement of field pumping tests at the Kapunda copper project in South Australia.
EnviroCopper Limited, via subsidiary Environmental Copper Recovery Pty Ltd, has entered into an agreement to earn, in two stages, up to 75% of the rights over metals which may be recovered via in-situ recovery (“ISR”) contained in the Kapunda deposit from Australian listed company, Terramin Australia Limited (“Terramin” ASX: “TZN”). Thor holds a 25% interest in EnviroCopper Limited with rights to increase that interest to 30%.
The testwork program is funded under the Australian Government Ministry for Science Jobs and Innovation grant of A$2.85million, as announced on 30 July 2018.
Highlights:
· A series of holes to be drilled into the southern portion of the Kapunda resource;
· Test program to assess the hydraulic properties of the host rock, including flow rates, effective porosity & permeability, hydraulic connectivity, and also the storage coefficient;
· Drill samples to be assayed for copper, gold along with other elements;
· Mineralised samples to be subsequently used in further column leach test work.
Hydrogeologic Testing Drill Program
The aim of the program is to test the hydraulic properties of the fractured rock aquifer, this will be achieved by drilling a series of wells, which are to be geophysically logged, pump tested and tracer tested. It is expected that a number of properties will be assessed including:
· Aquifer properties of the host rock
· Baseline properties including water level, pH and EC
· Groundwater geochemistry profile with depth including salinity and metal concentration
· Flow rates measured by depth and achievable production well yields
· Storage coefficient
· Effective Porosity (pores that allow the transfer of water) as % by volume
· Hydraulic connectivity between wells located ~15m apart
· Permeability (also described as hydraulic conductivity)
§ In line with structures
§ Perpendicular to structures
Downhole geophysical logging will include:
· Natural gamma, formation density and neutron porosity.
· Focussed resistivity, induction-conductivity, induced polarisation.
· Optical and acoustic imaging
· Fluid temperature and conductivity, flowmeters
While portion of the Kapunda deposit has been subject to historical mining this program is focussing on areas that are unaffected by previous mining activities to establish baseline properties of the aquifer and to determine if there is any anisotropy (directional bias) of flow rates due to geologic structures.
Mineralised intercepts will be used in further lixiviant trials via large scale column leach test work.
About the Kapunda Copper Project
Thor holds a 25% equity interest in private Australian company, EnviroCopper Limited (“ECL”), along with rights to acquire a further 5% interest via investment of an additional A$0.4million. In turn ECL has entered into an agreement to earn, in two stages, up to 75% of the rights over metals which may be recovered via in-situ recovery (“ISR”) contained in the Kapunda deposit from Australian listed company, Terramin Australia Limited (“Terramin” ASX: “TZN”), and rights to 75% of Moonta copper project comprising the northern portion of exploration licence EL5984 held by Andromeda Metals Limited (ASX:ADN).
Information about EnviroCopper Limited and its projects can be found on the EnviroCopper website:
https://www.envirocopper.com.au/
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