Also don't forget EPM copper and silver major plays, also in Australia.

Historical exploration over ELA26487 (Yuendi), on the northern fringe of Ngalia Basin, has indicated anomalous base metals values in the Rock Hill Copper Field, covered by this ELA, which include abandoned mines as well as polymetallic veins. Within this ELA there are 10 copper prospects which remain relatively unexplored. The copper deposits within the Mt Hardy Mineral Field (5.4 km due east from the eastern boundary of ELA 26487) were discovered in 1935, with mineralisation reported within quartz reefs and pegmatite-aplite veins within the Lower Proterozoic schist.

Minerals recognised in the oxidised zone are malachite, azurite and chalcocite, with chalcopyrite predominant in the sulphide zone. Significant copper mineralisation may also be contained within gneiss formations adjacent to these veins. The average width of the mineralised veins from surface is about one metre (max of 30 metres) with an average length of 100 metres.

Eclipse Metals defines high-grade copper-silver and broad zinc mineralisation at Rock Hill Copper Prospect

Historical drilling results demonstrate the presence of wide copper-zinc-silver mineralisation within the Mt Hardy and Yuendumu areas of the Arunta Complex.

Eclipse Metals Ltd’s (ASX:EPM) historical diamond drilling review has delineated high-grade copper-silver mineralisation and anomalous zinc zones at the Rock Hill Project area in the Northern Territory.

The review of 912 metres of drilling in eight historical diamond holes was on the ELA26487 Yuendi exploration licence (in the name of wholly-owned subsidiary Whitvista Pty Ltd) - one of the company’s Ngalia base-metal prospects in the Northern Territory within the Aileron Province of the Arunta Block.

Mineralised envelopes of copper-zinc-silver vary from 0.3 metres up to 30 metres thick, with best results including:

• 11.6 metres at 0.43% copper from 58.2 metres including 0.3 metre at 4.6% copper and 10 g/t silver from 58.2 metres, and 0.3 metres at 10.20% copper and 27 g/t silver from 69.8 metres (DDH1);
• 3 metres 0.18% copper, 0.19% zinc and 2,288 g/t silver from 33.5 metres (DDH3); and
• 30.5 metres at 455 g/t silver from 33.5 metres including 3 metres at 2,288 g/t silver and 3 metres at 1,118 g/t silver (DDH3).

Mineralised envelopes of zinc-silver vary from 12 metres up to 38 metres thick with notably zinc intersections including 38.1 metres at 0.14% zinc from 67.1 metres (DDH1).

Base metals and silver mineralisation

Eclipse believes this ELA area has the potential to host significant base metal and silver mineralisation.

The Aileron Province has been subject to relatively limited historical mining and is underexplored compared with other Proterozoic orogenic regions.

Strong base metasl and silver mineralisation results reported in historical drilling records indicate excellent potential to host high-grade and broad zones of mineralisation within ELA26487.

In addition, extensive visible copper mineralisation (consisting of malachite, azurite, chrysocolla) in historically mined prospects runs over several kilometres.

Rock Hill exploration potential

The Rock Hill mineralised zones all remain untested by modern-day exploration techniques, with the only exploration work conducted by the Northern Territory Geological Survey in 1970, more than 50 years ago.

The Rock Hill Prospect areas have the potential to host similar resources to the proximal Mt Hardy Copper project area immediately to the west.

The company considers the size of the untested mineralised corridor to be very extensive (around 10 kilometres strike length) with excellent potential to delineate further mineralisation through geophysical surveys and shallow drilling, especially in the high-grade mineralised Rock Hill Prospects.

Forward strategy

Eclipse is communicating with the Central Land Council to commence negotiations with Traditional Owners for exploration and mining rights over ELA26487.

Subject to approval from the Traditional Owners, the company plans to undertake an airborne EM survey similar to the exploration methods used in the delineation of resources within the Mt Hardy copper field.

This will be followed up by further RC drilling in strongly mineralised zones and further infill diamond drilling within the western and central portion of the exploration licence area.

Reconnaissance exploration will include the Mt Hardy Prospect No.6 (polymetallic copper-lead-zinc-silver mineralised vein) in the north-western portion of ELA26487 - no exploration is known to have been conducted over this prospect area.