Exultant Mining confirms 2.4km copper-zinc corridor with Watsons pXRF soil survey

• Modern pXRF soil survey reproduces and infills historic copper–zinc anomalism
• Copper–zinc anomalism defined along an approximately 2.4km north- northeast trending corridor
• Newly identified northern lead anomaly of approximately 100m by 300m
• Watsons has never been drill tested

Exultant Mining (ASX: 10X) is set to accelerate exploration at the Watsons prospect, within Black Hammer project in NSW after receiving positive portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) soil survey results.

The portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) soil survey has defined copper–zinc soil anomalism along an approximately 2.4km north-northeast trending corridor, which remains open to the north and south.

The program was designed to assess the reproducibility of historic soil anomalies identified during exploration in the 1970s1,2 and provide infill measurements across the anomalous areas. The results reproduce the principal copper–zinc anomalous pattern and identify an additional coincident lead– copper–zinc target in the northern part of the prospect. Watsons has not been drill tested.

“When we redeployed the team from Balerion, we flagged Watsons as the immediate opportunity at Black Hammer, and this survey shows why,” executive chairman, Brett Grosvenor, said.

“Our soil work has reproduced the copper-zinc pattern first identified in the 1970s and tightened it into a corridor extending approximately 2.4 kilometres, open to the north and south, with a new lead-copper-zinc anomaly in the north.

“The strongest soil responses sit over altered volcanic rocks and coincide with magnetic features, so our next step is to extend the survey and assess the possible use of ground magnetics and IP to look for sulphide-bearing zones at depth. That’s the approach we’ve committed to: low-cost, focused fieldwork to build the evidence, then advance the best positions toward drilling.”

The survey comprised 190 direct in-ground pXRF measurements on a nominal 50 m by 100 m grid, taken at approximately 15 cm depth and targeting the B soil horizon. Measurements were omitted where excessive soil moisture prevented sampling, including within the central swampy drainages.

Copper and zinc anomalism occurs within an approximately 2.4km-long, north-northeast trending corridor, with the principal responses occurring in the northern and southern parts of the prospect.

The strongest responses are associated with outcropping and sub-cropping altered volcanic rocks with abundant quartz veining.

Watsons was initially identified through regional stream sediment sampling by Platina Developments in 1971. The program covered the original historical exploration licence, approximately 700 sq. km, at a density of approximately 10 samples per square mile, The −80 mesh fraction was analysed for copper, lead, zinc, cobalt and nickel. Two samples were reported as anomalous in lead, while seven samples were anomalous in copper and zinc in the vicinity of what is now the Watsons prospect.

10X was steady at 13.0¢. Mkt cap $4.862M.

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