Great Western Exploration has mobilised a drilling rig for the Oval Copper-Gold Target within its Yerrida North Project in Western Australia (WA).

The company expects drilling to start imminently, targeting potential copper-gold mineralisation.

The Oval Copper-Gold Target is situated roughly 800km north-east of Perth, adjacent to known Volcanic Hosted Massive Sulphide deposits.

This target was initially identified through an electromagnetic (EM) Survey by Rio Tinto in the late 1990s, which revealed coinciding EM conductivity and gravity highs in a geologically favourable area.

Despite earlier exploration by Rio Tinto, the EM conductor was not intersected, with drilling ceasing 70m above the target.

Modern VTEM (versatile time domain electromagnetic) survey modelling from 2012 has since refined the geological model, prompting Great Western to undertake a new drilling programme.

Great Western said that the drilling contractor, Blue Spec Drilling, has already begun moving a drill rig from Kalgoorlie to the site.

The drilling programme consists of four diamond drill-holes, each between 600m and 800m in depth.

This programme will be executed in two stages, with the initial two holes aimed at refining the geological model for the subsequent drilling.

Each drill-hole is expected to take around three weeks to complete, with assay results forecasted to follow six to eight weeks post-completion.

The drilling is set to commence shortly after the rig has been fully mobilised.

The Oval and Oval South targets share several geological and geophysical characteristics with the large Winu and Haverion intrusive-related copper-gold deposits.

The company is focused on the coincident gravity and electromagnetic anomalies at these sites, interpreting them as indicators of potential metal-rich sulphide mineralisation.

Earlier this year, Great Western Exploration received funding from the Government of Western Australia for its recent diamond drilling programme at Oval and Oval South's copper-gold targets.

The initiative was part of the state’s Exploration Incentive Scheme.

"Great Western gears up to drill Oval Copper-Gold Target in WA" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.

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