Alvo Minerals reports significant drilling success at Touro Prospect in Brazil
In a significant development for mineral exploration, Alvo Minerals Limited has announced promising updates regarding its drilling activities at the Touro Prospect in Brazil. The company has successfully intercepted substantial deposits of massive, semi-massive, and disseminated sulphides in its initial diamond drill hole, designated PDT_117. This achievement marks a pivotal moment in Alvo Minerals’ exploration strategy, especially as it aims to delineate Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) mineralization, initially identified through detailed soil sampling and geological mapping.
Highlights from the Touro prospect
The initial drill hole at Touro, located approximately 40 meters below the surface, revealed a significant 13 meters of copper-bearing sulphide mineralization. This drill hole was strategically placed to target the down-dip extension of gossans identified during a recent trenching campaign, indicating that the mineralization may extend over a notable length exceeding 1 kilometer.
As drilling operations progress, the next hole, PDT-118, is being drilled about 500 meters north of the original site, with results anticipated in the next six to eight weeks. This discovery presents promising opportunities, especially as the team plans to explore deeper areas where fixed-loop electromagnetic (FLEM) conductor plates are situated beneath the intercepted massive sulphides.
Rob Smakman’s insights on the discovery
Rob Smakman, Managing Director of Alvo, highlighted the significance of the recent findings at Touro. He remarked, “This discovery from our first drill hole at Touro is tremendously exciting as it validates our systematic approach to exploring a mineralized zone exceeding one kilometer in length, characterized by extensive gossanous outcrops. The initial results reveal wide and shallow high-grade mineralization, which is an encouraging sign for our exploration efforts.”
Smakman further noted the impressive scale of the Touro prospect, which extends over one kilometer and features a structural width of approximately 40 meters. He indicated that continued drilling will be essential to fully assess the extent of the mineralization.
Understanding the Touro VMS prospect
The Touro prospect is a newly identified VMS target, characterized by a well-defined mineralized trend extending over 1,100 meters. Documented surface gossans exhibit significant grades, reaching up to 7.5% zinc, 0.2% copper, and 1.0% lead. These findings are supported by soil and auger geochemical anomalies, as well as trench sampling results.
Geological mapping in the region has revealed mineralized gossans, which include the alteration mineral gahnite. This mineral is located within a zone influenced by hydrothermal processes, occurring between mafic and felsic rock formations. The initial drill hole, PDT-117, intercepted fresh, unoxidized rock containing various sulphide minerals, such as chalcopyrite (copper-bearing) and sphalerite (zinc-bearing), along with pyrite and pyrrhotite, which are recognized as non-mineralized.
Next steps in exploration
The drill rig is set to transition to hole PDT-118 as further exploration plans are developed. These plans aim to probe deeper into the mineralized zones identified during previous trenching efforts. Additionally, a downhole electromagnetic survey (DHEM) will soon take place to examine near-hole conductors that were overlooked in earlier surveys.
Results from comprehensive FLEM surveys in the Touro area have uncovered significant anomalies, corresponding with previously identified soil and auger anomalies. This has brought to light two sets of conductor plates that extend beyond the geological and geochemical anomalies identified during exploration.
The Palma project: A broader exploration agenda
Alvo’s wholly owned Palma project, situated in Tocantins State, has a total mineral resource estimate of 7.6 million tonnes at 2.02% copper equivalent. This figure highlights the project’s potential as a significant Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide (VMS) district. The exploration team is currently prioritizing over 30 new prospects within a geological framework conducive to multiple deposits.
Future activities will concentrate on integrating geological, geochemical, and geophysical data to refine these prospects until the most promising candidates are selected for drilling. Alvo’s distinctive advantage lies in its experienced in-house team and access to advanced exploration technologies, which facilitate effective and cost-efficient exploration.
As exploration efforts escalate, Alvo Minerals remains dedicated to nurturing strong relationships with stakeholders and supporting local communities while pursuing the discovery and development of new mineral resources.