en.Wedoany.com Reported - Altitude Minerals (ASX:ATT) has mobilized a drill rig to commence a 2,300-meter reverse circulation drilling program at the Byrock project in New South Wales, targeting three highest-priority copper-gold prospects.

The drilling aims to penetrate shallow cover to test concealed targets in the interpreted northwestern segment of the Macquarie Arc, which may represent pipe-like porphyry deposits. The program is conducted under an earn-in joint venture agreement with Nimrod Resources, requiring Altitude to spend A$1.35 million over two years to earn a 51% interest in the joint venture.

Drilling is expected to conclude later this month, subject to weather conditions. The UDR1000 rig can be converted to diamond core drilling depending on ground conditions. Project contingency plans ensure necessary equipment is on site to effectively test targets.

Altitude Minerals Managing Director Duncan Chessell said that with the start of drilling at Byrock, the company is transitioning from target definition to drill testing of concealed porphyry systems beneath shallow cover. The system lies on the company's interpreted extension of the Macquarie Arc, and the program aims to test pipe-like geophysical targets in a rigorous and cost-effective manner.

Byrock is located within the Lachlan Fold Belt, which hosts the prolific Macquarie Arc. The Macquarie Arc is considered Australia's premier porphyry copper-gold district, containing several world-class mines including Newmont Corporation's (ASX:NEM) Cadia project, and Evolution Mining's (ASX:EVN) Northparkes and Cowal assets.

Drilling at Byrock will test the P01, P02, and P38 pipe-like targets, which may represent pipe-like porphyry systems.

These prospects were identified following processing of newly acquired gravity and passive seismic data, integrated with 2025 magnetic data. Alteration studies were also used to predict target depth and optimize reverse circulation drill hole locations.

The planned drilling includes three holes at the P38 target, a magnetic anomaly interpreted as the system core, surrounded by a low gravity anomaly representing an alteration or breccia zone. Reverse circulation drilling will test beneath last year's shallow air-core drilling, which encountered encouraging pathfinder elements and hydrothermal alteration mineral assemblages. A vertical hole will confirm the geometry of the magnetic anomaly, with subsequent angled holes to test the margins of the feature.

The Byrock drilling program is operated by Nimrod in collaboration with Altitude's geological team. Assay results will be released as they become available.

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