New Mineralized Zone Discovered 16 Meters Ahead of Schedule at South Africa's Copper 360 Underground Copper Mine

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 16, South African mining company Copper 360 disclosed that copper sulfide mineralization was discovered ahead of schedule during decline construction at its Rietberg underground copper mine in the Northern Cape Province. The discovery occurred on October 6, approximately 16 meters ahead of the planned arrival at the 300 level elevation and earlier than predicted by the existing geological model. Total copper grades of two composite samples from the site ranged from 0.48% to 1.50%, and the company is further investigating the scale and extent of the mineralized zone.

The mineralization was discovered in the underground decline connecting the 400 level and the 300 level. After the construction crew advanced the roadway through the mineralized area, approximately 6 meters of copper-bearing mafic rock was exposed, with geologists observing bornite and chalcopyrite in the Koperberg Suite. Copper 360 subsequently conducted geological logging and on-site sampling, collecting two composite samples from the mineralized material stockpile generated by excavation. The samples were crushed to below 10 mm, homogenized and split, and sent to the QLS laboratory in Springbok for testing.

The test measured total copper content in copper sulfide minerals. As no copper oxide minerals were observed on site and the mineralization is located below the known oxidation and transition zones, the company did not conduct acid-soluble copper analysis. Blank samples and certified reference materials were also included in the testing process, and both quality control results fell within the industry-acceptable ranges adopted by the company.

According to existing geological data, the mineralization exposed ahead of schedule may correspond to an extension of a known orebody beyond the model boundary, or it may represent an independent branch mineralized body. Copper 360 plans to continue face sampling, geological mapping and resource delineation drilling, and to update the Rietberg underground geological model accordingly. The existing drill hole spacing for the nearby southwestern mafic mineralized body exceeds 50 meters, and it has not yet been included in the mine's current mineral resource and reserve estimates.

Underground development at the Rietberg mine continues in accordance with the original construction plan. Copper 360 will continue developing the 300 level, and the marginal ore already exposed on site is being temporarily stockpiled pending subsequent processing. According to the development plan announced by the company on July 21, the originally planned total advance of the roadway to the 300 level is 544 meters. After construction enters the orebody, the company plans to gradually increase the amount of ore extracted, with a target raw ore production of approximately 700 tonnes per day to match the processing capacity of the MFP2 modular flotation plant.