Imaging the Crust Beneath Cloncurry – Implications for Mineralization

We have compiled the landmark 4,400km2 Magnetotelluric survey conducted by the GSQ north of Cloncurry.  Depth slices from 40km to near-surface are compiled with other data in this presentation. For more information: Here

Continental Copper has six exploration permits covering 980 km2 in the sparsely explored terrane north of Ernest Henry (245 Mt at 1.2% Cu and 0.6g/t Au) and east of Dugald River (60Mt at 12% Zn and 1.6% Pb) and Little Eva (306Mt at 0.42% Cu, 0.23 g/t Au).  This area is the most prospective Cu-Au and Zn-Pb-Ag target terrane in the Mt Isa region.

Continental projects are covered by an 11,000km2 water-bore geochemical survey.  The highest Cu-Pb-Zn bore-water geochemistry outside of the immediate mine areas is located in multiple samples within the Continental Copper licences.  Lead isotope geochemistry confirms the prospectivity of the anomalies. 

A 4,400 km2 Magnetotelluric (MT) geophysical survey has generated prominent and unexplained conductivity anomalies within the Continental Copper licences coincident with the Gidyea Suture and the Mt Margaret Fault system.  A very strong and undrilled EM conductor coincides with the geochemistry and the MT conductor.  This EM anomaly has been modelled as three separate conductors with strikes of 3km to a depth of 1.5km.

What can be seen in this compilation is that there is a regionally extensive flat-lying structure in the mid crust which evolves towards the surface as a number of variably continuous vertical conductors. At Olympic Dam in South Australia, MT has defined a similar low resistivity zone in the mid-crust with vertical and continuous conductive zones linked to the known areas of mineralization with the most significant being the huge Olympic Dam deposit.

These modelled low resistivity zones are likely graphite and/or sulphides associated with the magmatic and alteration systems which generated metallic mineralization nearer to the surface.

Within the Continental Copper Maureen-Lola property, a strong SQUITEM anomaly has been modelled as three conductors extending from near surface to 1,500 metres depth and with a strike of 3km. This undrilled SQUITEM anomaly is coincident with the trend of the MT conductor, strongly anomalous Cu, Pb and Zn hydrogeochemistry and at shallow depth a likely erosional ridge in Palaeo-Proterozoic basement. Isotope data from the hydrogeochemistry survey confirms that these samples contain lead of a likely Palaeo-Proterozoic source in basement.

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