Askari onto high-grade copper in WA “elephant country”

Askari Metals has completed its inaugural field program at the Callawa copper project that sits strategically close to Rio’s extraordinary Winu copper discovery in the Pilbara– and the early results haven’t disappointed. Rock chips grading 6.78 per cent copper, 4.35 per cent, 2.02 per cent and 1.85 per cent copper were discovered in the first pass in what is generally recognised as copper-gold “elephant country” in WA.

Askari’s Callawa project covers over 167 km² and overlays part of a “ring structure” that shows the hallmarks of a potential porphyry terrane.

Interestingly, despite being next door to outstanding world-class discoveries such as Telfer, Nifty and Winu to name just a few, the Callawa tenement’s potential is only just being unlocked.

Askari unearthed hi-grade copper rock chips during its initial mapping and sampling program including samples with grades going 6.78 per cent, 4.35 per cent, 2.02 per cent and 1.85 per cent. Other historical rock chips previously identified at the project include grades of 9.35 per cent copper and 25.9 grams per tonne silver and 7.63 per cent copper with 15.7 g/t silver.

Callawa covers a large area of the Warrawgine Granitoid Complex on the north-eastern margin of the Pilbara Craton which is a poorly exposed sequence of mafic and ultramafic xenolith-rich foliated gneissic granitoids. Copper mineralisation within quartz veining has been recorded in several locations and is also associated with elevated gold values which may indicate a potential porphyry-style origin to the copper occurrence according to Askari.

The high-grade rock chips were collected over an initial strike length of 125m with a high-grade zone over approximately 40m. Interestingly, the company says the strike extent remains open and can potentially be expanded upon.

Askari’s initial results demonstrate the significant fertility of the geological environment and highlight the exploration upside that exists at the project for the newly listed company.

A gradient array induced polarisation survey is expected to commence next month and further exploration is planned and will be designed following completion of the geophysical program. It will target highlighted anomalies in combination with existing data. In addition, the potential for polymetallic mineralisation will also be further investigated by the company.

Askari looks poised to ride the new boom in copper, largely driven by the market’s insatiable demand for electric vehicles.

Electric-powered vehicles require on average over 10 times more copper than conventional vehicles and with governments around the world setting targets for net-zero carbon emissions, it is firmly back in vogue.

Askari is trail-blazing a path in one of the most geologically-rich terranes on the planet and copper rock chips going almost 7 per cent in an area like this will be sure to quicken a few pulses.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au