True North expands Qld copper hunt with new 300m wide zone

True North Copper has expanded its exploration efforts at its Mt Oxide project in north-west Queensland, revealing a newly discovered 300-metre-wide mineralised zone and extending the known copper trend by 500 metres to a total of 2.3 kilometres. This development comes after maiden drilling at the company's new Chidna prospect, located 400 metres north of its existing Aquila discovery, has defined a broader mineralised system. Drilling at Aquila has also yielded a notable 52-metre intercept grading 0.85 per cent copper from 23 metres below surface, marking another positive step in the company's exploration strategy. Drilling activities at both Aquila and Chidna have uncovered promising results, suggesting the presence of a larger and more complex mineralised system than previously anticipated. At Aquila, the ongoing drilling has identified multiple high-grade shoots along 800 metres of strike, extending mineralisation an additional 150 metres to the south. A key highlight was a 52-metre intercept containing a 9-metre segment grading 1.89 per cent copper, part of a longer sequence that includes a previous hit of 130 metres grading 0.67 per cent copper, 0.07 per cent cobalt and 1.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold. This earlier intercept featured a 22-metre section grading 2.2 per cent copper, 0.04 per cent cobalt and 4 g/t gold, alongside a 6-metre slice grading 5.7 per cent copper, 0.07 per cent cobalt and 8.2 g/t gold. At Chidna, initial drilling has confirmed the company's previously identified geophysical targets, with one hole returning a 39-metre intercept grading 0.26 per cent copper from 304 metres down, including a 9-metre section grading 0.51 per cent copper from 331 metres. Another hole at Chidna recorded a 23-metre hit grading 0.20 per cent copper from 106 metres. Although these grades appear modest, they are significant in establishing the presence of a substantial mineralised system in an area that had not been tested before. The discovery of the Chidna zone is especially noteworthy due to its considerable width. While mineralisation at Aquila typically ranges between 40 and 60 metres, the maiden drilling at Chidna has revealed a mineralised zone interpreted to be up to 300 metres wide. Management interprets this as occurring within a dilational structure, a geological feature formed when rocks are stretched, creating space for mineral-rich fluids to flow and deposit valuable metals. Such environments are considered ideal for hosting larger and higher-grade mineralisation. True North Copper managing director Andrew Mooney remarked on the significance of the findings at Chidna, noting that the mineralised structure appears to widen substantially from approximately 40–60 metres at Aquila to nearly 300 metres at Chidna. He highlighted that these structural features could enhance the potential for higher-grade deposits and have identified several compelling shallow and deeper targets for future exploration. The results from both Chidna and Aquila underscore the growing scale of the mineralised system at the Mt Oxide project. Both areas remain open, with numerous follow-up drill targets already under consideration. Furthermore, additional prospective structures partially within the company's tenure extend an additional two kilometres to the north, indicating the possibility of a much larger mineralised structural corridor. The Mt Oxide project is strategically positioned in the heart of Queensland's renowned Mt Isa-Cloncurry mineral province, situated 100 kilometres north of Glencore’s Mt Isa copper smelter and just 20 kilometres north of 29Metals’ Capricorn Copper mine. This location offers a potential pathway to commercial production. In parallel, the company is advancing a prefeasibility study for its Cloncurry copper project, which is expected to outline a clear route toward near-term production.