Overview
True North Copper (ASX:TNC) is coming into a transformative part on our path to turn out to be Australia’s subsequent copper producer. Mining actions have commenced at our Cloncurry Copper Venture – a low-cost, low-risk, totally funded and permitted challenge.
The corporate’s subsequent mine growth is the high-grade Vero useful resource on the Mt Oxide Venture. True North Copper is dedicated to growing and strengthening our understanding of this phenomenally mineralised challenge, which boasts an up to date copper-silver mineral useful resource estimate of 15.03 Mt at 1.46 % copper and 10.59 g/t silver for a contained 220 kt copper and 5.13 Moz silver.
Copper demand is rising in a world market of diminishing provide. The worldwide surge in synthetic intelligence, electrical automobiles, decarbonisation initiatives, and broader macro traits is intensifying the demand for copper.
Firm Highlights
True North Copper is getting ready to turn out to be Australia’s subsequent copper producer.
True North Copper’s two principal belongings are positioned in northwest Queensland, Australia – a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction:
- Cloncurry Copper Venture (CCP) – IOCG and ISCG copper-gold deposits proposed for open pit mining operations, with in depth surrounding exploration tenure. Mining actions have commenced on the Wallace North deposit, a part of CCP.
- Mt Oxide Venture (Mt Oxide) – IOCG high-grade, globally important, copper-cobalt-silver deposit topic to re-optimisation research, and exploration in surrounding tenure.
Cloncurry Copper Venture (CCP)
- Mining restart research confirms optimistic CCP challenge economics – AU$367 million with free money circulate of AU$111 million, and a pre-tax NPV10 of AU$88 million over a 4.6 12 months mine life, at US$8,500 per ton copper value and US$1,850 per ounce gold value (0.7 AU$:USD trade charge).
- Wallace North Mine preparation and mobilisation. Wallace North is scheduled as the primary open pit (considered one of 4 – Wallace North, Nice Australia Mine [GAM], Taipan and Orphan Shear) to be mined as a part of the mining restart on the CCP.
- Mining ramp-up will initially construct ore stockpiles, with mining anticipated to begin This autumn FY24 (AUS). Oxide copper-gold ore can be transported by highway practice to the Cloncurry Operations heap leach. Sulphide ore can be transported to a close-by concentrator for toll therapy beneath TNC’s toll-milling settlement with Glencore.
- CCP’s complete reserves elevated. TNC’s Cloncurry Copper Venture (CCP) complete reserves at present embody 4.7Mt possible ore reserves grading 0.80 % copper and 0.13g/t gold, containing 37.5 kiloton of copper and 20.0koz of gold.
Determine: Cloncurry copper challenge and Cloncurry operations hub
Mt Oxide Venture
- Extremely potential and underexplored. Phenomenally mineralised system.
- Exploration outcomes from True North Copper’s maiden diamond drill program throughout Mt Oxide’s Vero Useful resource not solely returned globally important grades, but additionally showcased the increasing nature of the Vero high-grade ore physique together with:
- 66.50 metres @ 4.95 % copper, 32.7g/t silver and 685 ppm cobalt from 234.00 metres
- [inc.] 20.60 metres @ 10.51 % copper, 63 g/t silver and 1,149 ppm cobalt from
234.60 metres and - [inc.] 8.55 metres @ 6.03 % copper, 51.6 g/t silver and 98 ppm cobalt from
290.15 metres
- [inc.] 20.60 metres @ 10.51 % copper, 63 g/t silver and 1,149 ppm cobalt from
- 66.50 metres @ 4.95 % copper, 32.7g/t silver and 685 ppm cobalt from 234.00 metres
- Up to date Copper-Silver Mineral Useful resource Estimate. The up to date MRE for the Vero deposit accommodates 15.03 Mt at 1.46 % copper and 10.59 g/t silver for a contained 220 kt copper and 5.13 Moz silver. Vero’s up to date useful resource delivers a 20 % enhance in silver ounces, demonstrating the potential to provide a major silver co-product along with copper.
- A number of thrilling future exploration packages and high-priority potential targets alongside the ten kilometre-long mineralised pattern that hosts Vero.
- Strongly Anomalous Copper and Pathfinder Components. A scientific rock chip sampling marketing campaign on the Aquila and Ivena North prospects on the Mt Oxide challenge recognized broad zones of copper mineralisation with samples from Aquila exhibiting a number of gossanous breccia constructions as much as 30 metres extensive. Sampling from Ivena North has recognized copper, cobalt and arsenic traits inside two geochemically anomalous zones from a number of gossanous breccia constructions which can be as much as 25 metres extensive.
Determine: Cross-section of MOXD217 (10 metres clipping window) exhibiting the situation of geological and grade composites in addition to the up to date interpretation of copper grade domains primarily based on the outcomes from MOXD217
Funding and Strategic Partnerships
- AU$42 million (US$28 million) USD-denominated senior secured mortgage facility (mortgage facility) with Nebari Pure Sources Credit score Fund II LP (Nebari)1. The Mortgage Facility is supplied in two tranches. Drawdown of Tranche 1 – US$18 million (roughly AU$25.5 million) on 9 February 2024.
- Binding offtake and toll-milling agreements with Glencore Worldwide AG (Glencore) for 100% of copper focus from TNC’s CCP and toll-milling providers of as much as 1Mt of ore per 12 months for the CCP’s Lifetime of Mine (LoM).
Determine: Visible illustration of Vero Useful resource inside surrounding Mt Isa Inlier.
TNC Exploration Program
- Exploration technique focusing on transformative discoveries throughout TNC’s greater than 850 sq km of tenure bundle throughout the Mt Isa Inlier.
- Important potential for transformative discoveries of copper-gold cobalt-silver in three districts.
- Quite a few high-quality copper-gold-cobalt-silver targets positioned with mineralised structural corridors throughout the japanese & western fold belts resembling:
- Cloncurry Fault Hall 🡪 Host to the GAM and Mt Norma Sources
- Ernest Henry Hall 🡪 Ernest Henry, E1 Camp and Monakoff
- Mt Gordon Hall 🡪 Capricorn Copper and Vero
- Mt Roseby Hall 🡪 Little Eva and Blackard.
- 12.55 Mt @ 0.82 % copper (indicated and inferred assets) and a number of prospects positioned inside a 30-kilometre radius of the corporate’s CCP characterize near-term manufacturing alternatives.
- Latest JV over extremely potential tenements with CMG deal will increase TNC’s land place on the core of its CCP.
- TNC awarded the Queensland Authorities Collaborative Exploration Initiative (CEI) Grant. The CEI grant has been used in the direction of supply of forefront MIMDAS induced polarisation, resistivity and magnetotellurics geophysical surveys on the Mt Oxide. The exploration has focused large and disseminated sulphide mineralisation and delivered an improved understanding of the large-scale structural structure that controls mineralisation all through the Mt Oxide exploration leases.
Determine: Abstract of exploration and growth pipeline throughout all TNC initiatives.
Tasks
Cloncurry Copper Venture
Our Cloncurry copper challenge (CCP) hosts iron oxide copper-gold (IOCG) and iron-sulphide-copper-gold (ISCG) deposits with in depth surrounding exploration tenure. It’s constructed on a robust financial foundation and low-risk value construction.
The CCP at present incorporates two reserves the place mining will start together with – the Wallace North maiden useful resource and the Nice Australia mine reserve (GAM):
- GAM contains GAM, Orphan Shear and Taipan deposits) totalling 4.7Mt grading 0.80 % copper and 0.13g/t gold containing 37.5kt of copper and 20 koz of gold – improve to be introduced mid-2024.
- Wallace North ore reserve totals 0.7Mt (possible) grading 1.01 % copper and 0.46g/t gold for six.8kt copper and 10 koz gold.
TNC’s CCP growth is ongoing with exploration progressing and superior initiatives in strategic areas surrounding the present CCP operation, promising long-term development prospects.
Our strategic partnerships, together with a binding offtake and toll-milling agreements with Glencore Worldwide AG, supported by debt funding secured with Nebari, underscore our operational readiness and place TNC to capitalise on an especially beneficial copper market.
Mining operations will kick off on the Wallace North open reduce pit, focusing on higher-grade ores (~1 % copper) from floor mining. Ore will bear major crushing on the Cloncurry operations hub and the toll therapy facility, positioned inside a 40-kilometre radius, with a predominant give attention to sulphide ores.
All mandatory permits for mining are secured throughout the CCP, bolstered by a longtime environmental monitoring community with a sturdy historic database.
TNC’s operational technique includes a phased method to mine growth, with mining actions commencing in 2024 and a deliberate ramp-up of manufacturing all through 2025.
Cloncurry Operations Hub
The Cloncurry operations hub is strategically positioned to the CCP’s 4 open pit deposits together with: Nice Australia, Orphan Shear, Taipan and Wallace North.
The COH is 2 kilometres from the township of Cloncurry and supplies important infrastructure, technical techniques and help to all of TNC’s challenge operations. An lively oxide heap leach and solvent extraction (SX) processing plant, mine buildings, website administration amenities, workshops, open pit mine amenities, onsite explosive magazines, website storage, water administration techniques and current website energy provide are positioned on the COH.
Cloncurry Copper Venture – Venture Economics
- Mining 4.8Mt of ore over an preliminary 4.6-year mine life, at a low strip ratio of 4.2, delivering 35kt copper and 29 koz gold contained metallic (primarily based on current JORC reserves)
- Anticipated mine income of AU$367 million with free money circulate of AU$111 million, and a pre-tax NPV10 of AU$88 million, demonstrating sturdy working economics at US$8,500/t copper value and US$1,850/oz gold value (0.7 AU$:USD trade charge).
- Payback anticipated inside six months put up mining restart, pushed by beneficial commodity costs and low all-in sustaining value (AISC) of US$2.65/lb copper.
- Low up entrance capex of AU$1.5 million leverages current infrastructure, whereas peak working expenditure is estimated at AU$2.2 million.
- Sulphide and oxide ore manufacturing – two copper merchandise. copper sulphide (LoM approx. 90 %) + copper sulphate (LoM approx. 10 %).
- Mineral focus grade 22-26 % copper (with gold/silver credit).
- Sulphide Ores extra than88 % anticipated restoration.
- Transitional Ores greater than 77 % anticipated restoration.
- Very low deleterious components in mineral focus.
Cloncurry Copper Venture – Exploration
- CCP growth and exploration centered on speedy copper-gold-ore supply development.
- With greater than 80 prospects positioned inside a 30-kilometre radius of the CCP, TNC is targeted on growth and the exploration potential for added copper-gold-cobalt-silver mineralisation to be introduced into the manufacturing fold, together with large-scale transformative discoveries.
- Our profitable 2023 Exploration Program recognized the next targets:
- Cloncurry Copper Venture – eight new drill targets at Larger Australian and Copperhead.
- Salebury and Rocklands South – Compelling untested geophysical anomalies in historic knowledge.
- Mt Norma – untested floor anomalies and down plunge useful resource extension targets on mining lease inside 30 kilometres of the Cloncurry operations hub.
- Wynberg, Notlor, Marimo Development and Tanbah restricted historic exploration important copper-gold in floor sampling and drilling, restricted testing.
Determine: Excessive precedence exploration targets on the CCP
Mt Oxide Venture
The Mt Oxide challenge hosts the Vero useful resource of 15.98 Mt @ 1.43 % copper (measured, indicated and inferred) a Mt Isa fashion sediment-hosted copper-silver-cobalt system. Analogues embody Capricorn copper and Mt Isa copper.
The Vero useful resource at our Mt Oxide challenge is our subsequent mine. We’re centered on understanding this phenomenally mineralised system.
Mt Oxide’s Vero Useful resource 2023 exploration program returned excellent and globally important grades. The outcomes of our 2023 maiden drilling program on the Vero useful resource showcased the increasing nature of the Vero high-grade ore physique.
Vero Useful resource maiden drilling program
2023 Vero useful resource drilling highlights included (* = Estimated True Width):
MOXD217 returned phenomenal outcomes that positioned the drill gap within the prime globally ranked copper drill holes of 2023 together with :
- 66.50 metres (48.00 metres*) @ 4.95 % copper, 32.7 g/t silver and 685 ppm cobaltfrom 234 metres.
- 11 metres (8.19 metres*) @ 3.06 % copper, 34.2 g/t silver and 682 ppm cobalt from 357.50 metres.
- 8.55 metres (8.55 metres*) @ 6.16 % copper, 45.9 g/t silver and 140 ppm cobalt from 172.50 metres.
MOXD221 intercepted a large interval of high-grade shallow dipping mineralisation in addition to a second deeper intercept, offering indications of quickly rising grade and widths of mineralisation to the south together with:
- 42.10 metres (41 metres*) @ 1.66 % copper, 13.5 g/t silver and 1,083 ppm cobalt from 154.90 metres.
- [including] 4 metres (2.24 metres*) @ 7.65 % copper, 57.3 g/t silver and 1,164 ppm cobalt from 191.20 metres.
MOXD226A returned three key zones of sturdy mineralisation together with a broad interval of 69.95 metres and additional intervals of as much as 11.19 % copper.
Highlights embody:
- 69.95 metres (42.85 metres*) @ 1.91percent copper, 17.7g/t silver and 675 ppm cobalt from 224.55 metres
- [including] 9.65 metres (5.89 metres*) @ 2.74 % copper, 24.1g/t silver and 993 ppm cobalt from 239.50 metres
- [including] 18.15 metres (11.07 metres*) @ 3.23 % copper, 26.8g/t silver and 585 ppm cobalt from 276.35 metres
- 16.75 metres (16.75 metres*) @ 5.30 % copper, 44- g/t silver and 120 ppm cobalt from 165.25 metres
- [including] 4.65 metres (4.65 metres*) @ 11.19 % copper, 93.9g/t silver and 136 ppm cobalt from 172.55 metres
Determine: Location of geological and grade composites in addition to the up to date interpretation of copper grade domains primarily based on the outcomes from MOXD226A
Mt Oxide Discovery Technique
TNC is dedicated to unlocking Mt Oxide’s underexplored targets.
- Mt Oxide lies adjoining to a big crustal scale construction – the Mt Gordon Fault Zone. Splays off this construction (Dorman Fault) host Vero.
- Mt Oxide has proof of large-scale fluid circulate, large mineral system potential.
- Copper-silver-cobalt mineralisation interpreted to have been shaped close to floor and higher elements are preserved.
- Glorious depth potential of mineralisation within the Mt Oxide challenge.
- Restricted systematic trendy exploration exterior of the Vero useful resource.
- Important alternative to use modern mineral exploration to construct a bigger copper stock in a well-endowed mineral system.
- Greater than 10 kilometres pattern alongside Dorman fault zone of intermittently outcropping gossanous / silica breccias, nearly no drilling, floor sampling or efficient geophysics.
- A number of untested targets with important alteration-mineralisation footprints.
- No software of tried and examined geophysics or systematic floor rock chip geochemistry and mapping.
- Low value extremely efficient exploration methods to filter and prioritise drill targets.
A number of thrilling future exploration packages and high-priority potential targets alongside 10-kilometre lengthy mineralised pattern that hosts Vero together with:
- Aquila & Mt Gordon
- Ivena North
- Camp Gossans
- Cave Creek
- Huge Oxide
Determine: A number of thrilling future exploration packages and high-priority potential targets alongside the 10-kilometre lengthy mineralised pattern that hosts Vero useful resource’s Mt Oxide challenge.
A scientific rock chip sampling marketing campaign on the Aquila and Ivena North prospects indicated strongly anomalous copper and pathfinder components.
- Sampling at Aquila highlighted six zones of anomalous copper, cobalt and arsenic related to a number of gossanous breccia constructions as much as 30 metres extensive.
- Aquila B Development: +180 metres lengthy and +30 metres extensive copper +/- cobalt-arsenic-silver inside a 440 metres lengthy fault breccia with seen copper oxide mineralisation. The pattern contains rock chip channels returning 3.6 metres @ 0.49 % copper with a peak assay of 0.94 % copper.
- Aquila A Development: +20 metres lengthy and as much as 12 metres extensive copper-arsenic-antimony anomalous zone inside +210 metres strike of hematite altered hydrothermal breccias, returning as much as 0.05 % copper and 12.7g/t silver and anomalous pathfinders.
- Aquila D Development: +100 metres lengthy and as much as 4 metres extensive copper-cobalt pattern related to a historic prospecting pit with sturdy copper oxide mineralisation, and a peak assay of 0.87 % copper.
- At Ivena North, sampling has recognized copper, cobalt & arsenic traits inside two geochemically anomalous zones from a number of gossanous breccia constructions which can be as much as 25 metres extensive.
- Ivena North A Development – +130 metres lengthy and as much as 15 metres extensive copper-cobalt-aresenic pattern inside a +580 metres strike of hydrothermal breccia and gossans that returned assays as much as 1.38 % copper and anomalous arsenic +/- silver-antimony-bismuth-molybdenum.
TNC’s subsequent steps embody prioritisation of those targets, designing and planning upcoming drill packages, and securing the mandatory permits for on-ground entry.
Administration Group
Bevan Jones – Managing Director
Bevan Jones is a seasoned operations officer providing practically 30 years of expertise in mine administration throughout a various vary of commodities and has a confirmed monitor report in directing enterprise enchancment initiatives and operational transformation. Jones’ earlier roles embody chief working officer at Karora Sources (TSX:KRR), in addition to normal supervisor of Gold Fields Restricted’s (JSE:GFI) St Ives Gold Mine in WA, the place he executed transformative development methods and delivered distinctive operational outcomes. Most not too long ago, Jones was the managing director at Brisbane-based Further Mining Options, the place he performed a number one position in establishing the corporate specializing in enterprise transformation and operational excellence. Jones gained worldwide operational expertise as chief working officer of BCM Group Worldwide in West Africa, normal supervisor of the Wetar Copper Mine in Indonesia and normal supervisor of the Hidden Valley Mine in Papua New Guinea, in addition to mining supervisor of Barrick Gold’s Lumwana Copper Mine in Zambia.
