Encounter Resources starts RC drilling at Haddon copper prospect (Paterson Province, WA)
- Noel Ong
- Oct 29
- 6 min read
Announcement
Encounter Resources Limited (ASX: ENR) has kicked off a 6-hole RC program at the Haddon copper prospect (formerly BM5) within its 100%-owned Yeneena Copper Project in the Paterson Province, ~50 km SE of Nifty, WA (Figure 1). The target sits on a major fault with coincident EM resistive response and prior aircore results that finished in gossanous, multi-element anomalism—an undercover setting analogous in style to nearby sediment-hosted copper systems and magmatic Cu-Au deposits.
Figure 1: Yeneena Copper Project within the Encounter Paterson Province Copper Projects (source: ENR)
Key Highlights - Searching for Copper
RC drilling underway (6 holes) at Haddon to test a large EM resistive body in a favourable structural position.
Three rigs operating across two provinces (Paterson & West Arunta), indicating sustained near-term news flow.
Prior aircore intercepts at end-of-hole with strong multi-element anomalism, including 15m @ 21.8 g/t Ag, 1,729 ppm Cu, 1,342 ppm Pb, 452 ppm Zn, 350 ppm Co from 69m (23PTAC0109); elevated Ag (to 55.1 g/t) and Pd (to 24.7 ppb) support a gossan model.
Petrography: goethite replacing zoned (bravoitic) pyrite—textures typical of hydrothermal systems, consistent with weathered expression of copper sulphides along faulting.
Target concept: primary mineralisation potentially at depth near the apex of an anticline adjacent to the mineralising fault; Broadhurst Formation setting is analogous to Nifty, ~50 km NW.
Executive Chairman, Will Robinson, Commented:
“The Paterson Province in WA is already home to several large-scale sedimentary copper and magmatic copper/gold deposits. Despite this proven potential, extensive sand cover has limited the rate of new discoveries.
Haddon stands out as a compelling undercover copper target. It sits in a classic structural setting for a sediment-hosted deposit with a coincident EM resistive body that may represent silica alteration linked to a mineralising event. This is supported by highly anomalous silver, copper, lead and zinc values associated with a probable gossan intersected in prior aircore drilling.
Our copper-focused exploration team is now drill testing this target in parallel with the multi-rig program underway in the West Arunta. Encounter is operating across two outstanding mineral provinces, with strong news flow expected in the months ahead.”
New Data
The 6-hole RC drill plan targets the faulted corridor alongside the anticline’s interpreted core (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Cross-section and drilling target at Haddon (source: ENR)
A reasonable geological model vectors to depth, with mineralisation concentrated near the anticline crest and along the neighbouring mineralising fault (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Haddon prospect exploration summary plan (1VD gravity) (source: ENR)
Airborne EM mapping reveals additional fold axes and a low-conductivity belt (Figure 4) that sits over near-surface copper anomalism intercepted by several aircore holes—consistent with alteration related to a mineralising system.
Figure 4: Haddon prospect exploration summary plan (VTEM 202m depth slice) (source: ENR)
Why this target matters (geology & model)
Gossan confirmation: Petrography on 23PTAC0109 (Figure 5) shows goethite after zoned pyrite—textures common in hydrothermal systems (including sediment-hosted base metals)—supporting the interpretation that aircore hit the weathered expression of copper sulphides.
Structure + stratigraphy: The target sits within the Broadhurst Formation, adjacent to a major regional fault, a textbook setting for sediment-hosted copper in the Paterson. The model vectors toward primary mineralisation at the anticline apex near the fault.
Geophysics: The EM resistive zone (mapped in the VTEM depth slice) aligns with near-surface copper anomalism—an alteration proxy that can be associated with mineralising fluids.
Figure 5: Gossanous samples in chip trays from Haddon drillhole 23PTAC0109 (assays reported in release dated 5 March 2024) (source: ENR)
Samso Concluding Comments
The story at Haddon is looking interesting: structure (a major fault flanking an interpreted anticline), geophysics (a coherent low-conductivity/resistive feature), and geochemistry (gossanous, multi-element anomalism at end-of-hole in prior aircore). As we all know, it does not guarantee success, but it does justify putting RC holes into the core of the model rather than orbiting around the edges.
The technical priority now is simple: test the anticline crest and the faulted corridor at depths where primary sulphides are plausible. In first-pass programs like this, downhole geology—sulphide descriptions, alteration intensity, veining, structures—often matters as much as assays. If the geology tracks the concept, vectoring the next collars becomes cheaper, faster, and smarter. Understanding the geology will negate any "issues" in the future.
Encounter is now in a good position to test geology as funding will no longer be an issue. With the interest being generated from their "Carbonatite" story, this will be a great project to have in the background. Many great mineral projects are lost due to the simple fact of a lack of funding to sustain the discovery timeline.
For investors, the near-term signals to watch are: drill results for the resistive body in regards to sulphides or strong alteration in chips. In addition, positive results supporting multi-element indicators such as Ag, Pb-Zn-Co pathfinders would be good. How quickly the team cycles into follow-up holes if the first hits are encouraging would be encouraging, although this will depend on the Company's progress in the Arunta. The simple truth is very simple, the need to see that the RC holes are converting weathered expressions into evidence of primary mineralisation.
Projects are always about uncovering targets, and they are always tend to be binary—either the structural trap and fluid pathway line up at depth, or they don’t. Haddon is now at that critical “proof” juncture. As always, track the primary data and let the geology, not the narrative, lead the conclusion.
As always, DYOR.
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