SYDNEY: Alma Metals Ltd. has acquired a fully equipped 16-person exploration camp for the Briggs Copper Project in central Queensland, significantly expanding on-site operational capacity as the company pushes forward with accelerated resource growth and pre-feasibility studies.
The modular camp, relocated from South Australia, features individual ensuite rooms with televisions, air conditioning and small refrigerators, along with a dedicated kitchen and messing facility. Once commissioned in August, the camp will more than double on-site personnel capacity and enable the deployment of a second drill rig.
Drilling Program Progresses
The mineral resource estimate infill core drilling program is advancing, with approximately 1,600 meters drilled to date and four holes completed since the program began in late April. All drill holes have encountered copper mineralization consistent with pre-drilling expectations. Core from the first three drill holes is currently at a Brisbane laboratory, with assay results expected in four to five weeks.
Alma Metals Managing Director Dr. Frazer Tabeart said securing the infrastructure provides a “step change” in the company’s ability to scale operations at Briggs.
“With proper on-site accommodation in place, we can bring a second drill rig to site, keep our technical and management teams in the field, and significantly reduce the fatigue and logistics challenges associated with our current arrangements,” Tabeart said. “This builds the operational platform to match the scale of the opportunity at Briggs, driving drilling efficiencies and allowing Alma to complete pre-feasibility study drilling requirements sooner and at a lower cost.”
Strategic Infrastructure Investment
The camp will be anchored to cyclone-proof standards appropriate for Queensland conditions, and contractors have been engaged to reconnect electrical and plumbing services.
The accommodation will allow technical and management personnel to remain stationed on site, improving contractor oversight, reducing travel-related fatigue risks and enhancing overall project management effectiveness.
The single-rig program has demonstrated strong penetration rates, with the first three drill holes dispatched for assay. The addition of a second rig, supported by on-site accommodation, is expected to deliver a step-change in drilling efficiency and data generation.
Briggs is a large, low-grade porphyry copper deposit located 60 kilometers from the deep-water port of Gladstone. The project benefits from proximity to high-voltage power lines, a heavy-haulage railway, multiple gas pipelines and major roads including the Dawson Highway.
The mineral resource estimate contains 2 million tonnes of copper metal in Indicated and Inferred Resources at a 0.15% copper cut-off grade, with significant potential to expand tonnage and grade through ongoing drilling. Metallurgical test work has confirmed potential for very high copper recovery of 95% into high-grade concentrates.
Alma Metals, which currently owns 51% of the project, has committed to the final stage of an earn-in agreement to reach a 70% interest. The company is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker ALM.
