Project Overview
The copper exploration project is located in the Aragon and Navarra provinces of northern Spain, targeting the North Spanish Oligocene region. It encompasses a 956km2 permit area that covers the entire mineable geological strike, which extends approximately 200 kilometers from east to west.
The region has a rich mining history, with copper oxide production occurring up to the 1970s, and at least 12 historic copper mines have been identified. Additionally, exploration efforts in the 1970s established over 50 copper occurrences, primarily consisting of copper oxides hosted in sandstones and conglomerates.
The project’s primary focus is on sedimentary-hosted (stratabound) copper mineral systems, considered geologically analogous to the Lisbon Valley Mining District in Utah, USA. The exploration strategy involves targeting multiple copper and silver prospects across the permit area, using geological mapping and sampling to identify priority zones for follow-up geophysical surveys and drilling campaigns.
Map showing permit area and strike in Spain (Aragon and Navarra Provinces).
Historic High-Grade Mines
Over 30 historic mines and numerous significant copper and silver occurrences have been identified across the belt, highlighting the region’s strong mineral potential.
The exploration team has initiated on-ground geological mapping and sampling to define and prioritize targets for geophysical surveys. This work has resulted in comprehensive mapping that outlines the full extent of the copper-bearing Oligocene formation, including the locations of historic copper mines and recorded outcrops. Silver has also been detected across the belt in varying concentrations, adding further value to the project.
Currently, 12 permit applications are in progress to secure key areas for ongoing and future exploration efforts.
Opportunity to Apply Modern Exploration Techniques
Mapping / Sampling
- Desktop studies and remote sensing
- Investigate historic mines
- Rock chip and soil sampling
- Identify alteration zones
- Use pathfinder elements to vector towards mineralisation
- Identify prospective areas for follow up sampling and geophysics
Airborne Geophysics
- Aeromagnetics – define stratigraphy and basin architecture
- Airborne EM (AEM) – identify oxidised and reduced stratigraphic zones where sulphides are concentrated
- Gravity – budget dependent but assists is highlighting density contrasts
Ground-based Geophysics
- IP/resistivity survey over priority targets
- Detects chargeable sulphide minerals – high-grade Cu is associated with an IP response
- Generate 3D inversions to define high priority targets
- Direct targeting tool
Identifying High Priority Targets
- Apply an integrated exploration approach to identify targets with coincident anomalies
- Follow-up with ground-based investigation
- Rank targets for drilling
EU Critical Minerals Focus
| 1 | Antimony | 18 | Light rare earth elements |
| 2 | Arsenic | 19 | Lithium |
| 3 | Bauxite/alumina/aluminum | 20 | Magnesium |
| 4 | Baryte | 21 | Manganese |
| 5 | Beryllium | 22 | Graphite |
| 6 | Bismuth | 23 | Nickel — battery grade |
| 7 | Boron | 24 | Niobium |
| 8 | Cobalt | 25 | Phosphate rock |
| 9 | Coking coal | 26 | Phosphorus |
| 10 | Copper | 27 | Platinum group metals |
| 11 | Feldspar | 28 | Scandium |
| 12 | Fluorspar | 29 | Silicon metal |
| 13 | Gallium | 30 | Strontium |
| 14 | Germanium | 31 | Tantalum |
| 15 | Hafnium | 32 | Titanium metal |
| 16 | Helium | 33 | Tungsten |
| 17 | Heavy rare earth elements | 34 | Vanadium |
| 1 | Bauxite/Alumina/Aluminium |
| 2 | Bismuth |
| 3 | Boron — metallurgy grade |
| 4 | Cobalt |
| 5 | Copper |
| 6 | Gallium |
| 7 | Germanium |
| 8 | Lithium — battery grade |
| 9 | Magnesium metal |
| 10 | Manganese — battery grade |
| 11 | Graphite — battery grade |
| 12 | Nickel — battery grade |
| 13 | Platinum group metals |
| 14 | Rare earth elements for permanent magnets (Nd, Pr, Tb, Dy, Gd, Sm, and Ce) |
| 15 | Silicon metal |
| 16 | Titanium metal |
| 17 | Tungsten |
EU Critical Minerals Act – 11 April 2024
Key Points
- 1. Aim is to reduce dependence on countries outside of the EU for critical materials / minerals
- 2. Objective by 2030
- i. EU Extraction: At least 10% of EU annual consumption from EU
- ii. EU Processing: At least 40% of EU annual consumption from EU
- iii. EU Recycling: At least 25% of the EU’s annual consumption from domestic recycling
- iv. External Sources: not more than 65% of the EU’s annual consumption of each strategic raw material at any relevant stage of processing from a single third country
- 3. Maximum of 27 months permitting timetable for Strategic Projects involving extraction
- 4. Single point of contact for all things permitting.
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