BHP to enter agreement covering Encounter’s Elliott Copper Project

Highlights:

• Following the successful completion of the jointly designed validation program, BHP has exercised its option to enter into a farm-in and joint venture agreement covering the 4500 km² Elliott Copper Project in the Northern Territory (NT).
• BHP may earn up to a 75% interest in Elliott by spending up to US$22 million over 10 years.
• The validation program has provided further support for the copper potential of Elliott.
• Elliott represents a compelling exploration opportunity in the vastly under-explored Greater McArthur Superbasin that contains the key ingredients for the formation of large sedimentary copper deposits.
• An extensive exploration program, including seismic surveys and drilling, is planned to rapidly advance understanding of basin architecture and to define prospective deposition sites for sedimentary copper mineralisation.
• In addition, Encounter continues to advance and build its commanding 100% owned copper exploration portfolio in the NT covering a further 17 000 km².

Commenting on the BHP election to enter a farm-in agreement, Will Robinson, Encounter Managing Director, said:

“Copper sourced from sedimentary-hosted deposits is one of the fastest growing sources of high-grade copper in the world. Encounter controls an extensive first mover portfolio of copper projects in the Greater McArthur Superbasin in the NT. The potential for this region to host large sedimentary-hosted copper deposits is rapidly emerging and we are delighted to be teaming up with BHP to apply leading edge technologies in the search for Tier 1 copper deposits at Elliott. The outcomes of the jointly designed validation program at Elliott have been illuminating and bolstered the potential for the discovery of large sedimentary-hosted copper deposits under shallow cover in the NT.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/exploration-development/25052021/bhp-to-enter-agreement-covering-encounters-elliott-copper-project/