Turpentine mine yields high grade copper gold
Breakthrough Minerals (ASX:BTM) reported early high‑grade assay results from its Turpentine drilling program, confirming a down‑plunge extension of the copper‑gold deposit in Queensland.
Assay results validate down‑plunge target
The first assays from three drill holes at Turpentine showed mineralisation that exceeds the existing block model. Hole 26TUR001 returned 31 m grading 0.52 % copper equivalent (CuEq) from a depth of 210 m, including a higher‑grade interval of 7 m at 1.02 % CuEq.
Hole 26TUR002 delivered 16 m at 1.30 % CuEq from 180 m, with a 6‑metre section at 2.18 % CuEq. Hole 26TUR003 produced 19 m at 1.03 % CuEq from 216 m, featuring 9 m at 1.84 % and 4 m at 2.83 % CuEq.
These results directly support the gravity inversion target that was modelled to extend mineralisation northward along the down‑plunge direction. The company said the assay outcomes “outperform the current block model,” suggesting further resource growth is possible.
Barbara project shows continuity at depth
At the nearby Barbara copper‑gold project, additional diamond‑drill assays confirmed mineralised continuity both along strike and to greater depth. A 7‑metre interval at 0.54 % CuEq was intersected from 441 m, within a broader 45‑metre zone averaging 0.24 % CuEq.
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Another 7‑metre stretch at 1.08 % CuEq was found from 339 m, inside a 39‑metre zone of 0.32 % CuEq. A deeper intercept of 10 m at 0.56 % CuEq was recorded from 550 m, part of a 73‑metre interval averaging 0.24 % CuEq from 503 m.
These assays extend the known footprint beyond the three holes reported in June 2026, reinforcing the mineralised system’s depth and strike continuity.
The Turpentine and Barbara deposits belong to the broader North Queensland copper‑gold project area, which holds a global resource of 18.8 Mt at 1.07 % CuEq, equivalent to about 200,000 t of contained copper‑equivalent metal.
Breakthrough’s managing director Nigel Broomham said the Turpentine results “reinforce the company’s resource growth story across both of its cornerstone deposits.” He added that Turpentine, the larger of the two, already hosts 101,000 t of contained CuEq and that the new data bolster confidence in further down‑plunge expansion.
Six additional holes have been completed on the down‑plunge target and are awaiting assay.
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Assays await analysis.
In comparison with previous phases, the current assay suite reflects a sharper focus on high‑grade intersections, mirroring a trend where junior miners prioritize near‑surface, high‑grade zones to accelerate resource updates. This approach can shorten the time to market for new resource statements, though it also raises the risk of over‑reliance on limited drill data.
Future drilling plans
Beyond the ongoing Turpentine work, Breakthrough plans a further ~2,000 m of reverse‑circulation drilling across the Hazel Creek project to test priority targets such as Turpentine South, Eight Mile Creek North, Eight Mile Creek East, and the SE Offset Prospect. At Barbara, selected holes from the completed program will be surveyed with downhole electromagnetic methods to locate additional conductors.
The company’s broader 2026 exploration campaign targets roughly 10,000 m of drilling across North Queensland, aiming to expand its resource inventory.
Overall, the early assay results from Turpentine and Barbara provide tangible validation of the geological models that guided the recent drilling campaigns, and they add to the resource upside potential for Breakthrough Minerals.
