London-listed critical metal-focused exploration and development company Aterian has undertaken a review of an induced polarisation (IP) gradient array and high-resolution IP (HIRIP) geophysical survey at its Agdz copper and silver project, in Morocco, located 14 km southwest of the Bouskour copper/silver mine. 

The survey was completed on the northern part of the project in preparation for scout drilling. The review has indicated several high-priority anomalies and increased the target area that is scheduled for further exploration, the company said on January 16. 

Aterian recently acquired Agdz as part of a portfolio of 15 prospective copper/silver and base metal projects covering an area of 762 km² in Morocco. 

“Agdz is an important asset in our portfolio of 15 copper/silver and base metal projects we recently acquired in Morocco . . . Agdz is the most advanced of the 15 projects and we are doing the necessary work to progress our understanding of the site for drilling.  

“The geophysical survey data has generated several high-priority anomalies requiring additional fieldwork to further resolve these targets,” Aterian chairperson Charles Bray said.

The Agdz project hosts four significant copper/silver prospects covering an area of about 8 km². 

Within the Agdz project, the 2.8-km-long Makarn prospect has shown results of up to 8% copper and 448 g/t silver, while the 2-km-long Amzwaro prospect has shown results up to 4.82% copper and 189 g/t silver.  

Additionally, the 150-m-long Minière prospect has yielded results up to 13.05% copper and 12 g/t silver, while the 700-m-long Daoud prospect has yielded results up to 2.71% copper and 152 g/t silver. 

A 137 line kilometre IP gradient array survey has been completed over an area of 14 km², while 12 HIRIP profiles have been completed to acquire two-dimensional resistivity and chargeability depth sections to depths of about 250 m.  

Several new geophysical anomalies have been identified, while the surveying of key geological structures is under way, along with the outlining of potential mineralised targets for follow-up. 

Previously reported assay results from a limited reconnaissance trenching exercise included 0.65% copper and 36.54 g/t silver over 14.12 m, as well as 0.36% copper and 13.26 g/t silver over 13.70 m. 

“In addition to the known prospects on the project, there are now several new targets identified from the survey for our field teams to further evaluate. We are currently working towards building a conceptual geological model for the project, which has already demonstrated some excellent high-grade copper and silver values,” Bray said. 

He added that the presence of multiple historical copper workings at Agdz was encouraging, with the project being in an established copper and silver mining district in the eastern anti-atlas of Morocco. 

“We are planning to commence fieldwork in quarter one of 2023 on the project and will undertake mechanical pitting and trenching over the anomalies. The commencement of scout drilling based on these outcomes will provide further important geological and grade information shortly thereafter,” Bray said.