Litchfield Minerals Locks in Rig for 8 October Copper-Zinc Drill Push at Oonagalabi
Key Takeaways
- Litchfield Minerals has secured Topdrill and confirmed drilling at the Oonagalabi Cu–Zn–Ag–PGE Main Zone commences 8 October 2026, with drill pad preparation already underway.
- The program plans 8–10 holes from a candidate set of 11 holes totalling 1,820m, targeting extensions to known mineralisation, structural controls, and new areas to the southwest.
- Prior drilling at the Main Zone returned intercepts including 120m at 0.35% Cu and 0.92% Zn from 52m and 68.26m at 0.62% Cu and 1.44% Zn from 10m, underpinning the October targets.
- Results from the October campaign will feed directly into the Main Zone geological model to sharpen targeting for the next phase of drilling, making this a deliberate step in a multi-phase sequence rather than a standalone event.
- The program also builds on a confirmed nickel-molybdenum discovery at Oonagalabi, adding further dimension to the broader Mineral Systems framework Litchfield applies at the project.
Rig secured, drilling set for 8 October at Oonagalabi Main Zone
Litchfield Minerals (ASX: LMS) has secured Topdrill for an October drilling program at the Oonagalabi Cu–Zn–Ag–PGE Project in the Northern Territory, with drilling scheduled to commence on 8 October 2026. The program plans 8–10 holes from a candidate set of 11 holes totalling 1,820m in planned depth, with hole selection and sequencing guided by geological priority, pad readiness, drilling progress and ground conditions. Drill pad preparation is already underway, with a dozer mobilised ahead of the start date.
This is a purposeful, evidence-driven follow-up to prior drilling that returned meaningful copper-zinc intersections at the Main Zone.
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What the October program is designed to test
The October program has three principal objectives:
- Test extensions to known mineralisation
- Improve the definition of mineralised geometry and structural controls
- Investigate new areas within the Main Zone, specifically to the southwest
Hole selection and sequencing will be guided by geological priority, pad readiness, drilling progress and ground conditions, giving the team flexibility to prioritise the most prospective targets within the available drilling window.
Matthew Pustahya, Managing Director
“We are pleased to have secured Topdrill for the October program and to be returning to the Oonagalabi Main Zone. Previous drilling at Oonagalabi confirmed broad copper-zinc mineralisation at the Main Zone and provided us with a much better understanding of the geometry and structural controls we need to test. This program is designed to build on that work by testing extensions to the known mineralisation, sharpening our understanding of the structural controls and stepping into new areas southwest within the Main Zone. What we learn will feed directly into the Main Zone geological model and inform the next phase of drilling.”
Prior drilling results that underpin the October targets
The October program builds directly on results from the last campaign at the Main Zone, as reported in the 3 June 2026 announcement. Those results confirmed broad copper-zinc mineralisation across multiple holes:
- 68.26m at 0.62% Cu, 1.44% Zn and 4.3g/t Ag from 10m combined (OGDD002)
- 120m at 0.35% Cu, 0.92% Zn and 4.1g/t Ag from 52m combined (OGRC029)
- 39m at 0.69% Cu, 1.14% Zn and 5.3g/t Ag from 60m (OGRC028)
- 50m at 0.47% Cu, 1.36% Zn and 4.2g/t Ag from 2m combined (OGRC022)
Results from the October program will be incorporated into the Main Zone geological model to refine targeting for subsequent drilling phases.
The 200-metre copper-zinc discovery at Oonagalabi was among the intersections that gave the geological team confidence to design the October program around extensions and structural controls rather than broad reconnaissance.
Understanding copper-zinc exploration and why the Main Zone matters
When explorers talk about “broad copper-zinc mineralisation,” the width of an intersection matters as much as the grade. A wide intersection — say, 68m or 120m — indicates that mineralisation is not just a thin, high-grade vein but potentially a larger, bulk-tonnage system. That distinction is significant for investors because wider, continuous mineralisation is generally more amenable to economic extraction at scale.
“Structural controls” refers to the geological features — faults, folds, contacts between rock types — that control where minerals concentrate within a system. Understanding these controls tells explorers where mineralisation is likely to continue at depth or laterally, and where it is likely to thin out. In practical terms, it means subsequent drill holes can be placed with much greater precision, reducing the capital wasted on holes that miss the target.
For Litchfield Minerals, this matters because the company’s stated strategy combines a Mineral Systems approach with structured decision gates. Rather than drilling speculatively, each campaign is designed to answer specific geological questions that inform the next. Investors can take some confidence from this framework: capital is being deployed against evidence, not assumption, and each program is designed to build on the last.
The nickel-molybdenum discovery at Oonagalabi, confirmed alongside the copper-zinc results, adds another dimension to what Litchfield is working with at the project and reflects the broader Mineral Systems framing the company applies to target generation.
Candidate hole program at a glance
The table below sets out the full candidate hole program for reference. Hole IDs are planning identifiers only and do not indicate final drilling sequence or individual hole priority. Planned collars, orientations and depths may be adjusted following field checks. Coordinates are GDA94 / MGA Zone 53.
| Hole ID | Azimuth (° true) | Dip (°) | Depth (m) | Easting / Northing (GDA94 / MGA Zone 53) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OGRCP001 | 330 | −55 | 150 | 485124 / 7442089 |
| OGRCP002 | 150 | −60 | 150 | 485143 / 7442230 |
| OGRCP003 | 150 | −60 | 150 | 485160 / 7442278 |
| OGRCP004 | 330 | −60 | 200 | 485235 / 7442216 |
| OGRCP005 | 300 | −60 | 150 | 485331 / 7442231 |
| OGRCP006 | 135 | −60 | 120 | 485280 / 7442321 |
| OGRCP007 | 135 | −60 | 150 | 485352 / 7442451 |
| OGRCP008 | 274 | −60 | 200 | 485381 / 7442430 |
| OGRCP009 | 198 | −55 | 200 | 485380 / 7442430 |
| OGRCP010 | 135 | −60 | 150 | 485441 / 7442500 |
| OGRCP011 | 135 | −55 | 200 | 485503 / 7442528 |
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What comes next for LMS investors
Drilling is scheduled to commence on 8 October 2026. Those results will be fed directly into the Main Zone geological model, informing the geometry and targeting for the next phase of drilling. This campaign is not a standalone event; it is a deliberate step in a multi-phase exploration sequence designed to progressively de-risk and define the Oonagalabi system.
Litchfield Minerals positions itself as a capital-efficient, technically disciplined explorer operating in the Northern Territory, applying structured decision gates to guide each deployment of capital. For investors, the October program represents the next piece of evidence in that ongoing process.
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