Exploration Risks Loom as Litchfield Targets Deeper Sulphide Zones at Oonagalabi

Ground EM Surveys Illuminate Oonagalabi’s Hidden Potential

Litchfield Minerals Limited (ASX, LMS) has delivered a significant update on its Oonagalabi Project in the Northern Territory, unveiling results from recent ground electromagnetic (EM) surveys that have sharpened the picture of this promising mineral system. The surveys, conducted at the VT1 and VT2 prospects, have defined multiple high-conductance sulphide targets, including a standout 3,000 Siemens conductor plate at VT1, alongside the discovery of a 1-kilometre-long carbonate unit analogous to the mineralised Oonagalabi Formation.

VT1, A Hotspot for Massive Sulphides

At VT1, four fixed-loop EM surveys delineated six conductor plates with conductance ranging from 200 to 3,000 Siemens. Two plates south of a known mineralised drill intercept (OGRC012) exhibit very high conductance (1,500S and 3,000S), marking them as prime candidates for semi-massive to massive sulphide mineralisation. Geological mapping further identified a continuous carbonate unit stretching nearly one kilometre, directly comparable to the Oonagalabi Main Zone host rock. This discovery hints at the potential for a second major mineralised zone within the project.

VT2 Validates and Extends Known Mineralisation

The VT2 prospect’s ground EM survey corroborated existing downhole EM data, confirming a conductive zone extending over 400 metres with moderate conductance (~80S). Additionally, induced polarisation (IP) surveys revealed a new chargeability anomaly 135 metres southeast of the known mineralised intercepts, suggesting sulphide mineralisation beyond previously drilled areas. These findings reinforce the interpretation that VT2 hosts amphibolite-related copper-zinc sulphides associated with magnetic anomalies, expanding the scope for exploration in the northeast sector of the project.

Intrusive-Related Magnetic Anomalies Open New Frontiers

All major VTEM conductors identified at Oonagalabi are spatially linked to intrusive-related magnetic anomalies. This relationship, confirmed through 3D inversion modelling, points to a mineral system controlled by amphibolite intrusions, with magnetite and pyrrhotite contributing to the magnetic signatures. The company highlights that many conductors remain blind at surface, often concealed beneath rugged terrain, underscoring the value of ground EM and IP surveys in penetrating cover and directly targeting sulphide accumulations.

Strategic Exploration Plans for 2026

Litchfield’s Managing Director, Matthew Pustahya, emphasised a dual-track exploration strategy for 2026, expanding the near-surface footprint of the Oonagalabi Main Zone and aggressively testing deeper targets beneath known mineralisation. Planned activities include deeper-penetrating geophysical surveys, targeted drilling at VT1 and VT2, and an inaugural diamond drilling program at the Bomb Diggity prospect, supported by a co-funded Northern Territory Government grant. Induced polarisation surveys will also be extended to trace the carbonate unit southwestward, aiming to refine drill targets and enhance geological understanding.

This comprehensive approach aims to unlock the full potential of the Oonagalabi mineral system, with the company confident that it is positioned high in the system and that significant sulphide-rich zones remain to be discovered at depth.