Promising Sulphide Intercepts Signal Growth Potential at Develin Creek
QMines Limited (ASX:QML) has announced significant sulphide mineralisation in its first diamond drill hole at the Sulphide City deposit, part of its Develin Creek Copper-Zinc Project in central Queensland. The QMines Ltd sulphide intercepts mark an encouraging development in the company's strategy to expand and upgrade resources across its project portfolio.
Substantial Sulphide Zone Confirms Resource Expansion Potential
The first diamond tail hole (DCRD062) has intersected a broad 21.54-meter zone of massive sulphides containing abundant pyrite with visible chalcopyrite and sphalerite from 145.37m depth. This core confirms that copper-zinc mineralisation continues at depth as expected, validating the company's decision to switch to diamond drilling to overcome challenging ground conditions.
"While we await assays to confirm the initial results of the diamond drilling program, the presence of visible chalcopyrite and sphalerite is a positive sign for the potential growth of the deposit. These visual results boost our confidence in the potential of Sulphide City's copper-zinc lens extending further than originally defined," commented QMines Executive Chairman Andrew Sparke.
The diamond drilling program is designed to complete approximately 10 holes that were originally collared as Reverse Circulation (RC) holes but couldn't reach their target depths due to water inflows and broken ground conditions.
Understanding VMS Deposits: Key to QMines' Strategy
The Sulphide City deposit represents a Volcanic Massive Sulphide (VMS) system, a type of mineral deposit formed through the accumulation of metal-rich minerals precipitated from hydrothermal fluids on or below the seafloor. These deposits are particularly valuable as they often contain copper, zinc, lead, gold, and silver in economically viable concentrations.
VMS deposits like Sulphide City typically feature:
- Massive to semi-massive sulphide lenses
- Stringer zones in the underlying rock
- Associated alteration halos
- Multiple stacked lenses in favourable geological settings
The textures observed in the drill core at Sulphide City, including the remobilised sulphides and brecciated features, are classic indicators of a mature VMS system that has undergone post-depositional processes that can enhance metal concentration.
Building a Significant Resource Base in Central Queensland
The Develin Creek drilling program is central to QMines' strategy of upgrading and expanding its resource base. In March 2025, the company announced an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for Develin Creek of 4.13 Mt @ 1.01% Cu, 1.16% Zn, 0.15 g/t Au, 6.0 g/t Ag.
This resource, combined with the company's flagship Mt Chalmers project, gives QMines a total resource base of 15.5Mt @ 0.82% Cu, 0.35g/t Au, 0.47% Zn & 5g/t Ag across all projects, with Mt Chalmers already progressing through pre-feasibility studies.
The current drilling at Sulphide City aims to:
- Convert Inferred resources to Indicated category through infill drilling
- Validate the tenor and continuity of copper and zinc grades from historical drilling
- Test for extensions of mineralisation beyond the existing resource boundaries
The QMines Ltd sulphide intercepts at Develin Creek represent an important step in this resource expansion strategy, potentially adding valuable tonnage to the company's overall resource inventory. Furthermore, recent projects like Metal Bank's achieves 73% gold resource increase at Livingstone Project demonstrate how successful exploration programs can significantly expand mineral resources.
Clear Path Forward with Multiple Value Catalysts
QMines has outlined a comprehensive roadmap of upcoming milestones that will drive the company's development over the next 6-12 months:
| Milestone | Expected Timing |
|---|---|
| Develin Creek (Sulphide City) Drilling Results | Ongoing |
| Develin Creek Pit Optimisation (Scorpion Deposit) | Imminent |
| Metallurgical Testwork (Mt Chalmers / Develin Creek) | In progress |
| Sulphide City Resource Update | Following completion of drilling |
| Scoping Study (Combined Projects) | In development |
| Underground Optimisation (Sulphide City) | Planned |
| Updated Pre-Feasibility Study | First half of 2026 |
Particularly significant is the company's plan to evaluate the integration of feed from three regional projects (Mt Chalmers, Develin Creek, and Mt Mackenzie) into a larger combined mining and processing operation – potentially unlocking significant economies of scale.
The recent QMines Ltd sulphide intercepts have particular importance in this context, as they could enhance the economic parameters of the Sulphide City deposit within this integrated development strategy.
The Significance of VMS Deposits in Modern Mining
VMS deposits are globally significant sources of base and precious metals, accounting for substantial portions of worldwide copper, zinc, lead, gold, and silver production. These deposits form in specific geological environments associated with ancient seafloor volcanic activity.
Key characteristics of VMS deposits include:
- Formation in submarine volcanic environments
- Association with specific volcanic rock sequences
- Concentration of multiple valuable metals in compact zones
- Potential for high-grade mineralisation
The recent QMines Ltd sulphide intercepts display classic VMS textures, including:
- Massive sulphide zones (predominantly pyrite with chalcopyrite and sphalerite)
- Remobilised sulphide mineralisation
- Sulphide-healed breccia zones
- Stringer sulphide veins in altered footwall rocks
These textural features are important indicators of a well-developed VMS system with potential for economic mineralisation. In addition, recent high-grade gold discovery results from other companies demonstrate the ongoing potential for valuable mineral finds across Australia's resource-rich regions.
Why Investors Should Track QMines' Progress
QMines represents a compelling opportunity for investors interested in the copper and gold sectors for several key reasons:
-
Strategic Resource Base: With 15.5Mt of resources already defined across multiple deposits, QMines has established a solid foundation for development.
-
Development Pathway: The company has a clear path from exploration to production, with the Mt Chalmers PFS already demonstrating viable economics for a mining operation.
-
Multiple Growth Avenues: The company is pursuing both resource expansion and category upgrades across several deposits, providing multiple pathways to increase project value.
-
Regional Consolidation Strategy: By combining feed from three projects into a single operation, QMines has the potential to achieve greater economies of scale than would be possible with standalone developments.
-
Exposure to Critical Metals: With significant copper and zinc resources, QMines offers exposure to metals essential for the global energy transition and infrastructure development.
The recent QMines Ltd sulphide intercepts at Develin Creek reinforce this investment thesis, demonstrating the company's ability to effectively expand its resource base through targeted exploration. As the company continues to advance its drilling programs and studies, investors should watch for upcoming assay results from Sulphide City, which will provide quantitative confirmation of the visual mineralisation observed in the diamond drill core. The Australian exploration sector has seen several exciting developments recently, including Carnaby Resources' Trekelano copper-gold expansion and Austin Metals begins drilling gold target near top producers, highlighting the vibrant activity in the resource sector.
Next Steps for the Develin Creek Project
Following the encouraging results from the first diamond drill hole at Sulphide City, QMines will continue with its planned drilling program. Key upcoming activities include:
- Completion of the remaining diamond tail holes
- Laboratory analysis of the mineralised core samples
- Integration of new drill data into the geological model
- Resource estimation updates following program completion
- Metallurgical testing of representative samples
The visual observations from the first hole have provided valuable geological information, but the company will require laboratory assays to quantify the metal content of the intercepted sulphides. These results will be crucial for understanding the economic potential of the mineralisation.
"These initial observations from the diamond drilling program give us great momentum as we work towards a resource upgrade. We look forward to receiving the assay data from drill hole DCRD062 and other recent RC drill holes that are already in the labs. This is another step forward in our strategy to build a large-scale copper and gold operation in central Queensland," said Andrew Sparke, QMines Executive Chairman.
The QMines Ltd sulphide intercepts represent an important milestone in the company's efforts to establish a significant mining operation in central Queensland, with the potential to contribute to Australia's production of critical metals needed for the clean energy transition and infrastructure development. The company's progress comes at a time when discoveries like Inca Minerals' gold discovery at Hurricane Project are highlighting the continued potential for new mineral finds across Australia's resource-rich regions.
Looking to Discover the Next ASX Mining Success Story?
Stay ahead of the market with Discovery Alert's proprietary Discovery IQ model, which provides real-time notifications of significant mineral discoveries like those at Develin Creek. Explore how major mineral discoveries can lead to substantial returns by visiting the Discovery Alert discoveries page and start your 30-day free trial today.
