Horn Island miner Alice Queen is showing its copper credentials in an application for a government grant used to incentivise exploration.

Queensland’s Collaborative Exploration Initiative (CEI) Round 7 for 2023 is administered through the Geological Survey of Queensland (GSQ) via the Queensland Department of Resources. 

Round 7 of the CEI had been extended outside the Northeast and Northwest Mineral regions, making Alice Queen eligible for the grant, the company told the ASX. 

Grants of up to $250,000 were aimed at the discovery of Critical Minerals. Applications closed this week. 

Copper is identified as a Critical Mineral in the transition towards decarbonisation. 

Alice Queen is seeking the maximum $250,000 grant to sufficiently test up to 500m below the emerging copper zone at Horn Island in Torres Strait. 

The company has reported results to the ASX from drilling at the Jedha 1 IP Anomaly including:

• ♦  1m @ 0.1 % Cu from 161m depth (22NGD108) 
• ♦  1m @ 3% Cu from 173m depth (22NGD108) 
• ♦  1m @ 0.3% Cu from 69m depth (22NGD106) 

The Southern Silicified Ridge (SSR) at Horn Island ws a surface expression of more than 5km with associated IP anomalies, the report said. 

‘While the SSR, Horn Island’s second prospect, has primarily been a gold target, recent drill and importantly, a review of the integrated geochemistry from both drilling and rock chip sampling, indicated a broad zone of Copper is emerging NE and SE of the SSR. 

‘The highest-grade copper was intercepted at depth, suggesting that enrichment maybe strengthening towards a potential source that is driving mineralisation.’ 

The emergence of copper at Horn Island is very exciting given copper’s importance as a Critical Mineral, said Qlice Queen Managing Director, Andrew Buxton.

“Further, Horn Island’s eligibility for the Queensland CEI grants allows us to pursue the grant to drill test if copper strengthens at depth at the SSR,” he said.  

The emerging copper zone identified at Horn Island warranted further targeted drilling to test for strengthening copper at depth, the company told the ASX.