Hercules Metals Unearths Deep Insights with District-Scale Geophysical Survey in Idaho

Hercules Metals Corp. has successfully completed a significant district-scale magnetotelluric and natural-source induced polarization (MT-NSIP) geophysical survey across its Hercules Property in western Idaho. This extensive survey, covering over 100 square kilometers, including the Leviathan porphyry copper discovery, aims to provide unprecedented deep imaging of the subsurface, enhancing the understanding of potential mineral deposits.

Unveiling Idaho's Depths: Hercules Metals' Groundbreaking Geophysical Survey

Hercules Metals Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: C0X) announced the successful conclusion of a large-scale MT-NSIP geophysical survey on its Hercules Property in western Idaho. Conducted by Moombarriga USA ("M-Geo"), the survey spanned over 100 square kilometers, encompassing the flagship Leviathan porphyry copper discovery and newly acquired claims. An additional 20 square kilometers were surveyed on the adjacent Cuddy Mountain property, held by Scout Discoveries Corp., as part of a collaborative initiative.

Key Takeaways

• The combined 120 km² dataset will allow for reliable resistivity modeling to depths of up to six kilometers, a significant improvement over the approximately 800-meter penetration achieved by previous conventional DC-IP surveys.

Survey Highlights and Innovations

The MT-NSIP survey represents a substantial leap in exploration capabilities for Hercules Metals:

• Expanded Coverage: The 120 km² MT-NSIP survey significantly expands upon the previous 12 km² and 11 km² DC-IP grids completed by Hercules and Scout, respectively.
• Superior Depth Penetration: Utilizing long-wavelength natural currents, MT-NSIP enables imaging at depths an order of magnitude greater than active-source DC-IP methods.
• MT Resistivity Applications: This method is crucial for:
  • Mapping regional fault structures and their intersections.
  • Advanced interpretation of alteration zonation, where porphyry centers often exhibit a conductive phyllic halo surrounding a resistive potassic core.
• NSIP Innovation: Natural-source induced polarization (NSIP) is a novel method for deriving deep chargeability data, reaching up to two kilometers. This pioneering industry case study, partially funded by a third party, aims to identify extensions of the Leviathan porphyry and other centers with disseminated sulfide mineralization.

Strategic Collaboration and Preliminary Insights

The collaboration with Scout Discoveries Corp. for a broader regional survey served two strategic purposes:

• Regional Fault Targeting: Large-scale modeling enhances the interpretation of structural corridors, which are often conduits for porphyry emplacement. This is particularly relevant given Hercules' expanded land position.
• Enhanced Depth Resolution: The larger survey area increases the effective survey aperture, leading to significantly deeper geophysical imaging.

Preliminary resistivity results from M-Geo have already provided key insights:

• Identification of regional fault structures cutting northeast and northwest across the Property, indicating district-scale structural controls.
• A conductivity anomaly associated with the Leviathan Porphyry suggests expansion potential along trend.
• A prominent resistivity high beneath a multi-kilometer soil and rock chip anomaly in the Eastern Block Zone, consistent with a potential buried intrusive stock. New surface mapping supports this with a folding pattern indicative of doming.

Next Steps

With field acquisition complete, inversion modeling is now underway. The results will be integrated with Hercules Metals' existing geological, geophysical, and geochemical datasets. This integration is expected to yield new targets for additional porphyry centers within the expanded Hercules land package.

Sources

• Hercules Metals Completes District-Scale MT-NSIP Survey on Hercules Property, Idaho, Junior Mining Network.