Tivan Limited (ASX: TVN) has announced the commencement of a large-scale regional drone magnetic survey across priority target zones within its Turiscai and Baucau Projects in the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. Tivan is an Australian-based resources company actively exploring for copper and gold mineralisation, including porphyry and volcanogenic massive sulphide (“VMS”) style deposits, in the underexplored region. This significant step in its exploration strategy covers approximately 57 square kilometres, designed to enhance geological and structural understanding and refine exploration targets for future drilling activities.
The sophisticated survey will capture high-definition magnetic, LiDAR, and photogrammetric data, comprising 1,367 line kilometres flown at 50-metre spacing. This advanced data collection is crucial for a region like Timor-Leste, which, despite its geological potential similar to major copper-gold provinces, remains significantly underexplored. Previous rock chip sampling by Tivan’s in-country team has yielded high-grade copper and gold mineralisation, with assays up to 23.1% Cu and 7.19g/t Au at Turiscai, and up to 0.76% Cu and 9.3 g/t Au at Baucau, underscoring the projects’ prospectivity.
The drone magnetic survey is being undertaken by PT Geologi Eksplorasi Indonesia (“PT GEO”) in collaboration with Intrepid Geophysics, with local company TimorRai Exploration Service managing in-country activities to support community participation. Following its completion, the generated magnetic data will undergo specialist processing and interpretation, integrating with existing geological mapping and geochemical datasets. This will enable the development of enhanced geological and structural models, leading to the refinement and prioritisation of targets for subsequent drill testing.
Commenting on the development, Tivan Executive Chairman Mr. Grant Wilson stated, “Today’s announcement marks a new phase of Tivan’s journey in Timor-Leste, moving beyond surface sampling and stream sediments, to the deployment of cutting-edge drone technology in this emerging and very special country.” He added, “In taking this step, we aim to refine and specify multiple drilling targets, enabling Tivan to secure the relevant regulatory approvals in good time, so that we may commence maiden drilling at Baucau and Turiscai this year.”
