Angkor Resources Corp. (TSXV: ANK; OTCQB: ANKOF) announced the results of a scientific study of drill core from the Thmei North (TN) target on its Andong Bor mineral exploration license in northwest Cambodia. The study, conducted by the Economic Geology Laboratory at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, in collaboration with the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) in Phnom Penh, found that the alteration and mineralization at TN exhibit the characteristics of a porphyry copper-molybdenum system, the type of deposit that supplies most of the world's copper. The findings support the company's modified copper porphyry model and indicate potential for a porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit.
The study identified three stacked alteration zones typical of porphyry systems: a deep potassic zone formed by the earliest, hottest fluids where most copper was deposited; an overlying chlorite-serite zone that preserved and added copper; and a shallow phyllic zone that appears to lack mineralization. Copper minerals, primarily chalcopyrite, occur in veins and as disseminations in both diorite and hornfels host rocks. Molybdenite was identified within the copper-bearing potassic zone. Fluid inclusion analysis revealed that main copper-bearing veins formed at temperatures between 300 and 415 degrees Celsius, with evidence of boiling as fluids rose and pressure dropped, a process commonly associated with metal deposition in porphyry systems.
These results are consistent with the company's own assay data. Previous drilling at TN returned 108 meters of 0.53% copper equivalent and 46 meters of 0.51% copper equivalent, both in potassic-altered rock, the same zone the study identifies as the main copper zone (see ANGKOR CONFIRMS 108 METRES OF 0.53% COPPER EQUIVALENT AT ANDONG BOR, CAMBODIA, December 13, 2022). The study provides a clearer guide for placing the remaining 1,700 meters of the 2,800-meter TN drill program planned for early 2027, following the 1,099 meters completed in mid-July 2026.
Dennis Ouellette, VP Exploration, commented, "This study supports what we have been seeing in the core. The copper is in the potassic and chlorite-serite alteration, while the phyllic zone near the top appears to lack it. That tells us where to aim the next phase of drilling at Thmei North." The study also identified the potassic zone as the main copper zone and hornfels as a favorable host, meaning drilling is not limited to one rock type. Detailed tables and figures from the study, including Table 1: Alteration zones at Thmei North and their relationship to copper. and Table 2: Vein sequence at Thmei North, from earliest to latest., illustrate the alteration and vein sequences. Fluid inclusion data are presented in Table 3: Temperature and salt content of the vein-forming fluids, measured from fluid inclusions in quartz. For comparison, seawater is about 3.5% salt..
The Andong Bor license spans 100.28 square kilometers in the Loei Fold Belt, a region known for gold, skarn, and porphyry-type deposits. The TN target is a one-square-kilometer copper-in-soil anomaly with grades from greater than 300 ppm to 2,100 ppm copper. The study was led by Sokvireak Say of Kyushu University and ITC, with contributions from Kotaro Yonezu, Akira Imai, and Akane Ito of Kyushu University, John C. Menzies of Cmi Capital Limited, and Reach Sam of Angkor Resources. This collaboration continues Angkor's partnership with ITC and supports building Cambodia's national capacity in geoscience.
For the mining industry, the confirmation of a porphyry system at Andong Bor could signal a new copper-molybdenum exploration district in Southeast Asia, a region increasingly important for copper supply. The study's detailed alteration model reduces exploration risk and helps target higher-grade zones, potentially leading to a significant discovery. Investors and industry observers should note that the study is academic and not a NI 43-101 technical report, and no mineral resource has been established. However, the consistency between the study and assay results strengthens the case for further exploration. More information is available at angkorresources.com.
