Mineral explorers tap a liquid market

Peter KerResources reporter

Dec 6, 2019 – 3.05pm

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When you drill exploration holes for copper and gold, you don't expect a high-pressure ''gusher'' to erupt out of the ground like the oil wells that made Jed Clampett rich in television's The Beverly Hillbillies.

But Emmerson Resources' exploration team got more than they bargained for when they went drilling for precious metals on John Whatling's parched property near the NSW town of Trundle.

John Whatling looks on as water erupts out of a mineral exploration hole drilled on his NSW property.

Having been advised they would not encounter groundwater, they were pleasantly surprised to hit an aquifer 39 metres below the surface.

By the time the drill was down to 67 metres, they had hit a second aquifer; one with sufficient pressure to send water shooting up the hole and into the air.

''I have never encountered that,'' said Emmerson's exploration manager, Ana Liza Cuison, when asked if she had ever seen a drill hole for minerals turn into an impromptu water fountain.

''It was very shallow and very high pressure, so it was going to make a good water bore.''

Many mineral exploration drillers in NSW are now doing a side trade in drilling water bores as drought-stricken farmers and businesses look for new supplies.

A fully equipped new bore with pumping equipment can cost up to $20,000, but with an eye on maintaining good community relations, Ms Cuison's team took the opportunity to turn their discovery into a functioning bore for Mr Whatling's drought-stricken property.

The bore is now supplying 1000 litres to the Whatlings' property every 20 minutes.

''We thought we might as well hit two birds at the same time,'' Ms Cuison said.

That proverbial second bird, a monster copper and gold deposit, has not entirely been proven up, but Ms Cuison's team found enough geological signals to convince them further exploration drilling on the Whatling property was warranted.

Peter Ker covers resource companies for The Australian Financial Review, based in Melbourne. Connect with Peter on Twitter. Email Peter at pker@afr.com