Thomson Resources Ltd (ASX: TMZ) is an Australian-based exploration company focussed on the discovery and development of high quality mineral deposits within the Thomson Fold Belt of northern NSW.  Thomson Resources listed on the ASX on Friday December 17th, 2010 with major shareholders being exploration companies Minotaur Exploration Ltd (ASX:MEP) and Platsearch NL (ASX:PTS).   

All TMZ exploration tenements lie within the Thomson Fold Belt, a region of deformed and intruded sediments and volcanics thought to be the under-cover, unexplored northern extension of one of Australia’s premier metalliferous mining districts, the Lachlan Fold Belt.  The belt has excellent exploration potential for large, high grade metal deposits, particularly Cobar-type (copper, gold, lead, zinc, silver) and Intrusion-Related Gold (gold +/- bismuth, copper, lead, zinc, tungsten)

In 2010, TMZ signed joint venture agreements with Compass Resources over a further 15 tenements in the Thomson Fold Belt and adjacent Lachlan Fold Belt.  This gives TMZ a dominant position in a new mineral belt which has had minimal, but very encouraging, exploration so far.

In 2011, TMZ completed an initial phase of diamond drilling on its priority targets. Four anomalies were tested and all four showed similar large scale alteration systems with mineralised veins. Crucially, two of these anomalies, Cuttaburra A and B, yielded high grade intercepts; demonstrating for the first time that these systems have the potential to host economic deposits. The high grades were in a range of commodities in different combinations: up to 4.2% zinc, 113 g/t silver, 3.7 g/t gold, 0.5% copper, 1.8% lead, 0.8% tin and 0.6% tungsten.

Thomson considers that it has proven its basic exploration model: that magnetic anomalies under cover in NW NSW in the Thomson Fold Belt are associated with base and precious metals mineralised systems. Overall, nine of the most prominent magnetic anomalies, widely separated over a distance of 150km, have been tested so far with eight positive results. This is a remarkable strike rate.

A review has shown that there are several other similar magnetic anomalies under shallower cover which can be tested by cheaper drilling methods (RC). A drilling plan has been put together to test at least 10 of these (which include Cuttaburra A and B) to target shallow mineralisation. The drilling will be carried out after the current flooding in the area clears.