Burley Minerals (ASX:BUR) has wrapped up its maiden reverse circulation (RC) drilling program across the North and Step-Out targets at the Cane Bore Iron Ore Project in Western Australia.
The company drilled 59 RC holes for 1,009m across both targets, which cover more than 290 hectares over a strike length exceeding 5km. Samples have been sent to a Perth laboratory, with assay results expected by late September 2026.
Managing Director Stewart McCallion says the targets represent a “contiguous ridge” of channel iron deposit (CID).
“The North and Step-Out targets are … nearly 3,000,000km2 in area, over 5km of strike, and rising to more than 20m high and has potential to define a large CID tonnage,” McCallion says.
“Preliminary rock chipping samples suggest the CID remains open beyond the drilled area to the northeast and southwest, so there is a couple of hundred hectares yet to evaluate.”
The program was completed within heritage-cleared areas covering roughly 200 hectares across the combined targets. Drillhole depths ranged between 10m and 20m, with several extended to 30m, and earlier rock chip sampling returned iron grades up to 56% iron.
Burley has also received approval for up to nine diamond drillholes to collect metallurgical and geotechnical data. The company says planning is underway to twin completed RC holes on heritage-cleared areas.
The targets lie less than 30km from the sealed Onslow Road and approximately 90km from the Port of Ashburton. Additionally, Cane Bore sits within 50km of Mineral Resources’ (ASX:MIN) Ken’s Bore and Upper Cane mines.
Burley is currently progressing approvals for an infill drilling program and intends to request additional heritage surveys based on pending results.
Burley Minerals is an explorer with iron ore and lithium projects in Western Australia and Canada.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: Mining.com.au
