McLaren Minerals (ASX:MML) plans to update the mineral resource estimate (MRE) for its McLaren Titanium Project in Western Australia’s Eucla Basin following receipt of the final 2026 drilling assays.
The final batch covers 137 drill holes and 2,210m of sampled intervals at the company’s wholly owned project, averaging 4.27% heavy minerals (HM), with no cut-off applied.
McLaren also reported ‘strong’ grades and thicknesses across the final batch. About 34 drill holes averaged at least 5% HM, including nine that returned 6% or higher. The best 1m assay was 14.15% HM from 11–12m in hole MAC670.
Key results include 21m @ 6.35% HM from surface, 15m @ 5.4% HM, and 17m @ 4.76% HM. According to McLaren, these indicate that mineralisation extends southwest, outside the current inferred resource, and remains open to the south.
A 20-hole southern variography grid also demonstrated ‘strong’ consistency, with every hole averaging at least 5.4% HM over intervals of 21–24m from surface. Notable results included 6.32% HM and 6.28% HM, both from 21m depth.
McLaren also reported ‘high-grade’ results from surface, including intervals of 9m @ 9.32% HM and 6m @ 8.49% HM.
Managing Director Simon Finnis says the final results continue the “consistently strong” results reported throughout the campaign.
“In particular, it is gratifying to see the results from the southwestern extension corridor outside of the inferred resource returning good grades,” Finnis notes.
“This drilling shows the resource remains open to the southwest, giving us even more scope to increase the scale of the resource and the project in due course.”
The program was designed to increase confidence in the existing 529-million-tonne indicated and inferred resource and assess its growth potential. It identified several ‘high-grade’ zones, with 91 holes returning 1m assays of at least 6% HM and 17 holes returning at least 10% HM.
McLaren is validating the assays and integrating the full dataset into its geological model. The updated model is expected to support mine planning, metallurgical programs, and Bankable Feasibility Study workstreams.
Results from current test work remain pending, while work on the MRE update is underway.
McLaren Minerals is an explorer focused on developing its namesake titanium project in Western Australia.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Main image: McLaren Minerals
