McLaren Minerals (ASX:MML) has reported its highest average-grade batch to date from its 2026 drilling program at the wholly owned McLaren Titanium Project in Western Australia.
The latest results cover 74 holes and 1,199m of complete sampled intervals, returning a length-weighted average of 5.44% heavy minerals (HM) over an average thickness of 16.2m.
This compares with an average grade of 4.96% HM across the previous batch of 179 holes reported on 20 August. No HM cut-off was applied, and every interval began at surface.
Results include 18m @ 8.06% HM from surface in MAC435, with a peak 1m grade of 11.61% HM from 13m.
Hole MAC470 returned 21m @ 7.61% HM from surface, including a peak 1m grade of 14.31% HM from 11m, while MAC452 intersected 18m @ 7.55% HM from surface.
The highest individual 1m result was 16.43% HM from 8m in MAC434. Across the batch, 66 holes, or 89%, averaged at least 4% HM, while 24 holes averaged at least 6% HM.
Managing Director Simon Finnis says the latest batch continues the program’s improving trend.
“This is the strongest set of results yet from the 2026 drilling program,” Finnis says.
“I’ll put that in context: 62% of holes averaged at least 5% HM, up from 46% in the previous batch, and we recorded peak 1m grades above 16% HM.
“The grade profile appears to be strengthening as we move south through the deposit.”
McLaren has received 6,671 assays from 11,568m of drilling, covering 58% of the program.
The drilling is designed to support an updated mineral resource estimate (MRE), future ore reserve estimation, and Bankable Feasibility Study activities.
The project hosts a mineral resource of 529 million tonnes (Mt) @ 4.50% HM, comprising 249Mt @ 4.70% HM in the indicated category and 280Mt @ 4.20% HM inferred.
McLaren says it plans to report the remaining assays before updating its geological model and MRE.
McLaren Minerals is an Australian critical minerals exploration company advancing its McLaren Titanium Project in WA and the zircon-rich Barossa Project in South Australia. Titanium is used across the aerospace, defence, and energy industries.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Images: McLaren Minerals
