Terra Metals (ASX:TM1) has intersected broad zones of platinum group metal, copper, and nickel mineralisation from surface during drilling at the Southwest prospect, part of its Dante Project in Western Australia.
Shallow reverse circulation drilling targeting extensions of the mineralisation intersected thick platinum group metal (PGM)-copper (Cu)-nickel (Ni) mineralisation.
Key shallow intercepts include 194m @ 1.01g/t platinum, palladium, and gold (PGE3) and 0.17% Ni from 15m, including 24m @ 1.84g/t PGE3, 0.19% Cu, and 0.27% Ni from 43m.
A second intercept returned 200m @ 0.75g/t PGE3 and 0.16% Ni from surface, including 35m @ 1.11g/t PGE3, 0.12% Cu, and 0.21% Ni from 4m.
Other notable results include 129m @ 0.98g/t PGE3 and 0.15% Ni from 127m, including 20m @ 1.46g/t PGE3, 0.11% Cu, and 0.20% Ni from 172m.
Terra says the near-surface intervals are relatively platinum-enriched, displaying platinum-to-palladium ratios close to 1:1, compared with the palladium-dominant mineralisation typically intersected at depth.
Concurrently, diamond drilling also confirmed the consistency and continuity of ‘high-grade’ reefs at depth within the central targeted resource area.
Highlights include 181m @ 1.12g/t PGE3, 0.12% Cu, and 0.15% Ni from 144.13m, including 56.87m @ 1.69g/t PGE3, 0.14% Cu, and 0.19% Ni from 144.13m.
Assay results have been received for 35 holes at Southwest, with 16 holes intersecting broad zones of sulphide mineralisation. More than 40,000m of additional drilling results are awaiting assays, with five rigs continuing to drill.
CEO Thomas Line says the results continue to support a large and ‘robust’ PGM-Cu-Ni deposit, further demonstrating that “mineralisation extends right to surface”.
“These characteristics support the potential for low-strip, open cut mining, as well as the potential ability to selectively process the high-grade reef material to catalyse project economics during initial mining phases,” Line says.
“Alongside the thick, higher-grade zones we continue to intersect at depth, we are now confirming the mineralisation continues to surface in the areas we did not previously have access to.
“These results will feed directly into our maiden mineral resource estimate, and with a significant backlog of assays pending and drilling ongoing, we’re excited about what the coming months will deliver at Southwest, and just how big the prize could be.”
Terra is currently advancing metallurgical test work in parallel with resource definition drilling, with cleaner flotation trials evaluating concentrate quality, metal recoveries, and product configurations.
The company is targeting a maiden mineral resource estimate for Southwest in Q1 2027, to be followed by a Scoping Study.
Terra Metals is a critical minerals explorer and developer focused on its flagship Dante Project in WA.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Main image: Terra Metals
