- Terra Metals expands PGM-Cu-Ni mineralisation at its Southwest discovery in WA
- Latest drilling supports scale, continuity and grade distribution of the Southwest Main Sulfide Corridor
- MRE planned for later this year with assays from 32,000m of drilling pending
Special Report: Terra Metals has extended the mineralised system at its Southwest PGM-Cu-Ni discovery in WA, with the latest drilling delivering further broad and high-grade intercepts.
Assays from holes SWRD055, SWRD057 and SWDD018 reinforced the scale, continuity and grade distribution of the Southwest Main Sulfide Corridor.
SWRD057 extended high-grade mineralisation by about 360m along strike from previous drilling, defining more than 392m of combined PGM-copper-nickel mineralisation across multiple intervals.
It returned 52m at 0.96g/t 3E (platinum + palladium + gold) and 0.11% copper from 51m, 177m at 0.88g/t 3E and 0.16% Ni from 151m, and 124m at 0.60g/t 3E and 0.12% nickel from 416m.
The hole also pierced 10.66m at 0.69g/t 3E from 605m, demonstrating that mineralisation continues to depth.
SWRD055 defined about 329m of combined PGM-Cu-Ni mineralisation across three intervals, confirming multiple high-grade reefs within a thick, broad mineralised package.
It delivered 232m at 0.84g/t 3E and 0.15% Ni from 174m, 26.6m at 0.5g/t 3E and 0.12% Ni from 431m, and 70m at 0.68g/t 3E and 0.12% Ni from 502m.
SWDD018 intersected 168m of combined mineralisation across four principal intervals, including 46.6m at 0.46g/t 3E from 205.4m.
The results support Terra Metals’ (ASX:TM1) geological model for the Southwest Main Sulfide Corridor, with broad, continuous mineralised packages hosting multiple higher-grade reefs along a 1100m strike tested so far.
The system remains open along strike and down-dip.
“These diamond tail results provide further evidence of the scale and continuity of the PGM system we are defining at Southwest,” chief executive officer Thomas Line noted.
“The confirmation of broad mineralisation and high-grade reefs in SWRD055 and SWRD057, together with mineralisation continuing to the north in SWDD018, demonstrates that the Southwest Main Sulfide Corridor remains a substantial and growing exploration target.”
Drilling for growth
The Southwest discovery forms part of the company’s broader Dante project, which also holds the nearby Dante Reefs resource totalling 148Mt at 1.38% copper equivalent.
Five rigs are currently smashing out the metres at Dante as part of a major drill blitz tabled for this year.
The campaign follows an $85 million placement in late February designed to turbocharge exploration works and unlock the potential of the Southwest discovery.
More than 56,000m of drilling has already been concluded, with assays from about 32,000m of drilling still pending.
Drilling has now commenced across key extensional and infill target areas following completion of heritage surveys.
Terra Metals general manager for exploration and operations Barry Jones said the latest results continued to demonstrate the growth of the Southwest discovery, with the system showing potential for further scale.
“PGE deposits of this style and tenor remain uncommon in Australia, which underscores the strategic significance of the Southwest discovery, both for the company and within the broader Australian PGE landscape,” he said.
“Importantly, the consistency of mineralisation being returned across the corridor continues to support the company’s geological model of a laterally extensive, robust PGM system.”
Drill results from the ongoing program are expected to flow throughout the rest of the year.
Further work will include diamond drilling, electromagnetic surveys, structural interpretation and metallurgical test work as Terra Metals advances the Southwest discovery and broader Dante exploration program.
A maiden MRE for Southwest is planned for late 2026.
This article was developed in collaboration with Terra Metals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
