Rae Copper Project Secures Class A Land Use Permit, Drilling to Start March 2025

Regulatory Breakthrough Enables Drilling

White Cliff Minerals Limited (ASX: WCN) has achieved a significant regulatory milestone with the issuance of a Class A Land Use Permit by the Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) for its Rae Copper Project in Nunavut. This permit authorizes the company to commence drilling activities and camp construction, a critical step forward after the positive screening decision by the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB).

The permit confirms that the project meets stringent environmental and regulatory requirements, reflecting the company’s commitment to responsible exploration in a sensitive northern environment. The Rae Copper Project, located in a region with some of Canada’s highest-grade copper mineralization, is now poised to advance from surface sampling to systematic drilling.

Building on Exceptional Early Results

White Cliff’s 2024 maiden exploration campaign yielded remarkable copper assays, with rock chip samples exceeding 60% copper in some locations. These results underscore the project’s potential to host significant sediment-hosted copper deposits, a style of mineralization highly sought after for its scale and grade.

To capitalize on this momentum, the company has engaged Aurora Geosciences, a firm with over 40 years of experience in northern Canadian exploration, to support the upcoming drilling program. Aurora’s expertise in geology and geophysics in challenging northern terrains will be instrumental in refining drill targets and ensuring operational efficiency.

Water Licence and Drilling Preparations

The public review period for White Cliff’s Water Licence application has recently closed, with minimal commentary received, suggesting a smooth regulatory path ahead. The company expects a positive decision from the Nunavut Water Board by February 2025, which will further clear the way for drilling activities.

Final planning for the maiden drilling campaign is underway, with updates on drill targeting, contractor selection, and mobilisation anticipated soon. Managing Director Troy Whittaker highlighted the significance of these approvals, noting that the upcoming drilling campaign will be the first in the region in a decade, marking a pivotal moment for exploration in Nunavut.

Strategic Positioning in a High-Grade Copper District

The Rae Copper Project benefits from a rich geological setting, with multiple high-grade copper occurrences such as the Vision, Rocket, and Thor districts, where historic and recent assays have demonstrated copper grades well above industry averages. The project also includes a historic resource estimate of 4.16 million tonnes at 2.96% copper, providing a solid foundation for further resource definition.

White Cliff’s strategic acquisition and methodical exploration approach position it well to unlock value in this underexplored but highly prospective region. The upcoming drilling campaign will be closely watched by investors and analysts eager to see if the early surface results translate into substantial subsurface mineralization.