Pivotal Metals Starts 1,500m Drill Program and Nears Metallurgical Test Completion
Pivotal Metals has commenced drilling at its flagship Horden Lake project in Quebec, advancing metallurgical testwork and preparing for a resource update, while also progressing exploration at its high-grade BAGB projects.
- Drilling mobilised at Horden Lake with 1,500m program targeting resource expansion
- Final stages of metallurgical testwork underway to refine economic parameters
- Updated Mineral Resource Estimate to follow metallurgical results
- BAGB projects show high-grade Ni-Cu-PGM and gold potential with Q2 2025 exploration planned
- Strong investor interest in contiguous Belleterre-Angliers Greenstone Belt region
Drilling Resumes at Horden Lake
Pivotal Metals Limited (ASX:PVT) has announced the commencement of its 2025 drilling campaign at the Horden Lake project, located in Quebec, Canada. The drilling contractor, Orbit Garant Drilling, mobilised on 11 February and is set to begin a 1,500-metre diamond drilling program within two weeks. This program aims to expand the existing mineral resource by targeting shallow extensions identified during last year’s exploration.
Horden Lake hosts a substantial Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 27.8 million tonnes at 1.49% copper equivalent, encompassing copper, nickel, palladium, and gold. The deposit remains open in multiple directions, offering significant upside potential for resource growth.
Metallurgical Testwork Nears Completion
Complementing the drilling, Pivotal is in the final stages of its maiden metallurgical testwork program, conducted by Blue Coast Research in Canada. The testwork focuses on developing a viable flowsheet for producing saleable copper and nickel concentrates through conventional froth flotation techniques. Preliminary results have been promising, with copper recoveries reaching up to 90%.
The company recently completed its first locked cycle test and is conducting variability testing to refine recovery and grade parameters. These results will be critical inputs for updating the economic parameters of the project and finalising the Mineral Resource Estimate update, expected later this quarter.
Exploration Momentum at BAGB Projects
Beyond Horden Lake, Pivotal is advancing exploration at its Belleterre-Angliers Greenstone Belt (BAGB) projects, which cover a large 157 square kilometre area adjacent to the prolific Abitibi mining district. Historical drilling has revealed bonanza-grade nickel-copper-PGM mineralisation, high-grade gold veins, and volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) potential across the Midrim-Alotta, Lorraine, and La Force project areas.
The company has completed a comprehensive target assessment and plans a funded field program in Q2 2025 to test priority targets. This region is attracting significant investor interest, bolstered by recent corporate activity nearby, including a major financing round by Vior Inc., whose Belleterre Gold project borders Pivotal’s Lorraine and La Force claims.
Strategic Outlook
Managing Director Ivan Fairhall expressed optimism about the drilling and exploration programs, highlighting the potential to build on the substantial resource base at Horden Lake and unlock the economic value through metallurgical advancements. The company’s multi-front approach, combining resource expansion with exploration in a highly prospective greenstone belt, positions Pivotal Metals to deliver consistent news flow and value creation for shareholders in 2025.
Bottom Line?
As drilling and metallurgical results unfold, Pivotal Metals stands poised to redefine the economic potential of its Quebec portfolio.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the upcoming metallurgical test results impact the updated resource economics at Horden Lake?
- What scale of resource expansion can be expected from the 2025 drilling program?
- How might exploration success at BAGB influence Pivotal’s strategic positioning in the Quebec mining district?
