Cardea Bauxite Project Faces Critical Next Steps Despite Strong Assay Results

Licence Approvals and Project Location

Western Yilgarn NL (ASX: WYX) has recently secured two exploration licences, E70/6702 and E70/6703, covering the Cardea 1 and 2 Bauxite Projects in Western Australia's Darling Range Bauxite Mineral Field. The licences were granted by the Western Australia Department of Energy, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) in early April 2025, marking a significant milestone for the company’s exploration ambitions in a region known for its rich bauxite deposits.

Extensive Drilling and High-Grade Results

The company has completed an extensive vacuum drilling program, comprising 316 holes across the Cardea 2 area, with 117 holes analysed for available alumina (Av Al2O3) and reactive silica (Re SiO2). The assay results are compelling, with multiple intersections showing available alumina grades exceeding 35%, and reactive silica averaging around 4%. These figures are notable given the importance of alumina content and silica reactivity in determining bauxite quality for alumina refining.

Historical drilling results corroborate these findings, with several holes reporting intervals of 5 to 10 meters at alumina grades close to or above 47%, and low reactive silica percentages. The mineralisation extends over a surface area of approximately 1.7 kilometers by 0.5 kilometers, with typical laterite profiles consistent with other deposits in the Darling Range.

Strategic Infrastructure and Regional Context

The Cardea projects benefit from their proximity to major infrastructure, including the Millendon Junction railway line, which offers logistical advantages for potential future development. Located roughly 16.5 kilometers southeast of the Julimar Bauxite Resource Project, which hosts a massive 168 million tonne inferred resource, Cardea sits within a well-established bauxite province that has seen significant exploration and production activity.

Western Yilgarn’s non-executive director, Pedro Kastellorizos, highlighted the strategic value of the project’s location and resource potential, especially amid record alumina and bauxite prices. The company’s data review and drilling results suggest scalability and trucking access to a northern multi-user railway, enhancing the project's commercial appeal.

Geological Setting and Exploration Outlook

The bauxite deposits at Cardea are typical of the Darling Range, formed by weathering processes over Archaean granite and gneiss basement rocks. The mineralisation occurs as flat-lying, tabular bodies with a characteristic laterite profile, including duricrust and friable fragmental zones rich in gibbsite. This geological setting supports the potential for a substantial and economically viable resource.

Western Yilgarn plans to continue exploration with further drilling focused on delineating lateral and depth extensions of the bauxite zones. The company is also conducting geochemical and geophysical surveys to refine targets within the granted tenements. These efforts aim to build on the promising assay results and advance the project toward resource definition and potential development.

Compliance and Reporting Standards

The announcement includes detailed assay data and complies with the 2012 JORC Code for reporting exploration results. Independent consultants and company personnel have verified the data, ensuring transparency and reliability for investors and stakeholders. The company also acknowledges the inherent uncertainties typical of early-stage exploration and cautions that further work is required to confirm resource extent and economic viability.