West Coast Silver Limited's initial diamond drilling at the Elizabeth Hill Silver Project reveals native silver near surface, confirming the high-grade potential of this historic deposit. Laboratory assays are pending, promising further clarity on the project's value.
- Initial five diamond drill holes intersect native silver and silver minerals
- Visual native silver confirmed by portable XRF analysis in multiple intervals
- Drilling targets up-plunge position of historic Elizabeth Hill deposit
- ~1,300m drilling program underway with completion expected mid-November
- Laboratory assay results anticipated between mid-December 2025 and early January 2026
Historic High-Grade Silver Project Revisited
West Coast Silver Limited (ASX – WCE) has reported encouraging early results from its ongoing diamond drilling program at the Elizabeth Hill Silver Project in Western Australia's Pilbara region. The project, known historically for its exceptionally high-grade silver mineralisation, has yielded visual confirmation of native silver in four of the first five drill holes completed.
The Elizabeth Hill deposit has a storied past, having produced approximately 1.2 million ounces of silver from a modest 16,830 tonnes of ore at an extraordinary head grade exceeding 2,000 grams per tonne. Mining ceased in 2000 due to low silver prices, but recent consolidation of surrounding land and renewed exploration efforts have reignited interest in this tier 1 mining jurisdiction.
Drilling Highlights and Mineralisation Details
The initial drilling campaign, comprising about 1,300 metres of diamond core drilling, focused on the up-plunge position of the historically mined high-grade zone along the Munni Munni fault. Visual logging and portable XRF (pXRF) analysis identified native silver and silver-bearing minerals within quartz-carbonate veins and stockworks near surface, with native silver visually estimated at 1% to 2% by volume in some intervals.
Notably, drill hole 25WCDD014 intersected three separate intervals of native silver mineralisation between 53.57m and 74.95m depth, while holes 25WCDD013, 16, and 17 also confirmed silver mineralisation. The pXRF readings, while qualitative and preliminary, provide strong evidence supporting the presence of significant silver mineralisation close to surface.
Next Steps and Market Implications
Laboratory assays from the first three drill holes have been dispatched, with results expected between mid-December 2025 and early January 2026. These assays will be critical to quantify the silver grades and confirm the economic potential of the mineralisation. Further drilling and sampling will continue, aiming to delineate the extent of the deposit and explore additional targets within the consolidated 180 square kilometre land package.
West Coast Silver's Executive Chairman Bruce Garlick expressed optimism about the results, highlighting the validation of near-surface potential and the opportunity to build on Elizabeth Hill's historic legacy. The proximity to the Radio Hill processing facility, although currently without an agreement, adds a potential processing option that could enhance project economics.
While the visual and pXRF results are promising, the company cautions that these are not substitutes for comprehensive laboratory analysis, and investors should await assay results before drawing conclusions on resource size or grade continuity.
Bottom Line?
Elizabeth Hill’s early drilling success sets the stage for a pivotal assay update that could reshape West Coast Silver’s growth trajectory.
Questions in the middle?
- What will the laboratory assay results reveal about the true grade and continuity of the silver mineralisation?
- How might West Coast Silver leverage the nearby Radio Hill processing facility to advance project development?
- What exploration plans will follow to test the broader 180km land package for additional high-grade silver deposits?