New Yuinmery Anomalies Raise Stakes Ahead of 2026 Drilling Campaign

Exploration Breakthrough at Yuinmery

Empire Resources Limited (ASX, ERL) has unveiled encouraging results from its latest exploration efforts at the Yuinmery Copper-Gold Project in Western Australia. The company’s recent rock chip and soil sampling programs, conducted between August and October 2025, have revealed multiple zones of high-grade gold and copper mineralisation, renewing optimism about the project’s potential.

Among the standout findings are rock chip samples from the Smiths Well prospect returning gold grades as high as 22.86 grams per tonne, a significant uplift compared to previous understanding of the area. This discovery suggests that quartz veining at Smiths Well may control higher-grade gold mineralisation than previously recognised, expanding the scope for future exploration.

Copper-Gold Anomalies and Geological Insights

Beyond gold, the sampling program confirmed anomalous copper-gold volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) mineralisation at several prospects, including B-Zone, C-Zone, and a potential southern extension of the Just Desserts resource zone. These findings are particularly notable given that some of these areas have seen limited prior drilling, highlighting new targets for Empire’s exploration pipeline.

Complementing the surface sampling, a substantial 1000-metre-long copper-gold soil anomaly was delineated between the YT01 and YT19 prospects. This anomaly aligns with satellite Aster imagery indicating intense talc alteration, a key hydrothermal indicator associated with copper-gold mineralisation at Yuinmery’s Just Desserts deposit. The coincidence of geochemical and remote sensing data strengthens the case for this zone as a priority drill target.

Strategic Next Steps and Outlook

Empire’s Non-Executive Chairman Michael Ruane expressed optimism about the results, noting the soil anomaly’s potential and the company’s plans to commence drilling in 2026. The rock chip program has also validated new mineralisation concepts, providing a clearer framework for targeting and resource definition moving forward.

Additional soil sampling is planned to refine these targets further, alongside lodging necessary permits for upcoming drilling campaigns. The company’s methodical approach, combining geochemical sampling with geological and geophysical data, positions it well to unlock further value from the Yuinmery project.

Situated within the Youanmi greenstone belt, Yuinmery hosts the Just Desserts and A-Zone VMS deposits with a combined JORC resource of 3.59 million tonnes grading 1.25% copper and 0.46 grams per tonne gold. These latest exploration results could expand the resource base and enhance the project’s economic prospects.