Mulga Tank Drill Hole MTRC009 Hits 900m of Nickel-Rich Ultramafic Rock

Deep Drilling Advances Nickel Sulphide Exploration

Western Mines Group Ltd (ASX – WMG) has delivered a compelling update on its flagship Mulga Tank Ni-Co-Cu-PGE Project located in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields. The company’s diamond drill hole MTRC009 (EIS9) has now reached a depth of 1,437.5 metres, intersecting an extensive sequence of ultramafic rock rich in nickel sulphide mineralisation.

The hole targeted a magnetic high feature identified through advanced 3D geophysical modelling, coinciding with a conductive anomaly suggestive of sulphide mineralisation. The drilling intersected approximately 900 metres of high magnesium oxide adcumulate dunite, a rock type known to host nickel sulphides, with disseminated sulphides ranging from trace amounts to locally 10% in some intervals.

Evidence of a Hybrid Nickel Sulphide System

Significantly, the lower portion of the hole revealed numerous high-grade remobilised massive sulphide veinlets and large sulphide segregations, with portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spot readings reaching up to 55% nickel. These observations strongly support Western Mines’ exploration thesis that Mulga Tank hosts a Perseverance-like hybrid nickel sulphide system, combining both disseminated and massive sulphide mineralisation components.

Managing Director Dr Caedmon Marriott highlighted the importance of these findings, noting the basal zone’s active sulphide mineralisation and the potential for a basal massive sulphide accumulation. The team anticipates that detailed geological mapping and forthcoming geochemical assays will help vector towards the source of this enriched mineralisation.

Drilling Progress and Next Steps

While rig issues prevented completion of the hole before the year-end break, the drilling team believes they have likely intersected the footwall at around 1,436 metres. Drilling is scheduled to recommence in mid-January 2026 to extend the hole and confirm this contact, alongside further reverse circulation drilling within the main body of the Mulga Tank Complex.

The current drilling program benefits from a co-funding arrangement under the Western Australian Exploration Incentive Scheme, which has subsidised 50% of the drilling costs up to $220,000. This support underscores the project’s strategic importance and the government’s commitment to advancing mineral exploration in the region.

Outlook for Mulga Tank and Western Mines

Mulga Tank remains Western Mines’ cornerstone asset, with a recently announced Mineral Resource Estimate exceeding 5 million tonnes of contained nickel, making it Australia’s largest nickel sulphide deposit. The ongoing drilling results continue to build confidence in the scale and quality of the mineral system.

As laboratory assay results from MTRC009 (EIS9) are awaited, investors and analysts will be watching closely for confirmation of grades and widths. The company’s methodical approach combining diamond and reverse circulation drilling, supported by advanced geochemical tools like pXRF, positions it well to refine resource models and unlock further value.