What Could Alchemy’s New RC Drilling Unlock at Roe Hills Lithium JV?
Alchemy Resources is set to begin reverse circulation drilling at its Roe Hills lithium project in Western Australia, following promising aircore results. The drilling forms part of a joint venture with JOGMEC, aiming to unlock significant lithium potential along a major structural trend.
- RC drilling to target high-priority lithium anomalies at Roe Hills
- Up to nine holes planned, totaling approximately 1,500 meters
- Aircore drilling identified multiple coincident lithium and pathfinder element anomalies
- JOGMEC can earn 51% interest by spending $6 million by March 2029
- Project lies along strike from Global Lithium’s Manna deposit
Context and Significance
Alchemy Resources Limited (ASX, ALY) has announced the commencement of a reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at its Roe Hills Project in Western Australia. This move follows a successful aircore drilling campaign completed in late 2025, which revealed multiple areas of lithium and pathfinder element anomalism. The project is operated under a farm-in and joint venture agreement with the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), a significant partner with the right to earn a majority stake by investing $6 million by March 2029.
The Roe Hills Project is strategically located along major structural trends that extend from the nearby Manna lithium deposit owned by Global Lithium Resources. This proximity adds geological credibility to the prospectivity of Alchemy’s tenure, which covers a substantial 248 square kilometers in the Eastern Goldfields region.
Drilling Program Details
The upcoming RC drilling program is designed to test high-priority lithium-caesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatite targets identified through a multi-layered exploration approach. This approach combined soil geochemistry, LiDAR, orthophoto interpretation, structural analysis, and field mapping to pinpoint areas with coincident anomalism in lithium and key pathfinder elements such as caesium, rubidium, tantalum, tin, and niobium.
Up to nine RC holes are planned, totaling approximately 1,500 meters of drilling, expected to be completed within two weeks. The program focuses on zones where geochemical anomalies align with outcropping or newly discovered pegmatite bodies, significantly enhancing the confidence in these targets as genuine mineralised systems rather than background noise.
Technical Insights and Exploration Strategy
Chief Executive Officer James Wilson emphasised the importance of this drilling phase, noting that the aircore results have delineated a coherent geochemical footprint consistent with fertile LCT pegmatite systems. The anomalies are spatially associated with geological features such as felsic dykes and granite contacts, which are typical hosts for lithium mineralisation.
The exploration strategy leverages detailed geochemical mapping and structural interpretation to prioritise targets that demonstrate both strong multi-element anomalism and favourable geological settings. This methodical approach aims to maximise the likelihood of intersecting economically viable lithium mineralisation.
Joint Venture and Future Outlook
The farm-in and joint venture agreement with JOGMEC, formalised in 2024 and approved by the Australian Government’s Foreign Investment Review Board, provides Alchemy with a strong partner to advance the project. JOGMEC’s commitment to spend $6 million by 2029 to earn a 51% interest underscores the JV’s potential and the strategic importance of the Roe Hills Project.
Beyond the current RC drilling, Alchemy plans further exploration activities in 2026 across multiple projects, including copper-gold and iron ore targets. The company’s diversified portfolio and systematic exploration pipeline position it well for growth in the battery metals and base metals sectors.
Bottom Line?
As Alchemy Resources embarks on this critical drilling phase, the market will keenly await assay results that could redefine the lithium potential of Roe Hills and influence the JV’s future trajectory.
Questions in the middle?
- What will the assay results from the RC drilling reveal about the grade and extent of lithium mineralisation?
- How will JOGMEC’s farm-in expenditure progress influence the pace and scale of development at Roe Hills?
- What are the implications of the Roe Hills findings for Alchemy’s broader exploration portfolio in Western Australia?
