American West Metals has commenced a significant diamond drilling program at its West Desert Project in Utah, aiming to grow the largest indium resource in the US and explore high-grade critical metals including gallium and copper.
- Diamond drilling program to expand West Desert Mineral Resource Estimate
- Targets include high-grade indium, gallium, copper, silver, and gold
- Focus on underexplored ‘Goldilocks Zone’ and Apex-style gallium targets
- Sampling of historical mine waste dumps for critical metals recovery potential
- Project aligns with US government’s ‘Project Vault’ critical metals supply initiative
Strategic Drilling Program Underway
American West Metals Limited (ASX – AW1) has mobilised its field team to initiate a major diamond drilling campaign at its wholly owned West Desert Project in Utah. This program, set to run for three to four months with potential for expansion, aims to significantly enhance the existing Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), which already boasts the largest indium resource in the United States.
The drilling will focus on multiple high-priority targets outside the current resource footprint, including zones rich in indium, copper, silver, gold, and gallium. Notably, the program will test the so-called ‘Goldilocks Zone’, a largely untested area adjacent to the current deposit that has shown promising high-grade mineralisation in previous drilling campaigns.
Exploring Critical Metals Beyond Indium
Beyond indium, the project is targeting gallium mineralisation along the Juab Fault, a geological setting analogous to Utah’s Apex Mine, the highest-grade gallium and germanium mine in the US. Early resampling has confirmed gallium grades up to 77.3 grams per tonne within fresh magnetite skarn mineralisation, suggesting potential for near-surface enrichment similar to Apex.
Additional exploration will test large geophysical anomalies, gravity and magnetic signatures resembling those of the West Desert deposit, along strike and in underexplored corridors. These targets could reveal further high-grade skarn mineralisation, expanding the project’s critical metals portfolio.
Unlocking Value from Historical Mine Waste
Complementing the drilling, American West Metals is undertaking a sampling program of historical mine waste dumps from adjacent patented claims. These dumps, remnants of early 20th-century lead, zinc, and silver mining, may contain recoverable quantities of critical metals such as gallium, indium, and antimony that were not extracted by past operations. This initiative aligns with the US Department of the Interior’s recent focus on unlocking critical minerals from mine waste.
Alignment with US Government Critical Metals Strategy
The West Desert Project’s strategic importance is underscored by US government initiatives to secure domestic critical metal supply chains. The Trump Administration’s ‘Project Vault’ aims to establish a 60-day stockpile of critical metals, highlighting the value of West Desert as a potential cornerstone supplier of indium and other critical elements vital for national defence and economic security.
American West Metals’ Managing Director, Dave O’Neill, emphasised the project’s growing significance – “Our drilling program represents the largest work effort at West Desert since our maiden resource estimate. We are well positioned to support US critical metals supply objectives and look forward to advancing our engagement with government agencies.”
Robust Technical Foundation and Next Steps
The West Desert MRE is JORC 2012 compliant, supported by extensive drilling, geophysical surveys, and metallurgical test work. The deposit features a complex porphyry-related skarn system with significant zinc, copper, silver, indium, and gold mineralisation. The upcoming drilling will test both resource expansion and new exploration targets, with results expected to provide critical insights into the project’s scale and grade potential.
Looking ahead, American West Metals plans to continue resampling historical drill core and mine waste, while maintaining strategic dialogue with US government stakeholders. These efforts aim to unlock further value and position West Desert as a key domestic source of critical metals in a rapidly evolving global supply landscape.
Bottom Line?
As drilling progresses, West Desert could become a pivotal player in securing America’s critical metals future.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the drilling confirm significant expansions to the current indium and gallium resources?
- How will the US government’s ‘Project Vault’ initiative influence project funding and development timelines?
- What are the potential economic recoveries from historical mine waste sampling and processing?