American West Metals Confirms High-Grade Critical Metals in Utah with Drilling Underway

High-Grade Critical Metals Confirmed in Historical Mine Dumps

American West Metals Limited (ASX:AW1) has announced outstanding assay results from sampling of historical mine waste dumps and surface rocks at its 100% owned West Desert Project in Utah, USA. The sampling program returned peak values of 1,807 grams per tonne (g/t) silver, 176.5 g/t indium, 48 g/t germanium, 1,010 g/t tellurium, and 2.26% copper from mine dump material. Base metals zinc and lead also showed very high grades, reaching up to 24.52% zinc and 31.30% lead respectively. These results indicate significant critical metal content in historical mining waste, which was not assayed for many critical elements during original mining operations.

The historical mines at West Desert, active primarily between the late 1800s and 1921, focused on recovering high-grade base metals and precious metals using relatively simple processing methods. As a result, substantial quantities of critical metals remained unrecovered in waste dumps. American West Metals plans further sampling to estimate the volume and average grade of these stockpiles and to conduct bulk sampling for metallurgical testing, aiming to assess the potential for economic recovery of these metals from unconsolidated and accessible material.

Expanded Mineralised Footprint from Surface Rock Sampling

In addition to mine dump sampling, a project-wide rock sampling program conducted in collaboration with the Utah Geological Survey (UGS) has expanded the known mineralised footprint. The program identified widespread copper, zinc, silver, and indium mineralisation beyond the existing West Desert resource and mine dumps. Notably, surface rock samples along the northern margin of the interpreted porphyry returned grades up to 17.00% zinc, 16.25% lead, and 279.3 g/t silver, highlighting new high-priority exploration targets in previously unexplored areas.

The UGS study, supported by a US Geological Survey federal grant, focuses on understanding the deposit’s formation, indium deportment, and exploration indicators. The identification of new geochemical anomalies coincident with geophysical anomalies and interpreted faults enhances the prospectivity of the West Desert area for further discoveries.

Drilling Program Targets High-Priority Exploration Zones

A 5,000-metre diamond drilling program is underway targeting high-priority geophysical and geochemical targets, including those coincident with the new high-grade critical metal samples. The program, planned to run for three to four months with potential expansion, aims to test resource expansion, exploration, and gallium targets. American West Metals is funded to complete this program and anticipates that drilling results will provide further insights into the scale and strategic importance of the West Desert Project.

This drilling campaign follows the company’s recent commencement of a major drilling program focused on expanding high-grade indium, gallium, copper, silver, and gold zones at West Desert, which aligns with US national security policies on critical minerals supply chains American West Metals Launches Major Drilling to Unlock US Critical Metals Supply.

Strategic Alignment with US Critical Minerals Supply Objectives

The West Desert Project hosts the largest undeveloped indium resource in the United States, alongside significant resources of copper, zinc, silver, and other critical metals. This positions the project as a potentially important domestic source of critical minerals, supporting US government initiatives to secure supply chains and reduce reliance on foreign sources.

American West Metals is actively engaging with US government agencies and business sectors to support project development. Initiatives include potential funding under the US Defense Production Act Title III and participation in the Critical Minerals Innovation Hub, a US Department of Energy program focused on innovation in critical minerals processing. The company also benefits from private land ownership and strong state government support in Utah.

JORC-Compliant Mineral Resource Estimates and Future Work

The company provided detailed JORC 2012-compliant Mineral Resource Estimates for zinc, copper, silver, indium, and gold at West Desert, with resources classified as indicated and inferred. The resource extends approximately 700 metres by 500 metres by 775 metres in depth and includes oxide and sulphide material categories suitable for open-pit and underground mining methods.

Further metallurgical test work is planned to develop a robust mineralogical and processing model, refining the flowsheet for critical metal recovery. The company also intends to continue sampling of historical waste dumps to better define average grades and volumes, alongside ongoing strategic engagement with government agencies.