Lode Resources Uncovers High-Grade Tin at Silver Hills Project

High-Grade Tin Emerges at Silver Hills

Lode Resources (ASX:LDR) has revealed high-grade tin mineralisation at the North Valley Lodes prospect within its freshly acquired Silver Hills Project in Tasmania’s prolific West Coast mining region. Reconnaissance sampling of historical waste dumps returned standout tin assays, peaking at 3.64% Sn, with several other samples exceeding 1% tin. These results signal a potentially significant mineralised system that could bolster Lode’s existing Granville Tin Project.

The Silver Hills exploration licence (EL6/2025) strategically encircles the historic Mt Bischoff Tin Mine, one of Tasmania’s most renowned tin producers. The North Valley Lodes workings extend over 500 metres of strike, featuring multiple old adits and waste dumps, underscoring the scale and continuity potential of this mineral system. While grab samples are inherently selective and indicative rather than definitive, the average of the top seven assays sits at an encouraging 1.43% tin.

Expanding Tasmania Portfolio Amid Growing Demand

This discovery adds a new dimension to Lode’s growing critical minerals portfolio in Tasmania, complementing its established assets such as the Granville Tin Project. The company recently expanded its Tasmanian landholding from 155 km² to 250 km², now covering key mining centres including Rosebery, Hercules, Renison Bell, and Zeehan. The North Valley Lodes’ mineralisation is described as high-grade mesothermal, with cassiterite, jamesonite, galena, tetrahedrite, and chalcopyrite identified.

Lode’s exploration strategy dovetails with the Tasmanian Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy, designed to capitalise on rising demand and policy support for strategic metals like tin and antimony. This alignment could position the company favourably as global markets increasingly prioritise critical minerals supply chains.

Pipeline of Near-Term Catalysts Across Multiple Projects

Beyond Silver Hills, Lode is advancing several exploration fronts. Drilling is underway at the Montezuma Silver and Antimony Project, where the company recently completed its deepest hole to date at 617 metres. Assays are pending, but the project has already delivered a maiden JORC Mineral Resource Estimate revealing 8.2 million ounces of silver equivalent at high grades, highlighting its underground mining potential and ongoing upside maiden resource of 480kt. Follow-up drilling at the Uralla Gold Project in NSW has also concluded, with results awaited, while an 18-hole program is underway at the Rock Abbey Antimony prospect. Planned drilling at Granville East Tin Project, including a drone magnetic survey and metallurgical testwork, is slated for the coming months.

Managing Director Keith Mayes emphasised the significance of the Silver Hills tin discovery, stating it "highlights the effectiveness of Lode’s exploration targeting and reinforces the significant, yet underexplored, prospectivity of Tasmania’s West Coast." The company is the first modern explorer to systematically investigate the North Valley Lodes, which have remained untouched by contemporary exploration techniques.

Next Steps and Exploration Outlook

Lode is continuing systematic sampling and mapping at North Valley, aiming to better define the extent and grade continuity of the tin mineralisation. Drilling is planned at Granville East to test extensions beneath the existing open pit and along controlling structures, with approvals in place for a June quarter start. Metallurgical testwork on Granville East material is imminent, which will be critical for assessing processing pathways and economic viability.

While the grab sample results are encouraging, they remain preliminary. The true scale and grade of the North Valley Lodes system will only become clearer as drilling and more detailed exploration progress. The company’s expanding portfolio and ongoing drilling programs across multiple projects position it well to deliver news flow and potential resource upgrades through 2026.