West Coast Silver has pinpointed a fresh high-priority conductive anomaly 50 metres east and 110 metres below the Elizabeth Hill Mine using Down Hole Electromagnetic surveying. The company is swiftly moving to drill test this target, which aligns with historic high-grade silver intercepts and could expand the resource base.
- First Down Hole Electromagnetic (DHEM) survey identifies new conductive plate
- Anomaly located 50m east and 110m deep from Elizabeth Hill Mine
- Historic drill hole intersected 2m at 42 g/t silver near anomaly
- Diamond drill rig redeployed to test target imminently
- Assay results expected progressively through Q2 2026
DHEM Survey Reveals Untested High-Priority Target
West Coast Silver (ASX:WCE) has announced a breakthrough at its Elizabeth Hill Silver Project with the first-ever Down Hole Electromagnetic (DHEM) survey uncovering a compelling new drill target. The conductive anomaly sits approximately 50 metres east and 110 metres below the historic Elizabeth Hill Mine, a region that has not previously been drill tested at this depth.
The DHEM data, collected from a single hole drilled in 2025 and processed earlier this year, revealed a discrete modelled plate spanning 20 to 100 metres by 60 metres. Its conductance values, ranging from 400 to 1,200 Siemens, fall within the expected range for silver mineralisation based on recent petrophysical studies, lending weight to its potential significance.
Alignment with Historic High-Grade Intercepts
Intriguingly, the anomaly aligns closely with historic drill hole AG54, which intersected 2 metres grading 42 grams per tonne silver just 25 metres up-dip. This spatial relationship suggests the anomaly could represent a down-dip extension of known mineralisation, though the company cautions that the exact grade, quantity, and mineralogy remain unconfirmed until drilling is completed.
All previous drilling targeted zones above this newly identified plate or veered westward away from it, underscoring the novelty of this target. The anomaly also corresponds with a granite-ultramafic contact displaced from the Elizabeth Hill Mine sequence, a geological setting known to host mineralisation.
Immediate Drilling Response and Exploration Momentum
West Coast Silver is moving quickly to test the DHEM anomaly, with the diamond drill rig being relocated to an existing pad to commence drilling expected to be completed within a week. Assay results from this and other ongoing Reverse Circulation and diamond drilling programs are anticipated progressively through Q2 2026.
This development follows a series of active exploration efforts, including a recent 1,500-metre diamond drilling campaign focused on deep high-grade extensions along the Munni Munni Fault, a primary structural control on mineralisation at Elizabeth Hill. Those efforts, aimed at validating a structural model of repeating mineralisation pods, complement the geophysical targeting and are part of a broader push to unlock the project’s potential deep high-grade extensions.
Elizabeth Hill’s High-Grade Legacy and Growth Potential
Elizabeth Hill is renowned for its exceptionally high grades, having historically produced 1.2 million ounces of silver from just 16,830 tonnes of ore at an average grade of 2,194 g/t silver. Mining ceased in 2000 due to low silver prices, but the deposit remains open at depth and along strike, with West Coast Silver consolidating a 180 km² land package that includes significant portions of the Munni Munni Fault system and other prospective structures.
The company’s Executive Chairman Bruce Garlick highlighted the immediate impact of integrating petrophysical data with geophysical surveys: "The team is currently relocating the drill rig to test this shallow anomaly, which, if it intersects mineralisation, could materially expand the resource potential and have a significant impact on the Elizabeth Hill project." The use of DHEM marks a new chapter in exploration techniques at Elizabeth Hill, complementing ongoing surface geophysics trials designed to refine targeting further.
Bottom Line?
The imminent drilling of the DHEM-identified target could redefine Elizabeth Hill’s resource profile, but assay results will be crucial to determining its true potential.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the DHEM anomaly confirm high-grade silver mineralisation consistent with historic intercepts?
- How might new geophysical techniques reshape exploration strategy across the wider Elizabeth Hill tenement?
- What impact could successful drilling at this target have on West Coast Silver’s valuation and development timeline?