White Cliff Minerals has intersected visual copper sulphides in all five initial drillholes at its Danvers copper deposit in Nunavut, including a significant step-out over 5.2km, validating the Teshierpi Fault Zone as a major copper-bearing structure.
- Five drillholes confirm over 1,300m strike of copper sulphides
- Step-out hole collared more than 5.2km from Danvers 1 deposit
- Thick copper sulphide intervals up to 78m observed
- Increasing bornite concentrations at depths beyond 200m
- Assay results pending, drilling ongoing along Teshierpi Fault Zone
District-Scale Mineralisation Confirmed with Significant Step-Out
White Cliff Minerals (ASX:WCN) has delivered a strong start to its 2026 drilling campaign at the Danvers copper deposit within the Rae Copper Project in Nunavut, Canada. All five initial reverse circulation drillholes intersected visual copper sulphides over a strike length exceeding 1,300 metres, including a standout hole collared more than 5.2 kilometres from the established Danvers 1 deposit. This substantial step-out confirms the presence of district-scale copper mineralisation along the Teshierpi Fault Zone, a major structural corridor that the company is aggressively targeting for expansion.
The early campaign has revealed thick zones of copper sulphides, with intervals of 38m, 72m, 78m, and 32m reported across various holes. Notably, drillhole DAN26003 exhibited the highest concentrations of bornite in the final three metres of a 249m hole, confirming mineralisation extending beyond 200 metres vertical depth. Meanwhile, DAN26004 intersected bornite-chalcocite mineralisation at depths up to 177 metres and discovered new mineralised zones 74 metres below a previous high-grade intercept from DAN25019, which returned 15m at 4.8% copper. These observations underscore the potential for Danvers-style mineralisation to repeat along strike, bolstering the prospectivity of the project.
Geophysical Targeting Validated by Visual Sulphide Intersections
The drilling results validate the company’s exploration strategy that combines electromagnetic (EM) and magnetic datasets to target conductive zones along the Teshierpi Fault Zone. Initial holes were spaced 300-600 metres apart, and the consistent presence of copper sulphides in all holes supports the thesis of a broad, fertile copper system. The Teshierpi Fault Zone’s signature, a magnetic low coupled with elevated conductivity, has proven effective in guiding drill targeting, with mineralisation hosted in both basalt flow tops and breccia zones intersected by veinlets and disseminated sulphides.
Drillhole DAN26005, despite being cut short due to water inflow, identified new mineralised zones within the fault zone, including a transition from chalcopyrite to chalcocite downhole. Drilling is ongoing with DAN26006 targeting extensions southeast of previous intercepts, aiming to further delineate the system’s scale and continuity. This regional approach aligns with the company’s plan to test over 12 kilometres of combined strike length, guided by high-quality geophysical data, to unlock further copper-silver deposits.
Historic Resource and Metallurgical Confidence Support Project Potential
The Danvers deposit hosts a historic resource estimate of 4.16 million tons grading 2.96% copper, although this is not compliant with the JORC Code and requires modern validation. The current drilling campaign, complemented by recent metallurgical testwork showing copper recoveries exceeding 95% and high-grade concentrate production, is aimed at upgrading the resource and confirming economic viability. These metallurgical results, announced earlier in April, reinforce the project’s potential for scalable, cost-effective processing without complex regrinding.
White Cliff’s Managing Director Troy Whittaker highlighted the rapid progress and encouraging visuals, stating that the extensive mineralisation observed confirms the fertility of this underexplored region. The company expects assay results within four weeks, which will provide quantitative confirmation of grades and guide further drilling. The momentum builds on prior successes, including the discovery of Danvers 2 with 15m at 4.8% copper and ongoing exploration across the Rae Project’s broader fault zones.
This drilling campaign follows the company’s recent mobilisation for major copper expansion and is set to complement the metallurgical advances reported in April over 95 percent copper recovery, positioning White Cliff Minerals to progressively unlock the Rae Copper Project’s value through systematic exploration and resource definition.
Bottom Line?
Visual sulphide intersections confirm a district-scale copper system at Danvers, but assay results will be critical to quantify grade and guide the next phase of resource expansion.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the pending assays confirm the high-grade potential suggested by visual sulphides and historic drilling?
- How extensive is the continuity of mineralisation along the Teshierpi Fault Zone beyond current drill coverage?
- What impact will ongoing metallurgical testwork have on processing strategies and project economics?