West Cobar Controls 1,090km² with New Lilyvale Copper Target Granted

Lilyvale Emerges as a Major New Copper Target

West Cobar Metals Limited (ASX:WC1) has expanded its copper exploration ambitions in the Cobar Basin with the granting of Exploration Licence EL9912, securing the high-priority Lilyvale prospect. The standout feature is a gravity anomaly at Lilyvale that is interpreted to be larger and more intense than the geophysical signature underpinning WC1’s existing Bulla Park copper-antimony-silver deposit. This anomaly suggests a potentially significant concealed copper system beneath shallow alluvial cover, offering a compelling target for follow-up exploration.

District-Scale Position Along Prospective Stratigraphy

With EL9912 now granted, WC1 controls approximately 1,090 square kilometres across about 120 kilometres of strike along the prospective Cobar stratigraphy. This tenure consolidates WC1’s position as a district-scale explorer in a region known for its rich copper endowment. Multiple emerging targets, including Lilyvale and the Blind Freddie prospect, which hosts a +2.5 kilometre copper-gold anomaly, exhibit geological, geochemical, and geophysical signatures consistent with concealed Cobar-style mineral systems. The company’s strategy to apply modern gravity interpretation and refined geochemical targeting aims to unlock further discoveries beneath the extensive Mulga Downs Group cover that has historically masked mineralisation.

Bulla Park Deposit Provides a Proven Analogue

The Bulla Park deposit remains a cornerstone of WC1’s project portfolio, boasting an inferred resource of 20 million tonnes at 0.58% copper equivalent (CuEq). This resource is notable for its polymetallic nature, including copper, antimony, and silver, with metallurgical testwork demonstrating strong recoveries, 94.6% for copper and 84.1% for antimony, highlighting its economic potential. The deposit’s mineralisation lies beneath 60–120 metres of barren cover and was only revealed through subtle surface geochemical signals, underscoring the prospectivity of similar concealed systems like Lilyvale. Recent announcements have also highlighted antimony grade increases at Bulla Park, enhancing the project’s value profile and reinforcing the potential for resource growth across the district-scale tenure. These developments build on the company’s ongoing Bulla Park antimony grade increase and tenure expansion to 1,090 km².

Blind Freddie and Other Emerging Targets

Beyond Lilyvale, the Blind Freddie prospect stands out with a coherent copper-gold anomaly extending over 2.5 kilometres along a major structural corridor. This anomaly aligns with a strong gravity high and a major fault interpreted from aeromagnetic data, a geophysical setting typical of Cobar-style mineral systems. The prospect is partially obscured by younger sediments, indicating the potential for concealed mineralisation awaiting confirmation through drilling. WC1 plans to initiate detailed ground gravity surveys and targeted drilling programs, including RAB and RC drilling, to test these priority targets and refine the exploration model.

Next Steps and Exploration Outlook

WC1 is moving swiftly to capitalise on these promising targets, with immediate plans for detailed gravity surveys at Lilyvale to better define drill targets. The company anticipates commencing RAB and aircore drilling at Blind Freddie, alongside RC drilling at Lilyvale and Bulla Park, subject to funding availability. Managing Director Matt Szwedzicki emphasised that the company is at the early stages of unlocking what could be a significant new concealed copper district, driven by modern geophysical techniques and a growing understanding of regolith and geochemical signatures. This approach aims to overcome the challenges posed by shallow cover and limited historical exploration effectiveness.

West Cobar’s expanding footprint and multiple high-priority targets position it well to potentially add to its existing resource base and enhance its standing in the copper exploration sector. The combination of a district-scale tenure, proven deposit analogue, and emerging concealed targets underpins a narrative of exploration upside that will be closely watched as drilling results emerge.