Great Western Exploration Commences Drilling at Diorama Copper-Gold Target
Great Western Exploration has kicked off a 3,000m air core drilling program at its Diorama copper-gold target in Western Australia, aiming to test a large copper anomaly indicative of DeGrussa-style VHMS mineralisation.
- 3,000m air core drilling started at Diorama target
- Diorama interpreted as a DeGrussa-style VHMS copper-gold prospect
- Follow-up RC drilling planned at six Juggernaut targets from July
- Baroo copper-gold target drilling to follow Juggernaut program
- Strong cash balance of $4.3 million supports exploration
Diorama Drilling Targets Concealed Copper-Gold Mineralisation
Great Western Exploration (ASX:GTE) has launched a 3,000-metre air core drilling campaign at its Diorama copper-gold target within the Yerrida North Project in Western Australia. This target stands out as a compelling Volcanic Hosted Massive Sulphide (VHMS) style prospect, akin to the nearby DeGrussa Copper-Gold Deposit operated by Sandfire Resources (ASX:SFR). Diorama was initially flagged by a significant lag copper anomaly combined with gossanous quartz outcrops, suggesting weathered sulphides that may conceal copper-gold mineralisation beneath shallow cover.
The Diorama target lies approximately 70 kilometres from DeGrussa, situated in the Yerrida Basin adjacent to the Bryah Basin, which hosts the region’s most prominent VHMS deposits. Field mapping has identified gossanous quartz extending over 100 metres in some areas, but limited outcrop and shallow cover could obscure mineralisation from surface detection. The current drilling aims to pierce this cover and test the copper anomalism below.
Sequential Drilling Campaigns at Juggernaut and Baroo
Following Diorama’s air core program, Great Western plans to commence reverse circulation (RC) drilling in July targeting six discrete copper-gold prospects clustered at the Juggernaut Project. These targets, Juggernaut, Seymour, Falconer, Howard, Palmer, Smith, and Archer, are defined by stratigraphic, structural, and geochemical traits, including a large, zoned copper-lead-zinc anomaly interpreted as part of a VHMS system. This planned drilling at Juggernaut builds on previous work that has delineated these targets as promising exploration plays.
Subsequent to Juggernaut, the company will drill the Baroo copper-gold target, a newly identified quartz vein showing elevated copper in rock-chip samples but previously unmapped or sampled. Baroo’s maiden RC drilling will test this vein’s potential as a host for copper mineralisation, representing an exciting addition to Great Western’s growing portfolio of targets within the Yerrida Basin.
Regional Exploration and Financial Position
Concurrent with these drilling programs, Great Western is advancing several regional copper-gold targets within the Yerrida North Project towards drill-ready status. This multi-pronged approach reflects a strategic effort to expand the company’s footprint in a region with strong geological parallels to the prolific DeGrussa system.
Financially, Great Western maintains a solid position, reporting a cash balance of $4.3 million as of March 2026. This liquidity underpins the ongoing aggressive exploration campaign, which was supported by a $3.75 million capital raise earlier in the year. The company’s ability to fund multiple drilling programs simultaneously highlights its commitment to unlocking value from its Yerrida Basin assets.
Bottom Line?
Drilling at Diorama marks a critical test of Great Western’s DeGrussa-style copper-gold thesis, with follow-up programs at Juggernaut and Baroo poised to further define the Yerrida Basin’s resource potential.
Questions in the middle?
- Will Diorama drilling confirm the presence of significant VHMS copper-gold mineralisation beneath shallow cover?
- How will assay results from Juggernaut’s six targets influence Great Western’s exploration strategy?
- Could the newly identified Baroo quartz vein emerge as a substantial copper-gold source following maiden drilling?
