Strategic Energy Resources Launches Over 3,000m of Funded Drilling in Queensland Copper-Gold Projects

Funded Drilling Programs Set to Accelerate Exploration

Strategic Energy Resources (ASX:SER) is gearing up for its most active field season yet, with over 3,000 metres of diamond drilling scheduled across three Queensland projects. The company’s 2026 campaign, starting in July, targets five key prospects spanning copper and gold mineralisation, largely underwritten by joint venture partners and government grants.

This multi-pronged approach sees drilling at Canobie, Diamantina, and Bulimba, with the bulk of expenditure covered by Fortescue Metals Group and Sumitomo Metal Mining Oceania, alongside Queensland Government’s Collaboration Exploration Initiative (CEI) grants. Managing Director Dr David DeTata highlighted the strategic advantage of this funding, noting it significantly de-risks exploration in frontier provinces and supports testing innovative discovery concepts.

Canobie Project Targets New and Follow-Up Copper-Gold Zones

At Canobie in northwest Queensland, a Farm-in JV with Fortescue will fund over 1,000 metres of diamond drilling focused on two prospects. The Alcala Prospect, a newly identified magnetic and gravity anomaly near major crustal-scale faults, will be tested with an 800-metre angled hole to probe its geophysical signature.

Meanwhile, follow-up drilling at Charcoal Bore aims to expand on last year’s encouraging copper and gold intercepts, including zones with up to 1,507 ppm copper over 4 metres and 0.44 g/t gold over 2 metres. The mineralisation here aligns with a distinctive Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) geochemical signature, with upcoming drilling designed to intersect a modelled gravity shell at shallower depths.

Diamantina Drilling to Extend High-Grade Copper-Nickel Mineralisation

The Diamantina Copper-Gold Project, owned 100% by SER, will see drilling focused on the Elizabeth Springs East (ESE) prospect. Here, previous drilling returned significant intercepts including 17.3 metres at 1.76% copper and 0.37 g/t gold, as well as a sulphide breccia with 6.5 metres at 0.52% copper and 0.16% nickel from around 423 metres depth.

Partially funded by a $275,000 CEI grant, the upcoming diamond hole will be positioned 500 metres southwest of the prior hole DTD002 to test mineralisation extensions. The program also includes down-hole electromagnetics to detect off-hole conductors, reflecting the conductive nature of the sulphide breccia intersected previously. Additional drilling plans are underway for Elizabeth Springs West and other newly identified targets within the project’s 4km by 2km anomaly area.

Bulimba Gold Project Drilling Fully Funded by Sumitomo JV

In northeast Queensland, the Bulimba Gold Project is advancing under a binding joint venture with Sumitomo Metal Mining Oceania, which brings extensive mining expertise and has committed to funding exploration activities. The upcoming program will test the Coral Trout Prospect, an Intrusion Related Gold System (IRGS) target characterised by a reversely magnetised feature at a major crustal boundary.

Supported by a $137,500 CEI grant, a single 600-metre diamond hole will probe the Coral Trout anomaly, interpreted as a potential fluid conduit hosting concealed felsic intrusions associated with gold-copper mineralisation. This will be the first drill test of this highly prospective segment of the Palmerville-Gamboola fault corridor, which hosts significant deposits nearby.

Positioning for Discovery Amid Copper Market Interest

Strategic Energy Resources’ 2026 drilling season reflects a concerted push into some of Australia’s most prospective mineral provinces, with well-funded programs designed to unlock world-class copper and gold deposits. The combination of joint venture backing and government grants not only reduces financial risk but also validates the company’s exploration strategy.

With copper demand outlooks remaining robust globally, SER’s efforts to extend known mineralisation at Diamantina and test new targets at Canobie and Bulimba could prove pivotal. The market will be watching closely as assay results emerge and the company advances its quest for significant discoveries.