West Coast Silver (ASX:WCE) has intersected a fresh, high-grade silver zone beneath historical workings at Elizabeth Hill, alongside broad near-surface extensions beyond its maiden resource, signalling significant growth potential.
- Diamond drill hole 26WCDD029 hits 3m at 524g/t silver
- New mineralised trend beneath historical workings defined
- RC drilling extends near-surface silver mineralisation beyond April 2026 MRE
- Nickel, copper, palladium intersected hinting at additional mineralisation styles
- Resource remains open along strike and at depth
Discovery of New High-Grade Silver Zone Below Historical Mine
West Coast Silver Limited (ASX:WCE) has revealed a compelling new chapter in its Elizabeth Hill Project with diamond drill hole 26WCDD029 intersecting 3 metres at 524 grams per tonne (g/t) silver from 183 metres, including a blistering 1.5 metres at 1,039 g/t silver. This intersection confirms a previously unidentified, discrete silver mineralisation zone situated beneath and separate from the historical Elizabeth Hill orebody.
The new zone forms part of an approximately 50-metre-long, north-south, sub-horizontal mineralised trend that stitches together historical high-grade intersections, including 7m at 607g/t silver from underground drilling and 4m at 223g/t silver from surface drilling. This trend lies along the granite-ultramafic contact offset from the main Munni Munni Fault Zone, a structural setting that has seen limited prior drilling focus.
Near-Surface Silver Mineralisation Extends Beyond Maiden Resource
Complementing the deep discovery, reverse circulation (RC) drilling has expanded the footprint of near-surface silver mineralisation beyond the April 2026 maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). Highlights include a 44-metre intersection at 26g/t silver from surface (26WCRC020) and a 41-metre intercept at 23g/t silver starting from 1 metre depth (26WCRC019), both ending in mineralisation and indicating the deposit's open nature.
These broad zones occur within intensely silica-altered granite and quartz-carbonate veins associated with the Munni Munni Fault Zone, reinforcing the geological continuity and potential tonnage upside. Notably, high-grade lead mineralisation was also intersected, with 9 metres at 5.3% lead in 26WCRC018, a geochemical signature often linked with silver mineralisation at Elizabeth Hill.
Base Metals and Palladium Signal Additional Mineralisation Styles
Adding further intrigue, 26WCDD029 also intersected massive sulphides hosting 0.45 metres at 2.73% nickel, 0.93% copper, and 0.7g/t palladium, within ultramafic lithologies of the Munni Munni Intrusive Complex. This suggests the potential for polymetallic mineralisation styles beyond silver, broadening the project's exploration scope.
Historical drilling in the area supports this possibility, with underground holes previously intersecting similar sulphide mineralisation. The presence of these base metals and palladium could enhance the project's economic profile if further delineated.
Ongoing Drilling and Exploration to Define Resource Growth
West Coast Silver is advancing its drilling program with final planned diamond holes underway and further assay results expected through July and August. The company is also preparing for a comprehensive geological and structural review to refine the understanding of mineralisation controls, particularly the shift in strike and plunge of the silver system.
Surface and downhole geophysical surveys, including induced polarisation (IP), controlled-source audio-frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT), and electromagnetic methods, are planned to identify new targets along the Munni Munni Fault Zone and support resource expansion efforts. Economic studies are progressing towards a scoping study, aiming to evaluate development pathways for both near-surface and deeper high-grade mineralisation.
Elizabeth Hill's Strategic Position and Historical Context
Elizabeth Hill stands out as one of Australia’s highest-grade silver projects, with historical production of 1.2 million ounces of silver at an exceptional head grade of 2,194 g/t. Mining ceased in 2000 due to low silver prices, but the current silver price environment is materially more favourable.
The project, located near Karratha in the Pilbara region, benefits from a granted mining lease and proximity to existing infrastructure, including a potential processing partnership with Artemis Resources Ltd at the Radio Hill facility. The consolidation of a 180 square kilometre land package encompassing key fault systems enhances the prospectivity for discovering additional Elizabeth Hill-style deposits.
Bottom Line?
With high-grade silver confirmed at depth and near-surface extensions beyond the maiden resource, West Coast Silver’s Elizabeth Hill project is poised for significant resource growth, though upcoming assay results and economic studies will be key to defining its development trajectory.
Questions in the middle?
- How will upcoming assay results from final diamond holes impact the next resource update?
- What is the potential scale and economic significance of the newly identified nickel-copper-palladium mineralisation?
- To what extent can geophysical surveys unlock further high-grade silver targets along the Munni Munni Fault Zone?