BOA Resources is poised to launch a 7,500m drilling campaign at its Neds Creek Copper Project in WA, targeting the Ricci Lee prospect to define a maiden resource and build on recent asset acquisitions.
- Maiden 7,500m reverse circulation drilling program to start early August
- Ricci Lee prospect prioritised for resource definition drilling
- Thaduna and Green Dragon deposits add 121,000 tonnes of contained copper
- Heritage surveys completed and drill permits secured
- 2026 exploration plan includes multiple additional targets beyond Ricci Lee
Maiden Drilling Program Ready to Roll at Neds Creek
BOA Resources (ASX:BOA) is gearing up to commence its maiden drilling campaign at the Neds Creek Copper Project in Western Australia's Murchison district, with operations scheduled to begin in early August 2026. The company has ticked all the preparatory boxes, including completing heritage surveys, securing drill permits, and signing contracts for a 7,500-metre reverse circulation (RC) program comprising 53 holes.
This drilling push marks a significant milestone for BOA, following its recent consolidation of key assets in the region. The acquisition of the Thaduna and Green Dragon copper deposits, which together hold a JORC Mineral Resource Estimate of 5.3 million tonnes at 2.3% copper (121,000 tonnes contained), substantially bolsters the project’s copper inventory and underpins the company’s growth ambitions.
Ricci Lee Emerges as the Flagship Target
The Ricci Lee prospect has been designated as the priority target for this initial drilling phase. Located just 2 kilometres southwest of the Thaduna deposit, Ricci Lee is an advanced, drill-ready copper prospect with historical workings and previous drilling that have returned promising high-grade intersections. Notably, hole THC035 intersected 5 metres at 3.48% copper and 10 metres at 5.12% copper at around 200 metres vertical depth, indicating robust mineralisation in fresh rock.
BOA’s planned drilling at Ricci Lee aims to test extensions of known mineralisation along strike and at depth, with the goal of defining a maiden resource. The prospect shares geological and structural characteristics with the nearby Thaduna deposit, which hosts 4.1 million tonnes at 2.5% copper, suggesting Ricci Lee could evolve into a significant copper resource within the project.
Strategic Exploration Program to Expand Copper Inventory
Beyond Ricci Lee, BOA’s 2026 exploration program includes drilling at Rooney’s and four other priority prospects across the expansive 1,378 square kilometre Neds Creek tenure. The program combines 7,500 metres of RC drilling with an additional 7,500 metres of aircore drilling, targeting structurally controlled copper mineralisation consistent with the orientations seen at Thaduna and Green Dragon.
Managing Director Graeme Purcell emphasised the company’s readiness and funding position, highlighting the drilling campaign as the first step toward growing BOA’s copper inventory to an economic scale. Purcell’s appointment earlier in the year coincided with the company’s asset consolidation and strategic refocus on the Murchison copper belt, positioning BOA for a potentially transformative exploration phase.
With the drilling program imminent, the market will be watching closely for assay results and any indication of resource upgrades that could reshape BOA’s valuation and development trajectory.
Bottom Line?
BOA’s maiden drilling at Neds Creek is a pivotal test of its copper potential, with Ricci Lee’s results likely to set the tone for the company’s growth path in 2026.
Questions in the middle?
- Will Ricci Lee drilling confirm continuity sufficient for a maiden resource estimate?
- How will assay results influence BOA’s plans for advancing other Neds Creek prospects?
- What impact will resource upgrades have on BOA’s market positioning and funding options?