West Coast Silver (ASX:WCE) has delivered a maiden 2.8 million ounce silver resource at Elizabeth Hill, with recent drilling revealing new high-grade zones and potential nickel-copper-palladium mineralisation, underpinning a clear growth and development plan.
- Maiden resource of 2.795 Moz silver at 617 g/t Ag
- Diamond drilling confirms new high-grade silver zone with 1.5 m at 1,039 g/t Ag
- Potential nickel-copper-palladium mineralisation intersected
- District-scale geophysical survey underway with WA Government grant
- Growth & Development Plan targets resource expansion and staged economic evaluation
Maiden Resource Establishes High-Grade Foundation
West Coast Silver Limited (ASX:WCE) has marked a milestone at its Elizabeth Hill Silver Project in Western Australia's Pilbara with the release of its inaugural Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). The estimate comprises 141,000 tonnes grading 617 grams per tonne (g/t) silver, equating to 2.795 million ounces of contained silver above a 20 g/t cut-off. Notably, 86% of this resource is classified as Inferred, highlighting a substantial opportunity for conversion through further drilling.
The resource is constrained within an optimised open pit shell approximately 200 by 180 metres and 130 metres deep, supporting reasonable prospects for economic extraction. At a higher 60 g/t cut-off, 97% of the contained silver ounces are retained in just over half the tonnage, indicating the high-grade nature of the deposit.
New High-Grade Zones and Broader Mineralisation Confirmed
Following the quarter, diamond drill hole 26WCDD029 delivered a standout intersection of 3 metres at 524 g/t silver from 183 metres, including a bonanza-grade 1.5 metres at 1,039 g/t silver. This intercept defines a new, discrete high-grade silver zone beneath and south of the historical workings, extending the known mineralised footprint and opening a priority target at depth.
Final reverse circulation (RC) assay results from a 32-hole, 2,710-metre program at Elizabeth Hill North confirmed broad near-surface silver mineralisation extending north and west of the April 2026 MRE. Highlights include 44 metres at 26 g/t silver from surface and 41 metres at 23 g/t silver from 1 metre, with several holes ending in mineralisation, suggesting the system remains open along strike.
Intriguingly, the same diamond hole 26WCDD029 intersected massive sulphides containing 0.45 metres at 2.73% nickel, 0.93% copper, and 0.7 g/t palladium, hinting at the potential for an additional nickel-copper-palladium mineralisation style within the Munni Munni Intrusive Complex.
Growth & Development Plan and District-Scale Exploration
WCE has outlined a staged Growth & Development Plan focusing on resource expansion, conversion of Inferred to Indicated Resources, metallurgical testing, mine-study inputs, and economic evaluation. The company is advancing drilling to test extensions north, south, and at depth, aiming to enhance resource confidence and size.
Supporting this, a major district-scale geophysical survey program using induced polarisation (IP) and controlled-source audio-frequency magnetotellurics (CSAMT) is underway over approximately 4 kilometres of the Munni Munni Fault Zone. The program benefits from a $114,312 co-funded grant from the Western Australian Government Exploration Incentive Scheme, underscoring government support for the project.
A specialist technical review has identified geological similarities between Elizabeth Hill and global 5-element silver systems, incorporating silver, arsenic, cobalt, nickel, and bismuth. This emerging model broadens exploration potential across the 180 km² project area, particularly along the fault corridor.
Corporate and Joint Venture Activity
West Coast Silver holds a 70% interest in Elizabeth Hill and reported a cash balance of $3 million at quarter-end. The company raised $203,400 through the exercise of 2.7 million options during the quarter, providing modest additional funding.
Exploration focus remains firmly on Elizabeth Hill, with no field activities conducted on other projects during the quarter. However, its JV partner Falcon Metals Ltd (ASX:FAL) plans to commence maiden RC drilling at the Olsen Well gold anomaly in the third quarter, subject to heritage clearance.
WCE is also exploring third-party processing options for Elizabeth Hill ore, having signed a memorandum of understanding with Artemis to potentially process silver at the nearby Radio Hill plant, located just 9 kilometres away. Discussions with other parties for toll treatment are ongoing.
Bottom Line?
West Coast Silver’s maiden resource and high-grade drill results at Elizabeth Hill lay a robust foundation, but upcoming assay results and resource updates will be critical to defining the project's trajectory.
Questions in the middle?
- Will further drilling convert a significant portion of Inferred Resources to Indicated, enhancing project economics?
- How will the potential nickel-copper-palladium mineralisation impact exploration priorities and valuation?
- Can the district-scale geophysical program identify new high-grade silver targets along the Munni Munni Fault?