Terra Metals has confirmed a substantial extension of its Southwest sulfide discovery at the Dante Project, with new drilling revealing broad, continuous PGM-Cu-Ni mineralisation over a 1,100m strike. Five rigs are drilling aggressively as the company targets a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate by late 2026.
- Broad PGM-Cu-Ni mineralisation confirmed over 1,100m strike
- Multiple high-grade reefs intersected in diamond tail drillholes
- Five rigs active with over 56,000m drilled and 32,000m assays pending
- Southwest discovery distinct from existing Dante Reefs resource
- Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate targeted for late 2026
Drill Results Confirm Expanding Southwest Sulfide Corridor
Terra Metals Limited (ASX:TM1) has delivered a fresh tranche of diamond tail drilling results that reinforce the scale and continuity of its Southwest Discovery at the Dante Project in Western Australia. New assays from drillholes SWRD055, SWRD057, and SWDD018 reveal broad zones of platinum group metals (PGM), copper, and nickel mineralisation stretching over a 1,100-metre strike extent within the Southwest Main Sulfide Corridor.
Notably, SWRD057 extended high-grade reef mineralisation approximately 360 metres along strike from previous intercepts, with multiple thick intervals grading up to 3.16g/t 3E (Pt+Pd+Au) combined with significant nickel and copper. SWRD055 also confirmed a vertically extensive mineralised package with intervals such as 232 metres at 0.84g/t 3E and 0.15% nickel, containing several higher-grade reefs. Meanwhile, SWDD018 supports the northern continuation of mineralisation with 168 metres of combined sulfide intercepts from 205 metres depth.
Geological Model Holds as Drilling Advances
The results validate Terra Metals' geological interpretation of a laterally extensive and robust magmatic sulfide system characterised by multiple stacked high-grade reefs hosted within a thick mafic-ultramafic complex. The mineralisation remains open along strike and at depth, with the company highlighting that all infill and extensional holes to date have intersected sulfides.
Five drill rigs are currently active at Dante, with more than 56,000 metres completed and assays pending for approximately 32,000 metres, underscoring an aggressive exploration campaign. The recently completed heritage surveys have unlocked new ground for drilling, further expanding the potential footprint of the Southwest mineralised system.
Southwest Discovery: A Distinct and Significant Growth Opportunity
Southwest represents a new style of PGM-Cu-Ni-Co sulfide mineralisation distinct from the existing 148 million tonne Dante Reefs Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). Unlike the stratiform reefs that dominate the current resource, Southwest’s mineralisation spans multiple ultramafic units, offering a thicker and more complex mineralised package with significant upside potential.
The discovery corridor extends over 1,100 metres of strike, approximately 700 metres in width, with continuous downhole thicknesses up to 448 metres and at least 750 metres down-dip from surface. This scale positions Southwest as a key growth pillar within the Jameson Layered Intrusion and the broader Dante Project.
Strategic Importance and Next Steps
Terra Metals emphasises the strategic significance of the Southwest discovery within the Australian PGM landscape. Platinum group metals are critical for automotive catalytic converters, hydrogen technologies, and various industrial applications, with global supply chains under increasing scrutiny.
The company is progressing toward a maiden Southwest MRE targeted for late 2026, supported by ongoing drilling, ground and downhole electromagnetic surveys, structural modelling, and metallurgical testwork. These efforts aim to underpin a future Pre-Feasibility Study and position the project for development in a market hungry for critical minerals.
CEO Thomas Line noted the encouraging pace at which the system is being defined and highlighted the potential for Southwest to become an important component of the Dante Project’s portfolio. The completion of heritage surveys and the addition of new drill targets provide further avenues to unlock value.
Bottom Line?
Terra Metals is rapidly defining a large, high-grade PGM-Cu-Ni sulfide system at Southwest, with a maiden resource estimate now within reach as drilling intensifies and new ground opens up.
Questions in the middle?
- How will pending assay results from the remaining 32,000 metres influence the scale and grade of the Southwest resource?
- What metallurgical challenges might arise given the complex, multi-horizon mineralisation style at Southwest?
- Could Southwest’s distinct magmatic sulfide system attract strategic partnerships or investment amid rising critical mineral demand?