en.Wedoany.com Reported - Anax Metals has initiated the first phase of diamond drilling at the Mons Cupri copper-zinc deposit within the Whim Creek copper-zinc project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The drilling program comprises 18 holes totaling 5,000 meters, primarily targeting extensions at depth and along strike of the Mons Cupri deposit, with a focus on the primary volcanic-hosted massive sulfide (VHMS) horizon, which remains largely unexplored below approximately 120 meters vertical depth.

Managing Director Geoff Laing stated that the commencement of the first-phase drilling marks a milestone for both the company and the Whim Creek project. He noted that Mons Cupri is the cornerstone of project development, supporting 55% of total ore reserves, yet the primary VHMS sulfide horizon driving the mineralizing system remains largely untested below 120 meters. Laing said the 5,000-meter program aims to test this potential by targeting deep and strike extensions, with historical intersections such as 80 meters at 1.95% copper demonstrating the grade and scale of mineralization.

The main Mons Cupri lens hosts reserves of 2.55 million tonnes at 1.09% copper and 1.29% zinc, accounting for 55% of Anax's total proven and probable ore reserves. Historical drilling has yielded intersections including 80 meters at 1.95% copper from 78 meters, 63 meters at 1.91% copper from 48 meters, and 53 meters at 1.73% copper from 40 meters. Since the 1970s, multiple operators have completed 515 holes at Mons Cupri, including 282 reverse circulation holes averaging approximately 75 meters in depth and 233 diamond holes averaging 186 meters in depth, providing the primary geological framework.

Anax stated that the first-phase drilling program will also collect samples for metallurgical test work to further evaluate the project. The company noted that targets within the broader lens system and beyond remain largely untested at depth. The Whim Creek project hosts multiple VHMS deposits, including Mons Cupri, Whim Creek, Evelyn, and Salt Creek. Anax holds an 80% interest in the project, with the remaining 20% held by Develop Global. Located 120 kilometers southwest of Port Hedland and accessible via the Northwest Coastal Highway, the project is the only fully permitted, ready-to-develop base metals project in the West Pilbara region, capable of processing both oxide and sulfide ores. The drilling program is fully funded by a 6 million share placement completed in June 2026. Anax Metals expects that Mons Cupri will provide the primary feed source for the planned 400,000-tonne-per-annum processing plant during the initial phase of operations.