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Cobre Limited (ASX: CBE, Cobre or Company) is pleased to announce that CBE, and certain wholly owned subsidiaries (also Cobre), have executed an Earn-In Agreement (Transaction) with a wholly owned subsidiary of BHP Group Ltd (BHP) under which BHP will provide up to US$25 million (~A$40m) for exploration expenditure for Cobre's Kitlanya East and Kitlanya West Copper Projects (Kitlanya Projects) and be granted the right to earn a 75% interest in the Kitlanya Projects, located on the northern and southern basin margins respectively of the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) in Botswana. The Transaction is a result of Cobre's successful participation in the 2024 BHP Xplor program which also provided funding for the recently completed seismic survey on the Kitlanya West Project (see ASX announcement 22 August 2024).
Highlights
- The Transaction comprises the following key funding terms (detailed in Schedule 1):
- A minimum of US$5 million of committed funding to be paid to Cobre within 2 years of the commencement date with a planned budget of US$7m (A$11m) for exploration expenditure for the Kitlanya Projects starting in April 2025; and
- BHP can earn a 75% interest in the Kitlanya Projects by funding US$25 million (inclusive of the initial US$5 million) for exploration expenditure for the Kitlanya Projects.
- Cobre Botswana will be appointed operator during the earn-in phase and will be entitled to a management fee of no less than US$250,000 per annum.
- Upon commencement of the 75:25 joint venture, BHP may provide a loan to Cobre to fund Cobre's portion of joint venture expenditure up until the final investment decision.
- An additional payment of up to US$10 million, calculated at $5/tonne contained copper, is payable to Cobre upon the declaration of a maiden JORC Compliant Mineral Resource (JORC) at the Kitlanya Projects.
- If the Transaction is terminated during the Earn-In Phase and BHP has funded at least US$20 million for exploration expenditure, BHP will be entitled to a 2.0% net smelter royalty in respect of the Kitlanya Projects. Cobre may, in certain circumstances, buy back 50% of this royalty for an amount equal to the aggregate of exploration expenditure funded by BHP at the time of electing to exercise the buy-back.
- The Transaction does not cover Cobre’s flagship Ngami and Okavango Copper Projects which Cobre will continue to operate and advance independently.
The Transaction underscores Cobre's confidence in the potential for its projects to host Tier 1 copper- silver deposits. A partnership with BHP provides the exploration funding, scale and expertise to maximise Cobre's chances of making significant new discoveries on our basin margin exploration ground while retaining 100% ownership of its Ngami and Okavango Copper Projects.
The planned work programme for the initial US$7m includes several deep (~1km) diamond holes combined with active 2D seismic survey designed to assess key components of the Mineral System required for Tier 1 copper deposit formation. Mobilisation for the first phase of drilling, which will test targets identified in the 2024 seismic programme at Kitlanya West, is scheduled for April 2025.
Tim O’Connor, BHP Group Exploration Officer said:
"We are thrilled to continue our partnership with one of the BHP Xplor alumni, Cobre Limited, through this agreement. This collaboration reflects our excitement for the exploration potential in Botswana and underscores the high standard of partnerships we see coming out of the BHP Xplor program. The Kitlanya Projects in Botswana represent an exciting opportunity to uncover Tier 1 copper-silver deposits, and we are pleased to contribute our expertise and resources to this venture.”
Commenting on the Transaction, Adam Wooldridge, Cobre’s Chief Executive Officer, said:
“This significant transaction with BHP, one of the world’s leading mining companies, is a major moment in time for Cobre as a company as well as a testament to the success of BHP’s Xplor programme. The partnership with BHP will provide us with the funding and support necessary to implement a technology-driven work programme designed to discover the Tier 1 deposits we believe may be hosted in our Kitlanya East and West Projects.
Independently, Cobre will continue advancing its Ngami and Okavango copper Projects.This combined strategy provides exposure to potential Tier 1 discoveries, a development opportunity at Ngami and short-term discoveries on our Okavango project.”
Commenting on the transaction, Martin Holland Chairman of the Cobre board, said:
“First and foremost, I would like to extend my gratitude to BHP for their exceptional efforts in the 2024 BHP Xplor program, which aims to foster bold thinking and elevate global exploration to new heights.
I would also like to thank the Cobre Board and team, especially our CEO Adam Wooldridge and Technical Lead Thomas Krebs, for their tireless dedication throughout the year-and-a-half-long process that has led us to this point and for their efforts in successfully finalising this transaction with BHP.”
Figure 1. Locality map illustrating the position of Cobre’s project areas. Green licenses are relevant tothe Transaction, dark grey licenses will be run, and are owned, independently by Cobre.
Geology, Mineralisation and Exploration Target
Mineralisation in the KCB is sediment-hosted and structurally controlled, with copper-silver mineralisation most frequently hosted along the redox contact between the basal units of the reduced marine sedimentary rocks of the D’Kar Formation and oxidised clastic sedimentary red bed units of the Kuke and Ngwako Pan Formations and the underlying volcanosedimentary Kgwebe Formation. Of particular interest for Tier 1 deposits are the tight, upright folds which offer ideal trap-sites for upgrading of copper-silver mineralisation and formation of large deposits. These folds are typically bounded by district-scale shears (often with evidence of copper anomalism) which would provide the necessary plumbing architecture for movement of copper-rich fluids during basin formation and subsequent closure and deformation. A schematic illustration of the preserved fold hinge model is illustrated in Figure 2. The upcoming exploration programme will focus on testing these buried anticline hinge zones along with assessing primary basin architecture, source rocks, fluid pathways and trap-site mechanisms.
Figure 2: Schematic illustrating of the target model compared with typical settings for known KCB deposits.
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This article includes content from Cobre Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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Cobre Limited
Investor Insight
Cobre offers investors a rare combination of district-scale copper-silver discovery potential, near-term development upside through its ISCR-ready Ngami copper project, and a capital-light growth model underpinned by major-partner funding and diversified exposure to critical minerals.
Overview
Cobre (ASX:CBE) is an Australian exploration company unlocking the copper-silver potential of the Kalahari Copper Belt in Botswana, one of the world’s most prospective but underexplored sediment-hosted copper provinces. With approximately 5,348 sq km of land position, the company’s near-term focus is the Ngami copper project (NCP), where a maiden JORC resource at the Comet deposit establishes an initial copper-silver resource with strong in-situ copper recovery (ISCR) development credentials.
Cobre’s project location in the Kalahari Copper Belt
Cobre’s growth strategy balances district-scale discovery potential with development-ready assets, leveraging major-partner funding, including up to AU$40 million (US$25 million) investment from BHP to accelerate exploration at Kitlanya, while concentrating company capital on advancing NCP through technical, environmental and permitting milestones. The company complements its Botswana assets with strategic exposure to high-purity quartz and volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) opportunities in Western Australia. This diversified, capital-light approach aims to build shareholder value through discovery, derisking and development optionality.
Company Highlights
- Dominant land position – ~5,348 sq km across Botswana’s Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB), the second largest tenement package in the districtInvestor
- Maiden JORC Mineral Resource – Comet deposit (Ngami copper project): 11.5 Mt @ 0.52 percent copper and 11.6 grams per ton (g/t) silver (60.3 kt copper; 4.3 Moz silver), incl. 1.1 Mt indicated @ 0.59 percent copper and 12.8 g/t silver
- BHP partnership – Eight-year earn-in across Kitlanya East & West, allowing BHP to earn 75 percent by providing up to US$25 million for exploration expenditure, while Cobre retains exposure
- BHP Xplor cohort – Selected in 2024, securing US$500,000 non-dilutive funding and technical support
- Multi-jurisdiction exploration portfolio – Botswana (copper-silver), Western Australia (VMS, high-purity quartz)
Key Projects
Ngami Copper Project
The 100 percent owned Ngami copper project is Cobre’s flagship asset and the primary focus of current exploration and technical work. Situated in the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB), NCP spans multiple licences covering highly prospective sediment-hosted copper-silver targets along basin margins.
Comet Deposit – Maiden JORC Resource
- Announced in August 2025, the Comet deposit hosts 11.5 Mt @ 0.52 percent copper and 11.6 g/t silver, including 1.1 Mt indicated @ 0.59 percent copper and 12.8 g/t silver, at a 0.2 percent copper cut-off.
- Contained metal: ~60,300 tonnes copper and 4.3 Moz silver.
- Mineralisation is predominantly fine-grained chalcocite, an ideal feedstock for hydrometallurgical processing.
In-Situ Copper Recovery Development Potential
ISCR is a low-cost, low-impact method of producing copper by circulating a solution through the orebody underground to dissolve and pump the metal to surface for processing. For Cobre’s Ngami project, ISCR offers the potential to unlock value without the expense and disruption of conventional mining, thanks to favourable geology, high recoveries in test work, and minimal surface disturbance – positioning it as a potentially faster, cleaner and more capital-efficient path to production.
Exploration Upside
Beyond the initial Comet resource, Ngami hosts extensive growth potential with 40 km of mineralised strike and large, defined exploration targets that could significantly expand the resource base. Early drilling at new zones, such as the Cosmos target, has intersected high-grade copper. More than 20 km of prospective contact remains untested, offering multiple opportunities for further discoveries that could enhance scale, mine life and project economics.
Kitlanya East & West
Cobre’s Kitlanya East and West licences, also located in Botswana, involve an eight-year earn-in agreement with BHP. Under the deal, BHP can invest up to US$25 million to earn a 75 percent interest in Kitlanya, allowing the company to leverage a major partner’s technical expertise and funding while retaining exposure to potential tier-one discoveries. Exploration is targeting preserved fold hinge settings along basin margins – geological positions known to host large sediment-hosted copper deposits – using advanced geophysics and seismic techniques to define high-priority drill targets.
Okavango Copper Project
Another Botswana copper asset, the Okavango project is located along strike from MMG’s Zone 5 deposit. Okavango offers 186 km of prospective contact in the northeast Kalahari Copper Belt. Early drilling has intersected multiple zones of anomalous copper and silver mineralisation, and geophysical data shows gravity signatures comparable to those in producing areas, indicating strong potential for significant new discoveries.
Perrinvale Project
In addition to its African portfolio, Cobre holds the Perrinvale project in Western Australia, prospective for both high-grade VMS mineralisation and high-purity quartz (HPQ). The HPQ target has an exploration range of 5.1 to 28.3 Mt grading 99.1 to 99.6 percent SiO₂, positioning it as a potential supplier to critical silicon markets for renewable energy and electronics.
Management Team
Martin Holland – Executive Chairman
Martin Holland is the founder of Cobre and co-founder of multiple ASX-listed companies, including Lithium Power International. He has more than 15 years’ experience in capital markets and resource company leadership, raising more than AU$200 million for exploration.
Adam Wooldridge – Chief Executive Officer
Founding partner and CEO of KML, Adam Woolridge has more than 28 years’ experience in exploration management and target generation in Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
Ross McGowan – Non-executive Director
CEO of Armada Metals and founder of RED Group, Ross McGowan has over 20 years of experience in African exploration, and was part of the Kamoa discovery team.
Michael McNeilly – Non-executive Director
Michael McNeilly, is a corporate financier and CEO of Strata Plc, with experience across multiple listed resource companies.
Michael Addison – Non-executive Director
Michael Addison is the founder of Endocoal, Carabella Resources and Genex Power, with extensive mining and energy development background.
Andrew Sissian – Non-executive Director
Andrew Sissian is co-founder of Cobre and Procon Telematics. He is a corporate and capital markets specialist with a CPA background.
Unlocking Copper and Critical Minerals for a Low-carbon Future
Nine Mile samples up to 18.27% Cu at Wedge
As previously reported, the Cominco drill data were acquired by Nine Mile and formatted to facilitate modelling. With the addition of Mike Dufresne, MSc, PGeol, PGeo, of Apex Geoscience Ltd. to the technical advisory committee, the company provided the technical database to Apex for 3-D modelling and drill hole targeting. Data provided included all historic drill holes and assays in addition to the recent successful drilling conducted by Nine Mile. To further assist in targeting, the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) magnetics and borehole electromagnetic (BHEM) data collected by EarthEx Geophysical Solutions Inc. was integrated into the modelling in addition to the initial, reprocessed MegaTEM conductivity interpretation that highlighted the Wedge and the Wedge VMS trend.
At the Wedge mine's western extension (Target 2), modelling has focused on the unmined portions of the deposit with drill holes targeting a copper-rich lens to the west and the unexplored depth extension below 150 metres, where recent drilling and historical cross-sections indicate mineralization occurring to a minimum depth of 300 metres. Apex is designing a sequence of drill holes to test the seven modelled TDEM (time-domain electromagnetic) conductivity plates adjacent to the Tribag VMS occurrence identified by EarthEx (Target 3).
In preparation for drilling, prospecting was conducted at surface in an area proximal to the proposed drill collars along the western flank of the Wedge mine stepping out to test the expansion westward of the mine footprint. A total of 19 samples were catalogued, photographed, and then analyzed with a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument utilizing an Olympus Vanta 50 portable 50-kilovolt workstation and Reflex XRF software to provide instant real-time geochemical information. Each sample was analyzed in three separate locations and the results averaged by the Reflex XRF software. The XRF process included calibrating the machine and utilizing two standards in the sample stream (OREAS622 and CDN-BL-10) twice during analysis. The results are presented in Table 1. The samples have been forwarded to ALS Global in Moncton, N.B., for preparation, with final geochemical analysis conducted in Vancouver, B.C.
Highlights:
- Samples were massive VMS (copper-lead-zinc) mineralization collected at the coming Wedge drill area.
- The samples were weathered and predominantly copper rich with minor lead/zinc.
- Most samples consisted of 90 per cent plus sulphides and minor quartz and accessory minerals.
Samples 280370 and 280375 are examples of the massive high-grade cooper sulphide mineralization. The samples were collected in the area immediately to the northeast of proposed drill holes 25WG-01 and 25WD-02.
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Mr. Dufresne, Apex's president and an independent consultant and technical adviser, commented that these high-quality conductivity targets at the Wedge mine's western extension and TriBag target line up with the horizons that have yielded high-quality VMS drill intersections at the Main Wedge deposit and, based upon the modelling to date, could provide some new exciting discoveries for Nine Mile with the planned drilling.
Gary Lohman, PGeo, vice-president, exploration, stated: "With the provincial-wide fire ban lifted and Apex Geoscience's 3-D modelling complete, the team is looking forward to drilling at the Wedge mine's western extension. With the assistance of Apex, two main zones of mineralization have been identified, one copper rich and another primarily lead/zinc. Targeting has been refined by leveraging the extensive geological and geophysical data (including recent borehole EM and plate modelling), allowing us to prioritize copper mineralization in the upcoming program. This western extension area is the high-grade section of the deposit focused on the copper-rich lens. These massive sulphide samples clearly demonstrate the potential of this untapped area at depth. We are building on last year's new eastern extension successes with our eight VMS drill holes with results of 136.31 metres of 0.68 per cent copper equivalent, including 40 metres of 2.03 per cent copper equivalent (see news release [dated March 26, 2024]). A key aspect here is testing this deposit at depth and how far it extends westward resulting in additional new tonnage."
Qualified person
The technical content of this news release pertaining to the Wedge project was reviewed and approved by Mr. Lohman, a non-independent qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
About Nine Mile Metals Ltd.
Nine Mile Metals is a Canadian public mineral exploration company focused on VMS (copper, lead, zinc, silver and gold) exploration in the world-famous Bathurst mining camp in New Brunswick, Canada. The company's primary business objective is to explore its four VMS projects: the Nine Mile Brook VMS project, the California Lake VMS project, the Canoe Landing Lake (East West) project and the Wedge VMS project. The company is focused on exploration of minerals for technology, positioning for the boom in EV (electric vehicle) and green technologies requiring copper, silver, lead and zinc with a hedge with gold.
We seek Safe Harbor.
Empire Metals Limited Announces Appointment of Marketing Manager
- Appointment of Marketing Manager, Michael Tamlin, to lead product strategy and end-user engagement.
- Partnership with TiPMC Consulting extended, providing strategic titanium market insights.
- Bulk metallurgical testwork progressing well, producing concentrate for downstream processing and larger product samples for end-user evaluation.
Appointment of Marketing Managerto Accelerate Product Development
Empire has appointed Mr. Michael Tamlin as Marketing Manager, which is aligned with the Company's objective to optimise product development, assess commercial process flowsheet options and progress the Project toward a feasibility study.
Further strengthening the Company's in-house product development capabilities. Mr. Tamlin is a metallurgist with over 30 years' experience in the resources sector, including senior roles in marketing and commercialising mineral products. Most recently, he served as Head of Lithium at Neometals Ltd, where he was responsible for managing the pilot development and commercialisation of the ELi™ lithium hydroxide production process in joint venture with Mineral Resources Ltd. His expertise will be instrumental in building Pitfield's product strategy and engaging with potential end-users in high-value titanium markets.
Continuing Partnership with TiPMC Consulting:
Empire has extended its consultancy agreement with TiPMC, a highly respected, US-based titanium industry consultancy. TiPMC will provide oversight of the titanium pigment and metal markets and provide guidance to the Company's technical and marketing team as they continue to develop the processing flowsheet and optimise the products.
Commenting on the announcement, Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, said:
"I am delighted to welcome Michael to our team. His extensive marketing expertise will be invaluable as we move toward defining the economic potential and product strategy for Pitfield. This appointment marks an important next step towards building a strong, in-house team, an approach which has been key to our successful and rapid progress.
"We are also very pleased to continue to be working with TiPMC Consulting, whose reputation and experience in the titanium industry is unparalleled."
Product Development Update
Initial results from the large-scale metallurgical testwork programme, involving mineral separation techniques that required bulk feed samples of between approximately 0.5 to 1.5 tonnes each, was announced on 28 August 2025. The bulk testwork programme is progressing well, focusing on ore scrubbing, desliming and gravity spiral testwork, as well as flotation testwork on both the fines fraction, separated in the desliming step, and whole of ore samples. Large scale scrubbing and spiral gravity testwork has been completed on Thomas and Cosgrove weathered sandstone bulk samples and the screened fines have been sent for flotation testwork. As part of this programme, mineral concentrates will be produced for downstream processing, testing both hydrometallurgical and product finishing flowsheet concepts.
This bulk testwork programme will produce significant volumes of concentrates which will feed into the product development and optimisation testwork and result in larger product samples which can be delivered to potential end users for assessment. The role of Marketing Manager will be fundamental to identifying these potential end users and for the development of a high value customer base for a variety of titanium products from Pitfield.
The Marketing Manager will also be responsible for conducting market research, focusing on high value end uses and likely consumers, preparing a Marketing Strategy and Marketing Presentation for the Project and for identifying key customers and suitable product suites in advance of sending out marketing enquiries and product samples.
About TiPMC Consulting
TiPMC Consulting provides independent consulting analyses, perspectives and recommendations for financial as well as industry functions and segments. Their expertise includes thorough reviews of business data as well as the operational, technical, and marketing functionalities for mining, metals, pigments, and chemical industry segments.
Their industry clients recognize the value of their incisive focus on the TiO2 value chain as well as associated businesses, including thorough reviews of fluorochemicals, fluoropolymers, titanium metal and alloys, costings, and other industries associated with the titanium value chain.
The Pitfield Titanium Project
Located within the Mid-West region of Western Australia, near the northern wheatbelt town of Three Springs, the Pitfield titanium project lies 313km north of Perth and 156km southeast of Geraldton, the Mid West region's capital and major port. Western Australia is a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction and has mining-friendly policies, stable government, transparency, and advanced technology expertise. Pitfield has existing connections to port (both road & rail), HV power substations, and is nearby to natural gas pipelines (refer Figure 2).
Figure 2. Pitfield Project Location showing theMid-West Region Infrastructure and Services.
Competent Person Statement
The scientific and technical information in this report that relates to process metallurgy is based on information reviewed by Ms Narelle Marriott, an employee of Empire Metals Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Empire. Ms Marriott is a member of the AusIMM and has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012. Ms. Marriott consents to the inclusion in this announcement of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.
The technical information in this report that relates to the geology and exploration of the Pitfield Project has been compiled by Mr Andrew Faragher, an employee of Empire Metals Australia Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Empire. Mr. Faragher is a member of the AusIMM and has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012. Mr Faragher consents to the inclusion in this release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed and OTCQX-traded exploration and resource development company (LON: EEE,OTCQX: EPMLF) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the in-situ mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, in-situ bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the in-situ weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. See RNS dated 12 June 2024 for full details.
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
Empire Metals Limited Announces Director/PDMR Shareholding
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listedand OTCQX-traded exploration and resource development company (LON: EEE,OTCQX: EPMLF) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the in-situ mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, in-situ bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the in-situ weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. See RNS dated 12 June 2024 for full details.
NOTIFICATION AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF TRANSACTIONS BY PERSONS DISCHARGING MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERSONS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THEM
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
Empire Metals Limited Announces Company Update
Overview
- Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate on track for release in October 2025.
- The maiden MRE will provide a platform for mine scoping studies.
- Expanded metallurgical testwork and optimisation programmes are underway, leading to continuous pilot-scale operations.
Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, commented:
"Empire has achieved exceptional progress at Pitfield in a very short time and its operational trajectory continues to impress. The combination of outstanding drill results, breakthrough metallurgy, and further injection of capital in May has transformed the Company. These fundamentals remain unchanged and continue to strengthen. Pitfield is now firmly established as a project of global significance, with a unique combination of scale, grade and processing simplicity that sets it apart from other titanium projects worldwide.
"We look forward to sharing further milestones in the coming weeks as we add further tangible value to the Company through the delineation of a maiden MRE at Pitfield."
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed and OTCQX-traded exploration and resource development company (LON: EEE, OTCQX: EPMLF) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the in-situ mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, in-situ bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the in-situ weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. See RNS dated 12 June 2024 for full details.
This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
High-Grade Copper-Gold Extensions at Nugent
High Grade Copper-Gold mineralisation extensions discovered during extensional and infill drilling at Nugent, with multiple outstanding intersections returned, including:
- 21m @ 0.85% Cu + 0.98g/t Au from 136m downhole in 25KVUG0653
- 15m @ 0.91% Cu + 0.29g/t Au from 161m downhole in 25KVUG0653
- 11.5m @ 0.99% Cu + 0.79g/t Au from 145.5m downhole in 25KVUG0543
- Including 4m @ 1.93% Cu +1.14g/t Au from 153m
- 8m @ 0.85% Cu + 0.36g/t Au from 177m downhole in 25KVUG0555
- 5m @ 1.43% Cu + 0.34g/t Au from 194m downhole in 25KVUG0555
- 3m @ 0.98% Cu + 0.99g/t Au from 171m downhole in 25KVUG0559
- 4m @ 0.76% Cu + 0.46g/t Au from 177m downhole in 25KVUG0559
Figure 1: Plan View of drilling showing the high Gold grades intersected at the Southern end of Nugent against the 2024 MRE sliced at the 1020 metre RL displaying Gold grades.
Commenting on the drilling results, Hillgrove CEO and Managing Director, Bob Fulker said:
“It is encouraging that each time we test a geological theory we continue to identify additional mineralisation and gain a better understanding of the controls on mineralisation. These results are very exciting, as they provide a greater understanding of the Gold distribution throughout Nugent. It was previously thought that the Southern extent of Nugent had lower Gold grade, based on previous drilling, but these results show this is not the case.
It is also pleasing that as we drill beyond our current understanding of the Nugent ore body, we continue to encounter an expanding alteration corridor with Copper and Gold mineralisation within it. The Nugent 1020 Southern Ore Drive will commence stoping in the December quarter this year.”
Figure 2: View towards the east showing the high Copper grades intersected at the Southern end of Nugent against the 2024 MRE displaying Copper Grades
The Nugent drilling completed to date has targeted resource definition, with the focus shifting in recent weeks to grade control as first Nugent production draws closer. The recent assays from the 1010 diamond drill site have a dual purpose of both grade control and resource definition, with the results sitting further south-west than previously identified from resource drilling at surface. The high-grade intersections include 21metres @ 0.85% Cu and 0.98g/t Au (uncut) from 136 metres downhole in 25KVUG0653 and 11.5 metres @ 0.99% Cu & 0.79g/t Au (uncut) from 145.5 metres downhole in 25KVUG0543. These results improve the understanding of high-grade geometry and interaction of the Copper and Gold bearing fluids in the alteration corridor.
Drilling is ongoing for both stope definition and resource expansion throughout the Kanmantoo system, with upcoming Nugent drilling planned to target the northern end of the 1020 level. This will provide input into future planning alongside operational requirements for stope and development designs. Drilling is currently underway from the 1010 diamond drill site targeting Emily Star, with initial results pending.
Figure 1 above details the location of significant intersections relating to the current 2024 Kanmantoo Mineral Resource Estimate1 gold values, with gold results displayed for the drilling results. The full list of significant intersections is included in Table 1 below. Figure 2 above details a section view of drilling results showing the Copper results against the 2024 Kanmantoo Mineral Resource Estimate1 Copper values.
Drilling from underground remains on track to achieve the target of 60,000 metres by the end of the calendar year. August delivered 8,114.6 metres of diamond drilling, which is a record for the company to date. Year-to-date, a total of 42,816.2 metres has been drilled. An updated Resource estimation will be released in the December quarter 2025 inclusive of drilling results up to mid-August.
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Empire Metals Limited Announces Director/PDMR Shareholding
Empire Metals Limited (LON:EEE)(OTCQX:EPMLF), the AIM-quoted resource exploration and development company, announces that it was notified today that Mr Greg Kuenzel, Finance Director, purchased 111,091 ordinary shares of no par value in the share capital of the Company ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 45 pence each.
Following this purchase, Mr Kuenzel's total beneficial ownership in the Company is 3,969,669 Ordinary Shares representing 0.57% of the Company's issued share capital.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed and OTCQX-traded exploration and resource development company (LON: EEE, OTCQX: EPMLF) with a primary focus on developing Pitfield, an emerging giant titanium project in Western Australia.
The high-grade titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, with airborne surveys identifying a massive, coincident gravity and magnetics anomaly extending over 40km by 8km by 5km deep. Drill results have indicated excellent continuity in grades and consistency of the in-situ mineralised beds and confirm that the sandstone beds hold the higher-grade titanium dioxide (TiO₂) values within the interbedded succession of sandstones, siltstones and conglomerates. The Company is focused on two key prospects (Cosgrove and Thomas), which have been identified as having thick, high-grade, near-surface, in-situ bedded TiO₂ mineralisation, each being over 7km in strike length.
An Exploration Target* for Pitfield was declared in 2024, covering the Thomas and Cosgrove mineral prospects, and was estimated to contain between 26.4 to 32.2 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.5 to 5.5% TiO2. Included within the total Exploration Target* is a subset that covers the in-situ weathered sandstone zone, which extends from surface to an average vertical depth of 30m to 40m and is estimated to contain between 4.0 to 4.9 billion tonnes with a grade range of 4.8 to 5.9% TiO2.
The Exploration Target* covers an area less than 20% of the overall mineral system at Pitfield which demonstrates the potential for significant further upside.
Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.
*The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to estimate a Mineral Resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. See RNS dated 12 June 2024 for full details.
NOTIFICATION AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF TRANSACTIONS BY PERSONS DISCHARGING MANAGERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERSONS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THEM
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