McLaren Minerals Hits 5.44% HM Grade Average as Titanium Deposit Strengthens South
Key Takeaways
- The latest 74-hole batch returned a length-weighted average of 5.44% HM over 16.2m average thickness — surpassing the previous batch average of 4.96% HM across 179 holes reported on 20 August 2026.
- Grade consistency is strengthening with each successive batch: 62% of holes in this release averaged at least 5% HM, up from 46% in the prior batch, with 89% of holes clearing the 4% HM threshold.
- Peak one-metre grade reached 16.43% HM in MAC434, while the highest complete-interval averages were 8.06% HM over 18m (MAC435) and 7.61% HM over 21m (MAC470) — both reported with no HM cut-off applied.
- Only 58% of drilled assay metres have been received to date, meaning nearly half the program's data — including results from the southeastern extension — remains unreported and represents a defined near-term newsflow pipeline.
- The 2026 drilling program targets confidence upgrades within the existing 529Mt Mineral Resource at 4.50% HM, with integration into an updated resource estimate and progression toward Ore Reserve and Bankable Feasibility Study activities as the next milestones.
Strongest assay batch yet from McLaren’s 2026 drilling program
McLaren Minerals has delivered its strongest set of assay results to date from the 2026 drilling program at the wholly owned McLaren Titanium Project in Western Australia. The latest batch covers 74 holes and 1,199m of complete sampled intervals, returning a length-weighted average of 5.44% HM over an average thickness of 16.2m, surpassing the previous batch average of 4.96% HM reported across 179 holes on 20 August 2026.
No HM cut-off was applied, and every reported interval commences at surface. That matters because it gives you an unfiltered view of what the deposit actually looks like, not a cherry-picked slice of the better zones. To date, 6,671 assays have been received from 11,568m drilled, representing 58% of the total program, with results continuing to be released progressively.
Simon Finnis, Managing Director, McLaren Minerals
“This is the strongest set of results yet from the 2026 drilling program. All from surface and across 1,199m of sampling, to return a length-weighted average of 5.44% HM over an average thickness of 16.2m is quite remarkable. I’ll put that in context: 62% of holes averaged at least 5% HM, up from 46% in the previous batch, and we recorded peak one-metre grades above 16% HM. The grade profile appears to be strengthening as we move south through the deposit, and what we’re seeing is consistently mineable grade and widths from surface across the entire dataset. Every batch seems to outdo the last. Long may it continue!”
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Grade consistency and thickness define the deposit
The headline average is impressive, but the distribution sitting beneath it is where the real investment story lives. Grade consistency across a mineral sands deposit determines whether you can build a reliable mine plan. What McLaren has returned here is not a handful of standout holes dragging an average upward; it is broad, repeatable performance across the drilling grid.
The grade distribution statistics from this batch tell that story clearly:
- 89% of holes (66 of 74) averaged at least 4% HM
- 62% of holes (46 of 74) averaged at least 5% HM, up from 46% in the previous batch
- 32% of holes (24 of 74) averaged at least 6% HM
The improvement in the 5%+ HM threshold from 46% to 62% across successive batches is a signal worth noting. It suggests the grade profile is not static; it is strengthening as drilling moves southward through the deposit.
Mineralised thickness from surface adds another layer of confidence:
- 73% of holes (54 of 74) returned at least 15m of complete sampled interval
- 15% of holes (11 of 74) returned at least 21m
Within the broader mineralised profile, higher-grade zones add further upside. 24 holes returned at least 10% HM, including 18 holes with at least 11% HM. The peak one-metre result was 16.43% HM in MAC434 from 8–9m.
The table below presents the standout individual hole results from the batch:
| Hole ID | Interval | Thickness | Average Grade (%HM) | Max Grade (%HM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MAC435 | Surface | 18m | 8.06% | 11.61% (13–14m) |
| MAC470 | Surface | 21m | 7.61% | 14.31% (11–12m) |
| MAC452 | Surface | 18m | 7.55% | 11.59% (8–9m) |
| MAC433 | Surface | 18m | 7.14% | 14.11% (11–12m) |
| MAC451 | Surface | 19m | 6.92% | 14.40% (18–19m) |
The highest complete-interval average grades were 8.06% HM over 18m in MAC435 and 7.61% HM over 21m in MAC470. Because no HM cut-off was applied, these averages reflect each hole’s complete sampled interval, not just selected higher-grade portions. That is a more conservative and more informative read of the deposit than figures derived from cut-off filtered reporting.
What is heavy mineral grade and why does it matter for titanium projects?
Heavy mineral (HM) grade refers to the percentage of heavy minerals contained within a drilled interval. At McLaren, those heavy minerals include ilmenite, rutile, leucoxene, and zircon.
The fact that every reported interval commences at surface is significant for a mineral sands project.
Subject to completion of the updated Mineral Resource estimate and further technical studies, grade consistency could support mine planning, production scheduling and ore-feed assumptions. A deposit that delivers high average grades across the majority of drill holes, rather than a few exceptional intercepts surrounded by mediocre material, is far easier to model and ultimately to mine economically.
The 2026 drilling program is designed to upgrade confidence in McLaren’s existing 529Mt Mineral Resource at 4.50% HM, not to replace it. The current resource sits at indicated and inferred classification levels, as shown below:
| JORC Classification | Tonnes (Mt) | HM Grade (%) | In-situ HM (Mt) | Slimes (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indicated | 249 | 4.70% | 11.8 | 28.9% |
| Inferred | 280 | 4.20% | 11.9 | 31.3% |
| Total | 529 | 4.50% | 23.7 | 30.1% |
The new drilling data, once fully integrated, is intended to support confidence upgrades within that resource framework and lay the groundwork for future Ore Reserve estimation. Titanium is classified as a critical mineral with applications across aerospace, defence, and energy sectors, which adds a demand-side dimension to the project’s longer-term significance.
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What’s next for McLaren as results continue to flow
With 58% of drilled assay metres received to date, the program has a substantial volume of data yet to enter the public domain. The company has outlined three clear next steps:
- Receipt, validation, and reporting of the remaining 2026 assay results
- Integration of the complete 2026 drilling dataset into the updated geological model and Mineral Resource estimate
- Progression of metallurgical test work and technical studies supporting future Ore Reserve and Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) activities
The 2026 program’s stated purpose spans three objectives: increasing confidence in the existing 529Mt resource, supporting Ore Reserve estimation and BFS activities, and assessing opportunities for resource growth.
The spatial footprint of the reported collars in this batch extends approximately 1.63km east-west and 2.01km north-south. Notably, results from the southeastern extension drilling remain pending, meaning the full picture of the deposit’s grade continuity in that direction has not yet been established.
The practical implication for investors following this project is clear. With nearly half the drilled assays still unreported, and the grade profile demonstrably strengthening with each successive batch as drilling moves south, there is a defined near-term newsflow pipeline that could continue to shape the Mineral Resource estimate ahead of its update.
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