American West Metals Expands West Desert System With 140m Copper-Zinc Hit
Key Takeaways
- WD26-07, drilled 350m west of the known deposit, returned 140m of combined CRD-style copper-zinc sulphide mineralisation across five exo-skarn zones plus 219m of visual molybdenite — the furthest-west hole ever drilled at West Desert.
- WD26-06 confirmed the first visual copper mineralisation on the previously untested northern contact, approximately 1km north of the deposit, including 11m of breccia-hosted copper oxides.
- Mineralisation can now be traced for almost 2km along the E-W magnetic feature, within a total prospective trend extending to 4km — meaning more than half the trend remains untested.
- The existing JORC Mineral Resource Estimate stands at 33.7Mt at 3.83% zinc, 0.15% copper, 9g/t silver, and 20g/t indium — providing a substantial anchor for what the current programme is expanding upon.
- Assays for all three holes are expedited and expected within 4–6 weeks, with the eighth drill hole (WD26-08) already running 24/7.
West Desert mineral system grows as drilling intercepts thick copper, zinc and molybdenum mineralisation
Three new drill holes have materially expanded the West Desert mineral system at American West Metals’ (ASX: AW1) West Desert Project in Utah, with the standout result coming from WD26-07, the furthest west hole drilled to date at 350m west of the deposit.
The headline hole returned a combined 140m of carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) style mineralisation with visual copper and zinc sulphides across five zones, plus 219m of strong visual molybdenite within endo-skarn and altered monzonite porphyry. Importantly, all results in this announcement are visual estimates pending laboratory confirmation and should not be treated as confirmed grades.
Key highlights from the three holes:
- WD26-07: 140m combined CRD-style mineralisation (copper and zinc sulphides) across five exo-skarn zones, plus 219m of strong visual molybdenite in endo-skarn and altered quartz-monzonite porphyry
- WD26-06: First visual copper mineralisation confirmed on the previously untested northern contact, approximately 1km north of the deposit, including 11m of breccia-hosted copper oxides
- WD26-05: Extends molybdenum and zinc mineralisation approximately 370m east of WD26-01, helping define the prospective porphyry-sediment contact
- Mineralisation now traced for almost 2km along the E-W magnetic feature, within a trend extending to 4km
- Assays expedited and expected within 4–6 weeks; eighth drill hole (WD26-08) currently underway
Dave O’Neill, Managing Director
“These latest exploration drill results have materially increased our confidence in the scale and potential of the West Desert mineral system.”
“We believe West Desert is continuing to emerge as a significant and highly prospective critical minerals system, with considerable scope for further expansion.”
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What WD26-07 reveals about the western extension
WD26-07 was designed to test the western, offset extension of the strong magnetic feature that defines the West Desert Deposit. The result suggests the mineralised system extends well beyond the known deposit boundaries, with thick intervals of visual sulphides encountered across a large intrusive system.
Thick sulphide zones across a large intrusive system
The drill hole was drilled to 830m, targeting the porphyry-sediment contact approximately 350m along strike from the westernmost part of the deposit. Sediment-hosted exo-skarn was intersected in five major zones with thicknesses of 9m, 54m, 53m, 24m, and 9m respectively, each containing visual chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite, and sphalerite ranging from disseminated to semi-massive.
Within the altered quartz-monzonite porphyry, the drill hole also intersected 219m of endo-skarn hosting disseminated to semi-massive magnetite, and disseminated molybdenite, bornite, and chalcopyrite. Strongly mineralised molybdenite-quartz-pyrite veins cross-cut both the porphyry and endo-skarns, indicating a later-stage mineralisation event similar to that seen at the West Desert Deposit itself.
The presence of chalcocite alongside magnetite strongly indicates multiple mineralisation events within the drill hole. The announcement describes this as “highly encouraging and an important criterion for the formation of large and significant ore deposits.” Additionally, arsenopyrite and pyrite are logged extensively throughout the sulphidation overprint, indicating the potential for gold.
WD26-07 is located approximately 350m from historical drill hole WD22-19, which previously intersected grades up to 1.4% copper, 20% zinc, and 470g/t indium, providing an indication of the potential quality of mineralisation along the western trend (see ASX announcement dated 19 September 2022). The announcement also notes a comparable mineralisation style to the Bingham Canyon copper-molybdenum mine.
| Hole ID | Target Area | Depth (m) | Key Visual Mineralisation | Distance from Deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WD26-05 | Nevada | 798.3 | Sphalerite veinlets, molybdenite veins, magnetite exo- and endo-skarn | ~370m east of WD26-01 |
| WD26-06 | Northern Contact | 889.4 | 11m breccia-hosted copper oxides (malachite), magnetite exo- and endo-skarn | ~1km north of deposit |
| WD26-07 | Victor | 830.0 | 140m CRD-style Cu-Zn sulphides (five zones); 219m visual molybdenite in endo-skarn and porphyry | ~350m west of deposit |
All mineralisation reported as visual estimates. Laboratory assays are required to determine the presence and grade of any contained mineralisation.
Understanding skarn and CRD mineralisation — and why it matters at West Desert
The geology behind the headlines
A carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) forms when hot, mineralised fluids from an intrusive body react with and replace carbonate rocks such as limestone and dolomite, depositing metal sulphides in the process. Thick CRD intersections are significant because they suggest a large volume of mineralised material, not just a narrow vein.
Skarn mineralisation refers to the zone of altered rock that forms at the contact between an intrusive body and surrounding sediments. Exo-skarn forms in the surrounding sedimentary rocks; endo-skarn forms within the intrusive itself. WD26-07 intersected both types, which together suggest the drill hole successfully tested the porphyry-sediment contact by occasionally crossing over the contact.
The co-occurrence of copper, zinc, molybdenum, and indium in a single system is significant for multi-metal value. At West Desert, zinc and copper are typically associated with high levels of indium, silver, and gold — though this association will only be confirmed once assay results are received. The existing JORC Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), established in prior announcements from February and December 2023, already defines 33.7Mt at 20g/t indium, 3.83% zinc, 0.15% copper, 9g/t silver, and 0.1g/t gold.
The West Desert critical metals discovery, as reported in earlier drilling campaigns, already established the project’s multi-metal character with indium, zinc, copper, silver, and gold co-occurring within the same mineralised system, a profile that the current programme is now extending in multiple directions.
Multiple mineralisation events — indicated here by the presence of chalcocite alongside magnetite — are considered an encouraging sign for large deposit formation. All visual estimates described in this announcement are pending laboratory assay and cannot be treated as confirmed grades or substitutes for laboratory analysis.
System expansion strengthens the West Desert investment case
Four kilometres of prospective trend — and growing
Zinc-copper-indium-gold skarns and porphyry-hosted molybdenite mineralisation can now be traced for almost 2km along the E-W magnetic feature and porphyry-sediment contact. The full magnetic trend extends to 4km, meaning significant strike length remains to be tested.
WD26-06 opens the northern contact as a new exploration vector. Permitting is underway for a series of new drill pads to optimise follow-up drilling along this contact. WD26-05 confirms the porphyry contact extends eastward, with zinc-copper-indium-gold skarns and molybdenite now traceable across multiple directions. The eighth drill hole (WD26-08) is currently running 24/7, and assays for the holes in this announcement are expected within 4–6 weeks. Strategic engagement with US Government agencies and other non-government parties on critical metals partnerships, supply, and production is also continuing.
The existing resource anchors the exploration upside
The West Desert MRE, reported under JORC 2012 in prior announcements (9 February 2023 and 13 December 2023), provides context for what the current drilling is expanding upon:
- Total MRE: 33.7Mt at 3.83% Zn, 0.15% Cu, 9g/t Ag, 0.1g/t Au (JORC 2012)
- Indium resource: 23.76Moz indium across 33.7Mt (Inferred)
- West Desert sits within the Sevier Orogenic Belt, the same geological province as the world-class Bingham Canyon mine
- 100% owned, located 160km southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah
These figures reflect the pre-existing resource and do not incorporate results from the current drill programme, which is still pending assay.
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What’s next for American West Metals
The pace of activity at West Desert is accelerating. Here is what shareholders can expect in the coming weeks:
- Assay results from WD26-05, WD26-06, and WD26-07 expected within 4–6 weeks (expedited, subject to laboratory turnaround times)
- WD26-08 currently drilling on a 24/7 schedule
- New drill pad permitting underway for northern contact follow-up
- Ongoing strategic engagement with US Government and non-government parties on critical metals supply and production
West Desert sits in a Tier 1 US jurisdiction at a time of heightened government focus on domestic critical minerals supply, positioning the project within a supportive policy environment as the drill programme continues to define the scale of the system.
For investors wanting to understand how American West Metals is advancing its second major asset alongside West Desert, our deep-dive into the Storm Copper Project exploration programme covers the deep-drilling strategy, target scale, and what accelerated activity means for the company’s broader resource-building trajectory.
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