White Cliff Minerals Hits 32m Bornite Zone in First-Ever Rae Copper Drilling
Key Takeaways
- First-ever diamond drilling at Bornite Hills has confirmed a new copper discovery, with standout hole BNH26003 returning over 32 metres of bornite-dominant mineralisation, including semi-massive bornite intervals, commencing just 40 metres from surface.
- Mineralisation is confirmed more than 60 metres vertically below the historic surface occurrence that returned 3.66 metres at 46.99% copper from trenching, establishing meaningful vertical continuity for the first time.
- Approximately 725 metres of prospective strike at Bornite Hills remains largely undrilled, with the structure hosted on a subsidiary fault connected to the major Herb Dixon Fault Zone copper conduit.
- Assay results from the 2026 programme are expected in October 2026 — all intervals reported to date are visual estimates from drill core, not laboratory-confirmed grades.
- Sander Geophysics has been commissioned to fly an ultra-high-definition airborne survey over more than 70 kilometres of the Rae Group contact to prioritise 2027 drill targets, while two diamond rigs remain active at the district-anchoring Danvers area.
Bornite Hills delivers White Cliff’s newest copper discovery
First-ever diamond drilling at Bornite Hills, within White Cliff Minerals’ (ASX: WCN) Rae Copper Project, has intersected broad bornite-dominant mineralisation and confirmed a significant new copper discovery. Standout hole BNH26003 returned >32m of bornite-dominant mineralisation, including intervals of semi-massive bornite, 40m from surface, with the mineralised system now confirmed more than 60m vertically below the historic surface occurrence that previously returned 3.66m @ 46.99% Cu from historic trenching.
Assays are currently pending, with results expected in October 2026. The intervals reported here are visual estimates from drill core and should not be treated as laboratory-confirmed grades.
Troy Whittaker, Managing Director
“Bornite Hills is an important new discovery, particularly because these are the first holes ever drilled at the target. We have intersected broad bornite-dominant mineralisation, including intervals of semi-massive bornite, more than 60m below a historic surface occurrence that returned 3.66m @ 46.99% Cu. The mineralised structure remains largely untested across approximately 725m of prospective strike and at depth…”
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What the drill core revealed
Two holes, two meaningful intervals
The 2026 programme drilled five holes at Bornite Hills. Highlighted results from the programme include:
- BNH26003: >32m of bornite-dominant mineralisation, including intervals of semi-massive bornite, commencing 40m from surface — the standout result from the programme
- BNH26001A: 13.7m of bornite-chalcopyrite mineralisation in veins and breccias
Both intervals are visual estimates from diamond drill core. They are not laboratory-confirmed grades. Assays are expected in October 2026 and represent the next key catalyst.
Mineralisation is confirmed more than 60m vertically below surface, providing the first evidence of meaningful vertical continuity at Bornite Hills. The structure is hosted on a subsidiary fault splaying from the Herb Dixon Fault Zone, a major regional conduit for copper-bearing fluids, comprising composite quartz-carbonate veins, polymictic breccias, and copper sulphides dominated by bornite and chalcopyrite.
| Hole ID | Interval (m) | Mineralisation Type | Style | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNH26001A | 11.5m (60.5–72.0m) | Bornite | Blebs | Visual estimate — assay pending |
| BNH26001A | 1.2m (72.0–73.2m) | Chalcopyrite | Fracture | Visual estimate — assay pending |
| BNH26003 | 22.1m (67.94–90.0m) | Bornite | Patchy | Visual estimate — assay pending |
| BNH26003 | 3.0m (159.0–162.0m) | Bornite | Disseminated | Visual estimate — assay pending |
| BNH26003 | 4.0m (170.0–174.0m) | Bornite | Disseminated | Visual estimate — assay pending |
Source: JORC Appendix A, Table 1 — Bornite Hills holes only. All intervals are visual sulphide observations, not assay grades. Reported intervals represent downhole lengths; true width is not known.
Why the historic trench grade matters as a vector
The 3.66m @ 46.99% Cu result referenced throughout this announcement comes from historic trenching reported in the November 2025 ASX announcement (“Strategic acquisition of Bornite Lake prospect at Rae”), not from the 2026 drilling programme. It serves as the primary exploration vector confirming that high-grade copper mineralisation exists at surface. The 2026 drilling now establishes that bornite mineralisation extends more than 60m vertically below that historic outcrop.
725m of prospective strike largely untouched
The Bornite Hills structure hosts approximately 725m of prospective strike that remains largely undrilled, including at depth. The target sits just 32km from the highly mineralised Danvers area, anchoring it firmly within an emerging district-scale copper system. Scale at Bornite Hills has barely been tested.
Understanding bornite — and why it excites copper explorers
Bornite is a copper iron sulphide mineral sometimes called “peacock ore” for its iridescent tarnish. What matters to investors is its copper content: bornite contains approximately 63% Cu by weight, compared to around 34% Cu for chalcopyrite, the more common copper sulphide encountered in most exploration programmes.
When geologists log “bornite-dominant” mineralisation, they are describing rock where bornite is the primary sulphide rather than a minor accessory. “Semi-massive bornite” takes that a step further: rock composed predominantly of bornite rather than scattered grains within a host. In practical exploration terms, this suggests possible economic concentration rather than trace-level mineralisation.
It is important to understand, however, that what geologists observe visually in drill core and what laboratory assays confirm are two different things. Visual estimates tell you what minerals are present and approximately how abundant they appear. Assays tell you the actual grade. Investors should treat the >32m and 13.7m visual intervals as an indication of mineralisation style and scale, not as grade results. The October 2026 assay results are when the economic significance of these intervals can be properly assessed.
The historic 3.66m @ 46.99% Cu trench result is a vivid illustration of what bornite-dominant mineralisation can mean in terms of grade potential — but it is from surface rock, not from the 2026 drilling.
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A district taking shape — Rae Project’s expanding copper footprint
Sediment-hosted copper extends across 10km²
Beyond Bornite Hills, eight additional diamond holes were completed in 2026 to test the redox boundary at the unconformity between the Rae Group and the underlying Husky Creek Formation. The results confirm copper mineralisation at the base of the Rae Group across a footprint now measuring more than 4.3km east-west and 2.1km north-south.
Drill spacing is as wide as 2.6km between some holes, meaning substantial untested ground remains between confirmed mineralised intercepts. The key assay intervals from the sedimentary programme were:
- SED26001: 1.14m @ 0.35% Cu
- SED26002: 4.46m @ 0.19% Cu
- SED26005: 5.58m @ 0.12% Cu
- SED26008: 3.0m @ 0.11% Cu and 0.8m @ 0.16% Cu
Airborne survey to prioritise 2027 drill targets
Sander Geophysics has been commissioned to fly an ultra-high-definition magnetic, gravity and radiometric survey over more than 70km of the Rae Group–Husky Creek Formation contact. The survey programme will:
Geophysical work at Danvers has previously demonstrated how airborne magnetic and gravity data can resolve basement architecture and structural conduits that control copper-bearing fluid pathways, a methodology now being extended across 70km of the Rae Group contact.
- Refine basin architecture, basement highs, and major structures that may have controlled copper-bearing fluid flow into the sedimentary sequence
- Use gravity data to identify density contrasts associated with basement topography, gabbroic dykes, hydrothermal alteration, and potential sulphide accumulation
- Use higher-resolution magnetic data to improve mapping of smaller structures that may localise mineralising fluids
- Integrate new datasets with 2024 MobileMT data and 2025–2026 drilling to rank regional targets for 2027 follow-up
- Cover the Thor and Rocket prospects, applying the exploration model that has been successful at Danvers
- Run alongside two diamond rigs currently active at Danvers, completing infill and step-out drilling along the Teshierpi Fault Zone
Danvers remains the cornerstone of the Rae Project. Best intercepts there include 175m @ 2.5% Cu and 90m @ 4.0% Cu, results that anchor the district’s scale for context. Bornite Hills is now the newest addition to what is becoming a substantial copper exploration district in one of the world’s leading mining jurisdictions.
Danvers copper drill results anchoring the district include 175m @ 2.5% Cu and 90m @ 4.0% Cu, intercepts that situate Bornite Hills within one of the most compelling sediment-hosted copper systems currently active on the ASX.
Ready to Explore White Cliff Minerals’ Expanding Rae Copper Project?
The first-ever diamond drilling at Bornite Hills has confirmed a significant new copper discovery, with standout hole BNH26003 returning over 32m of bornite-dominant mineralisation from just 40m depth — and approximately 725m of prospective strike remaining largely untested. With assay results due in October 2026 and a district already anchored by intercepts of 175m @ 2.5% Cu at Danvers, the Rae Project is rapidly taking shape as one of the most compelling sediment-hosted copper systems on the ASX.
To understand the full scale of what White Cliff Minerals is building across the Rae Project, explore the WCN investor profile on Discovery Alert for the latest project updates, drill results, and exploration context.