Raptor Metals Flags Up to 14.9% Copper Ahead of November Silverjack Drill Program
Key Takeaways
- Raptor Metals' Silverjack prospect returned indicative pXRF readings of up to 14.92% Cu and 2,153g/t Ag from rock chip samples collected at the Knowles vein historical workings — though these are field measurements only, not laboratory assays.
- The new pXRF results are broadly consistent with historical bulk samples from the same Knowles vein that previously reported 17 tonnes at 10.2% Cu and 1,447g/t Ag.
- Maiden diamond drilling at Silverjack is planned to commence mid-November 2026, providing a firm near-term catalyst for investors to watch.
- A separate prospect, Headway within the ~36km² Foghorn Project, returned a single rock chip reading of 17.04% Zn and 192g/t Ag, with follow-up mapping and sampling planned to test the interpreted VMS horizon.
- Confirmatory laboratory assays from ALS using four-acid digest ICP-AES/MS with fire assay for silver are pending and will be the material data point that validates or tempers the pXRF readings.
Raptor Metals flags high-grade polymetallic readings ahead of maiden drill program
Raptor Metals (ASX: RAP) has returned high-grade indicative copper, silver, zinc and lead readings from portable XRF (pXRF) rock chip samples at two New Brunswick prospects: Silverjack within the Coyote Project and Headway within the Foghorn Project. It is important to note upfront that pXRF results are indicative field measurements only and are not equivalent to laboratory assays. The standout Silverjack readings include 14.92% Cu (SJRC03), 10.76% Cu / 2,153g/t Ag / 8.61% Zn / 15.29% Pb (SJRC06), and 6.86% Cu / 118g/t Ag / 10.47% Zn (SJRC05), while Headway returned a single sample of 0.39% Cu / 192g/t Ag / 17.04% Zn / 5.86% Pb (HWRC01). Maiden drilling at Silverjack is planned to commence mid-November 2026.
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What the pXRF results show across Silverjack and Headway
Silverjack — polymetallic system shows its hand
Silverjack sits within Raptor’s approximately 45km² Coyote Project, which spans an interpreted ~16km polymetallic mineralised corridor of historical copper-silver-zinc and gold-silver occurrences and drilling results. The prospect is interpreted as a manto-style copper-silver-zinc-lead deposit hosted within carbonate units. Samples were collected from historical mullock at the Knowles vein open-pit workings.
The full set of indicative pXRF readings from Silverjack is presented below. Note that entries marked
| Sample ID | Cu (%) | Zn (%) | Ag (g/t) | Pb (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SJRC01 | 1.69 | 8.9 | <LOD | 0.62 |
| SJRC02 | 3.52 | 0.16 | <LOD | 0.2 |
| SJRC03 | 14.92 | 1.26 | <LOD | 2.37 |
| SJRC04 | 0.2 | 9.18 | 184 | 1.91 |
| SJRC05 | 6.86 | 10.47 | 118 | 3.42 |
| SJRC06 | 10.76 | 8.61 | 2,153 | 15.29 |
For context, historical bulk samples from the Knowles vein at Silverjack previously reported by the company in May 2026 included 17t at 10.2% Cu and 1,447g/t Ag and 6.5t at 4.8% Cu and 1,110g/t Ag. The new pXRF readings are broadly consistent with that high-grade polymetallic character.
Headway — a different opportunity in a VMS setting
Headway is a separate prospect within Raptor’s approximately 36km² Foghorn Project. It is interpreted as a volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) system — a deposit type where metals accumulate on or beneath the seafloor through hydrothermal activity — and is located approximately 3.8km from the historic Brunswick No. 12 mine. The company is explicit that proximity to Brunswick No. 12 is not an indication that similar mineralisation will be identified at Headway.
A single rock chip sample returned the following indicative pXRF readings:
- HWRC01: 0.39% Cu / 192g/t Ag / 17.04% Zn / 5.86% Pb
Historical rock chip results at Headway included 3.1% Cu, 7.5% Zn and 110g/t Ag, providing a useful reference point for the new result. Historical geophysical interpretation has also suggested potential for additional parallel or repeated sulphide horizons within the broader prospect area.
What is pXRF and why does it matter in exploration?
Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) is a rapid, non-destructive field tool that measures elemental content across a small area of a rock sample’s surface. It is widely used in mineral exploration for field screening and target generation. What it is not: a substitute for laboratory assays, or representative of average grade or in-situ mineralisation.
Explorers use it because it generates data quickly in the field, allowing teams to prioritise where to focus follow-up work. Here is how pXRF fits into the broader exploration workflow:
- pXRF screening — rapid field measurements identify which samples carry metal responses worth investigating further.
- Laboratory assay submission — samples are sent to an accredited laboratory for rigorous quantitative analysis.
- Results inform drill targeting — lab assay data, combined with geological mapping and historical datasets, refine the priority areas for drilling.
- Maiden drilling commences — drill holes test the mineralised system at depth, generating modern geological and geochemical data.
For Raptor’s rock chip samples, laboratory analysis will be completed by ALS using four-acid digest ICP-AES/MS with fire assay for Ag. Those assay results — not the pXRF readings — will be the confirmatory data point investors should watch for.
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What comes next for Raptor
The maiden diamond drill program at Silverjack is planned to commence mid-November 2026. It is designed to test and validate historical exploration results and generate modern geological and geochemical data to guide subsequent exploration.
In parallel, lab assay results for all rock chip samples submitted to ALS will be reported when received. Follow-up mapping and sampling at Headway is also planned to test the interpreted VMS horizon. All new field data will be integrated with historical drilling, sampling and geophysical datasets across both the Coyote and Foghorn projects.
Managing Director Brett Wallace summarised the company’s approach:
Brett Wallace, Managing Director
“These results provide an encouraging first look at the mineralisation on the ground at Silverjack and Headway since Raptor acquired the projects earlier this year.”
“Our approach is to build the geological picture systematically and methodically. These results add another layer to that process and will help us refine priority areas for follow-up work.”
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