White Cliff Minerals Hits 76.5m of 2.01% Copper as Danvers Grows Deeper
Key Takeaways
- Hole DAN26047 at Danvers 1 returned 76.5m at 2.01% Cu and 5.72g/t Ag from 49.5m, still open up-hole, with a 4m zone grading 11.19% Cu inside it.
- The infill hole sits between DAN25007 (105m at 2.25% Cu) and DAN25012 (86.87m at 2.37% Cu), supporting continuity of the southwest-plunging high-grade trend.
- DAN26048, DAN26049 and DAN26050 all intersected visible copper sulphides, with DAN26050 reaching about 240m vertical depth, beyond the limits suggested by historical drilling.
- The deeper sulphide observations are visual only, with assays due in 6-8 weeks to determine whether grade backs up the geology.
- No JORC-compliant resource exists at Danvers yet, and the company is targeting an Exploration Target and maiden Mineral Resource Estimate with no stated timeline beyond the assay window.
76.5m at 2.01% Cu intercept expands Danvers 1 copper envelope
In its 6 October 2026 drilling update, White Cliff Minerals (ASX: WCN; OTCQB: WCMLF) reported hole DAN26047 at Danvers 1, part of the Rae Copper Project in Nunavut, returned 76.5m at 2.01% Cu and 5.72g/t Ag from 49.5m. The interval remains open up-hole, with further assays pending.
A second headline comes from deeper drilling. Hole DAN26050 extended visible copper sulphides to approximately 240m vertical depth, below the limits suggested by historical drilling.
For investors, the two results work together: one firms up the high-grade core, the other suggests the system may be larger than the old model showed. The company says the results strengthen its geological model ahead of an Exploration Target and maiden Mineral Resource Estimate.
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DAN26047 reinforces the high-grade core
Infill result between two earlier holes
DAN26047 was designed to infill a 200m gap at Danvers 1. It tested ground between two previously reported holes on the same high-grade trend: DAN25007 (105m at 2.25% Cu, 51m northeast) and DAN25012 (86.87m at 2.37% Cu, 46m southwest).
Drilling at Danvers 1 has defined a shallow southwest-plunging high-grade trend inside the broader northeast-southwest fault zone. The new hole reinforces continuity of the southwest-plunging high-grade zones within the Danvers 1 core. In plain terms, the rich ground between two known holes looks connected rather than patchy.
High-grade sub-intervals
Within the broader intercept, the hole returned two higher-grade zones, as set out in the table below.
| Interval | From (m) | Length (m) | Cu (%) | Ag (g/t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAN26047 (full interval) | 49.5 | **76.5** | **2.01** | **5.72** |
| Including | 77.0 | **16.0** | **5.07** | **15.1** |
| Including | 84.0 | **4.0** | **11.19** | **35.3** |
The first sample at the top of the reported interval grades 2.45% Cu, and more assays from the top of the hole are pending. All reported intercepts are downhole lengths, and true widths are not yet known, so they should not be read as the actual thickness of the mineralised body.
Troy Whittaker, Managing Director
“…reinforcing continuity between neighbouring holes and strengthening our understanding of the southwest-plunging high-grade trend. That gives us a clearer basis for targeting the richest parts of the system.”
Deeper drilling removes prior cut-offs in the resource model
The initial model showed local narrowing of the mineralised envelope where historical drilling appeared to lack sampling or reported copper values. DAN26048, DAN26049 and DAN26050 were drilled to test whether these apparent limits were real geological edges or simply gaps in the data.
All three holes intersected visible copper sulphides, including where the historical model had narrowed or closed off. The logged lengths were:
- DAN26048: 63.21m
- DAN26049: 27.05m
- DAN26050: 65.27m, extending to about 240m vertical depth
Mineralisation comprises chalcocite, bornite and chalcopyrite as breccia cement, in veins and disseminated through the basalt sequence, consistent with Danvers.
One caveat matters here. These are visual estimates, not laboratory results, and the company states they do not establish copper grade. Assays are expected in 6-8 weeks and will determine the grades of the new intersections.
Management said the observations indicate that parts of Danvers 1 extend beyond the limits suggested by the historical drilling. For you as an investor, that is a promising geological signal, but grade will decide whether it carries economic weight.
What is a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate?
Drilling results alone do not tell you how much metal a project holds. A Mineral Resource Estimate is a formal calculation of the size and grade of a deposit, reported under the JORC Code (the Australasian standard for reporting exploration results and resources).
The usual pathway runs from drill results to geological modelling, then to an Exploration Target, and then to a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate, meaning the first such estimate for a deposit. It matters because it is the milestone that puts a number on scale.
No such estimate has yet been defined at Danvers. The historic estimate referenced in the announcement is classified as non-JORC compliant, and the company is not treating it as a current JORC compliant resource estimate.
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Strike growth and next steps at Rae
Diamond drilling continues at Danvers 2 and 3 and northeast of Danvers 1, where phase one drillholes often exceeded 650m spacing along strike. Infill and extension drilling is intended to strengthen the geological model and support an Exploration Target and maiden Mineral Resource Estimate.
Beyond Danvers, the company outlined further work across the wider Rae Copper Project:
- An airborne magnetic, gravity and radiometric survey has been commissioned over a 70km strike length of the Rae Group-Husky Creek Formation contact.
- Survey coverage extends to the Thor and Rocket targets, where 2024 surface rock sampling identified high-grade vein and breccia systems.
- Till sampling is set to commence across Thor / Rocket.
- Parallel structures are to be tested by diamond drilling, with particular focus on the prospective area northeast of Danvers 1.
Figures in the announcement point to a growing footprint. One figure label cites ~5,000m of assayed copper mineralisation, and a figure caption notes mineralisation remains open along strike over a >11.5km combined strike length. Both come from charts and captions rather than the body text.
The company said current drilling is expected to provide a critical foundation for geological modelling, supporting the definition of an Exploration Target and progressing the project towards a Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate. The announcement gives no timeline beyond the 6-8 week assay window.
Ready To Learn More About White Cliff Minerals’ Danvers 1 Copper Discovery?
Hole DAN26047 returned 76.5m at 2.01% Cu and 5.72g/t Ag, while deeper drilling at DAN26050 extended visible copper sulphides to roughly 240m vertical depth. With assays pending, the Rae Copper Project in Nunavut is moving towards an Exploration Target and maiden Mineral Resource Estimate.
Explore the White Cliff Minerals company profile and latest updates to see how Danvers and the wider Rae Copper Project could develop.