Pacific Resources Hits Record 1.10% Copper at Dogwood Confirming Porphyry System
Key Takeaways
- Hole DGWDDH005 returned 0.9m @ 1.10% Cu from 80.2m — the highest copper grade ever recorded at Dogwood, approximately 36% above the previous best intercept of 0.807% Cu in DGWDDH001.
- For the first time, a Cu–Mo–W–Bi polymetallic porphyry signature at Dogwood has been confirmed by formal laboratory assay (ALS multi-element ICP), upgrading the project from geological inference to validated evidence.
- Hole DGWDDH006 intersected copper mineralisation approximately 170m south of DGWDDH005 and 130m north of DGWDDH001, infilling the corridor between known mineralised positions and extending the interpreted ~060° copper trend.
- Eight holes from the 2022 diamond program (DGWDDH007–014) remain unassayed, representing a near-term catalyst pipeline that requires no new drilling — results will come from core already in trays.
- The deepest hole, DGWDDH004, ended in copper mineralisation at 326.2m with increasing magnetic susceptibility and potassic alteration downhole, signalling a strengthening system at depth and informing targets for the planned follow-up drill programme.
New assay results set record copper grade at Dogwood and confirm polymetallic porphyry signature
Pacific Resources (ASX: PXR) has returned the highest copper grade ever recorded at its Dogwood project, with hole DGWDDH005 delivering 0.9 m @ 1.10% Cu from 80.2 m downhole — approximately 36% above the previous best intercept. Alongside that record grade, the company has confirmed the first Cu–Mo–W–Bi polymetallic porphyry signature at Dogwood validated by laboratory assay, a material step forward for the project located within EL006977 in the Lachlan Fold Belt of eastern Victoria.
All intervals reported are downhole widths. True widths are not known.
When big ASX news breaks, our subscribers know first
Q1 FY27 assay highlights — what the two new holes returned
The two highest-priority unassayed holes from the 2022 diamond drilling program have now returned results. Key intercepts from DGWDDH005 and DGWDDH006 include:
- DGWDDH005: 1.5 m @ 0.79% Cu from 79.6 m, including 0.9 m @ 1.10% Cu from 80.2 m — record copper grade at Dogwood, approximately 36% above the prior best of 0.5 m @ 0.807% Cu in DGWDDH001
- DGWDDH005 second vein: 0.2 m @ 0.78% Cu with 9.4 g/t Ag from 73.6 m in a quartz–sulphide vein
- DGWDDH005 molybdenum: peak 975 ppm Mo over 0.3 m at 85.9–86.2 m; broader Mo-anomalous zone extending from 73.8 m to 89.5 m
- DGWDDH006: 3.3 m @ 0.27% Cu from 100.6 m, including 0.7 m @ 0.67% Cu — a new mineralised position approximately 170 m south of DGWDDH005 and approximately 130 m north of DGWDDH001, infilling the 001–005 corridor
- Polymetallic suite: tungsten to 40 ppm W, bismuth to 83 ppm Bi, sulphur to 7.9% S — the first such Cu–Mo–W–Bi signature confirmed at Dogwood by laboratory assay
| Hole ID | Interval (m) | Cu (%) | Notable co-products | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DGWDDH001 | 0.5 m from 100.7 m | 0.807% | Ag 7.5 ppm | Previous record copper grade at Dogwood |
| DGWDDH003 | 0.6 m from 197.9 m | 0.375% | — | Consistent with broader Cu corridor |
| DGWDDH003 | 0.3 m from 210.8 m | 0.262% | Au 5.62 g/t | Highest gold result in FAU dataset |
| DGWDDH004 | 0.2 m from 241.7 m | 0.324% | Zn 1.7% | Deepest hole (326.2 m); ended in Cu mineralisation |
| DGWDDH004 | 0.6 m from 322.4 m | 0.242% | — | End of hole — system open at depth |
| DGWDDH005 | 1.5 m from 79.6 m (incl. 0.9 m from 80.2 m) | 0.79% (incl. 1.10%) | Mo 975 ppm peak; Ag 9.4 g/t (second vein); W, Bi, S | Record copper grade; first laboratory-confirmed Cu–Mo–W–Bi signature |
| DGWDDH006 | 3.3 m from 100.6 m (incl. 0.7 m from 100.6 m) | 0.27% (incl. 0.67%) | W 40 ppm (peak) | New mineralised position infilling 001–005 corridor |
Andrew Fogg, CEO, Pacific Resources
“These are the first laboratory assay results from DGWDDH005 and DGWDDH006, the highest-priority unassayed holes from the 2022 diamond drilling program at Dogwood. Confirmation of 0.9 m @ 1.10% Cu from 80.2 m in DGWDDH005, together with elevated molybdenum and a polymetallic W–Bi signature, supports the porphyry copper–molybdenum model the Company has been developing. Importantly, DGWDDH006 has identified copper mineralisation approximately 170 m south of DGWDDH005 and approximately 130 m north of DGWDDH001, infilling the previously reported 001–005 corridor. Both holes intersected mineralisation in brecciated, sulphide-bearing zones consistent with a northeast structural trend interpreted to control known mineralisation. We look forward to continuing assaying the remaining 8 holes to then progress to the next phase of drilling to test strike and depth extensions of these high-grade zones.”
Understanding porphyry copper systems — why this signature matters
A porphyry copper–molybdenum system is a large-scale, bulk-tonnage style of mineralisation in which copper and molybdenum are deposited over a wide area by hot fluids associated with cooling igneous intrusions. These systems are among the most economically significant deposit types in the world, hosting some of the largest copper mines in operation today. The key distinction from vein-hosted copper is scale: porphyry systems are not narrow shoots of high-grade ore, but broad envelopes of mineralisation that can support large open-pit or underground operations.
The Cu–Mo–W–Bi pathfinder suite detected at Dogwood matters because each of these elements is a recognised chemical indicator of porphyry-style mineralisation. Molybdenum in particular is strongly associated with porphyry intrusive systems, and its presence at peak grades of 975 ppm within a broader anomalous envelope is a meaningful geological signal. Tungsten and bismuth reinforce that picture, appearing alongside copper in a pattern consistent with a hydrothermal porphyry environment rather than isolated vein copper.
The distinction between “first confirmed by laboratory assay” and earlier field observations is important to understand. Portable XRF (pXRF) instruments used during geological logging had previously suggested this polymetallic signature, but field instruments carry inherent limitations in precision and are not considered formal Exploration Results under ASX reporting standards. The results now reported were analysed by ALS using multi-element ICP (ME-ICP61) — a formal laboratory method — which means the Cu–Mo–W–Bi signature has moved from geological inference to validated evidence. That is a material step in the exploration maturity curve.
The geological context reported in the announcement reinforces the porphyry interpretation. Multiple alteration types — argillic, phyllic, propylitic, and potassic — have been logged across the Dogwood holes, alongside pervasive brecciation and sulphide veining. These are the hallmarks of a hydrothermal porphyry system, reflecting successive phases of fluid flow and mineralisation around a central intrusive body. For investors, this is the first time the porphyry model at Dogwood has been supported by laboratory data, which upgrades the project from geological suggestion to confirmed evidence.
Eight holes remaining and a follow-up drill program in view
The immediate work program following these results is clearly defined in the announcement. PXR has outlined the following next steps:
- Logging and sampling of DGWDDH005 and DGWDDH006 is ongoing — additional intervals in both holes remain under geological review and may be submitted for further laboratory assay as logging is completed
- The same programme of re-logging, interval selection, and sampling is being extended to the eight remaining unassayed holes from the 2022 Dogwood diamond program: DGWDDH007 to DGWDDH014
- Subject to those results, the company intends to complete a full re-log and re-interpretation of the retained Dogwood core, and to review geophysical and geochemical datasets to refine vectors along the interpreted ~060° copper trend
- A follow-up drilling programme is planned to test strike and depth extensions of the mineralised positions reported in DGWDDH001 to DGWDDH006
Why the open system matters
DGWDDH004 is the deepest hole at Dogwood, reaching 326.2 m, and it ended in copper mineralisation with 0.6 m @ 0.24% Cu from 322.4 m. Increasing magnetic susceptibility, potassic alteration, and veining recorded downhole in that hole all point toward a strengthening system at depth, not a diminishing one. These vectors are a key input for defining targets in the next drill programme.
For investors, eight unassayed holes represent a near-term, low-cost catalyst pipeline. No new drilling is required to generate the next set of newsflow — results will come from existing core already in trays, with the primary variable being the pace of re-logging and assay submission.
The next major ASX story will hit our subscribers first
Project background — Dogwood in context
The Dogwood Porphyry Cu–Mo project sits within EL006977 in the Lachlan Fold Belt of eastern Victoria. The tenement is held by Victorian Goldfields Pty Ltd under First Au Limited (ASX: FAU) ownership, with PXR holding an Option to Explore on EL006977 as announced on 15 December 2025.
In 2022, FAU drilled a 14-hole, 2,004.2 m diamond programme to test porphyry-copper style mineralisation. Only DGWDDH001 to DGWDDH004 were previously assayed and reported by FAU. DGWDDH005 and DGWDDH006 are the first holes assayed by PXR.
The project carries a polymetallic footprint extending more than 2 km across the project area, with copper mineralisation to the west and historic CRA drilling approximately 1.2 km to the east that intersected anomalous gold. Historic explorers across the Dogwood area include CRA, Freeport of Australia, and Rio Tinto, lending geological credibility to the broader project setting.
Don’t Miss the Next ASX Copper Breakthrough
Get FREE breaking ASX copper and mining news delivered to your inbox within minutes of release, complete with in-depth analysis already done for you. Join 30,000+ subscribers who stay ahead of the market the moment announcements hit. Click the “Free Alerts” button at Big News Blast to start receiving real-time alerts today.