Chalice Mining Confirms Copper-Silver-Gold System at Deep Blue
Key Takeaways
- Chalice Mining has confirmed copper-silver-gold mineralisation across 1.2km of strike at Deep Blue, with all 16 holes in the first-pass RC programme returning anomalous copper values.
- Best intersections include 21m @ 0.18% Cu from 50m in DBRC004 and 9m @ 0.21% Cu from 180m in DBRC005, with visual chalcopyrite logged across broader widths of up to ~30m in the majority of holes.
- The Goomalling Copper Project now covers a newly recognised ~30km strike length copper belt, the vast majority of which remains untested by soil sampling or drilling.
- Rock chip results exceeding 15% TREO from the Deep Blue area have introduced a rare earth element dimension, with Chalice now refining REE targets ahead of future drilling.
- A three-part forward programme — structural interpretation, IP geophysical survey, and expanded RC drilling — is scheduled to commence in Q4 CY2026, post cropping season.
Copper-silver-gold system confirmed across 1.2km of strike at Deep Blue
Chalice Mining has confirmed a copper-silver-gold mineralised system extending across 1.2km of strike at the Deep Blue target, part of its Goomalling Copper Project in the central Wheatbelt region of Western Australia, approximately 60km north-east of the Gonneville Project.
The results come from a 16-hole, 1,874m first-pass Reverse Circulation (RC) reconnaissance programme, drilled on three widely-spaced lines approximately 600m apart. This is wide-spaced, first-pass work, not an advanced resource programme, and no Mineral Resource estimate has been defined. What it does establish is the presence of a large-scale, broadly disseminated copper system that remains open along strike.
Chalice has also materially expanded its tenure in the region, with the project now covering a newly recognised ~30km strike length copper belt. The project consists of a joint venture with Northam Resources Limited (Chalice earning 70%) as well as several 100% owned Chalice exploration licences.
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What the drill results show
Assay results are now in hand for all 16 holes, covering three drill lines across the tested corridor. Copper-silver-gold mineralisation is present across all three lines at a consistent style and grade, which the company says indicates genuine strike continuity rather than isolated anomalies.
Key headline intersections include:
- 21m @ 0.18% Cu, 0.67g/t Ag, 0.03g/t Au from 50m (DBRC004), including 4m @ 0.41% Cu, 1.20g/t Ag, 0.07g/t Au from 50m, and 2m @ 0.47% Cu, 2.38g/t Ag, 0.04g/t Au from 67m
- 9m @ 0.21% Cu, 0.86g/t Ag, 0.05g/t Au from 180m (DBRC005)
- Kann Target: 4m @ 0.48% Cu from 5m (KAC010); 13m @ 0.12% Cu from 9m to end of hole (KAC017)
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Interval (m) | Cu% | Ag (g/t) | Au (g/t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DBRC004 | 50 | 71 | 21 | 0.18 | 0.67 | 0.03 |
| DBRC004 (incl.) | 50 | 54 | 4 | 0.41 | 1.20 | 0.07 |
| DBRC004 (incl.) | 67 | 69 | 2 | 0.47 | 2.38 | 0.04 |
| DBRC005 | 180 | 189 | 9 | 0.21 | 0.86 | 0.05 |
| KAC010 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 0.48 | 0.57 | 0.01 |
| KAC017 | 9 | 22 (EOH) | 13 | 0.12 | 0.18 | 0.02 |
Beyond the reported intervals, abundant visual chalcopyrite (both disseminated and fracture-controlled) was logged across broader widths in the majority of holes, with anomalous copper values above 400ppm recorded over widths of up to approximately 30m. This visual mineralisation is present across all tested drill lines, suggesting the copper system extends well beyond what is captured at the company’s primary >0.1% Cu reporting cut-off.
The Kann Target, located approximately 5km east of Deep Blue, also returned comparable mineralisation in previous aircore drilling. Chalice interprets Kann as a potential eastern flank or parallel trend, possibly caused by folding of the sequence.
How Deep Blue compares to the nearby Caravel Copper Project
The Caravel Copper Project (ASX: CVV), located approximately 15km north-west of Deep Blue, is a useful reference point for understanding what this belt could host at scale. Caravel contains a ~3Mt contained copper Mineral Resource (alongside 895koz Au, 46.3Moz Ag, and 60kt Mo, per the map legend in the announcement) and has a Feasibility Study currently underway.
Chalice draws a comparison on mineralisation style, specifically grade tenor and metal association. The company notes explicitly that this comparison does not imply a confirmed shared deposit genesis between Deep Blue and Caravel. What it does suggest is that the Corrigin Tectonic Zone, which hosts both projects, is a prospective structural corridor for copper-gold mineralisation of meaningful scale.
REEs add an unexpected dimension to the story
An additional thread emerging from the Goomalling programme is rare earth elements. In June 2026, Chalice reported high-grade REE rock chip results exceeding >15% TREO from the Deep Blue area. TREO, or Total Rare Earth Oxide, is the standard measure used to express the combined concentration of rare earth elements in a sample — the higher the value, the more significant the occurrence.
First-pass drilling has not yet explained the source of these high-grade rock chips. In response, Chalice has re-analysed its existing soil geochemical data using a broader analytical suite, and has identified anomalous TREO values coincident with large-scale, ENE-trending regional structures that crosscut the Deep Blue prospect. The company is now refining these targets ahead of future drilling. This remains an emerging opportunity, not a confirmed REE deposit, but it adds another potential dimension to what is already a multi-metal exploration corridor.
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What comes next at Goomalling
Chalice has outlined a three-part forward programme:
- Geological and structural interpretation of the maiden RC programme, with a focus on fold hinge analysis. The company has identified two priority fold targets interpreted as high priority, one immediately south-west of Deep Blue and one approximately 4km north-west at the Deep Thought prospect. Higher-grade mineralisation at Caravel has been shown to correlate with tightly folded structural positions, making fold hinges a key targeting tool.
- Induced Polarisation (IP) survey: IP is a direct-detection geophysical method that exploits the conductivity contrast between chalcopyrite mineralisation and the comparatively resistive host rock. This approach has been used successfully to vector towards high-grade copper mineralisation at Caravel, and Chalice plans to apply the same technique at Deep Blue.
- Expanded soil sampling and follow-up RC drilling: The extended soil sampling grid will include a full REE suite and cover substantial areas of the corridor not yet sampled. This work is expected to commence in Q4 CY2026, post cropping season.
The vast majority of the ~30km belt remains untested by soil sampling or drilling. Chalice is systematically building out a new copper exploration corridor in Western Australia, using Caravel-style structural analogues as a vectoring guide, while results at this stage remain at the reconnaissance stage with considerable work still required to define the scale and continuity of the system.
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