Empire Resources Eyes Copper-Gold Drilling at Bradley Well Near SLS Nanadie
Key Takeaways
- Empire Resources has renamed its E51/1938 tenement the Bradley Well Project and identified two priority Cu-Au drill targets, with a Programme of Work already granted allowing drilling to proceed.
- Area 1 sits along strike from Solstice Minerals' actively expanding Nanadie Cu-Au project, approximately 2km south, with a historic RAB intercept of 4m @ 175ppm Cu at 36m depth providing the geological anchor.
- Area 2 targets the Barrambie Igneous Complex — a magnetic structure extending over 60km — with a Newcrest drillhole recording 16m @ 277ppm Cu from 28m just 55m outside the tenement boundary.
- The project review was directly prompted by Solstice Minerals' significant copper-gold drilling results and resource growth at the adjacent Nanadie ground through 2026.
- Bradley Well adds to Empire's existing portfolio of the Yuinmery Copper-Gold Project (470km northeast of Perth) and Penny's Gold Project (45km northeast of Kalgoorlie), with drill commencement the next material catalyst.
Bradley Well project reframed as Empire targets fresh Cu-Au ground
Empire Resources Limited (ASX: ERL) has reframed its exploration focus on tenement E51/1938 in Western Australia, renaming the project from “Nanadie Project” to the Bradley Well Project to avoid confusion with Solstice Minerals’ (ASX: SLS) adjacent Nanadie Cu-Au project.
The rename reflects more than a branding adjustment. A fresh geological review of the tenement has identified four low-amplitude magnetic anomalies of interest, two of which have been prioritised for drilling. A Programme of Work (POW) allowing drilling has been granted, with fieldwork to proceed when a suitable rig becomes available.
The strategic context is straightforward: E51/1938 sits approximately 2km north of SLS’s Nanadie Cu-Au project, a resource that Solstice has been actively expanding through 2026. Empire’s review of Bradley Well was prompted directly by the significant copper-gold drilling results and resource growth SLS has demonstrated at the adjacent ground.
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Two priority areas defined — geology and historic intercepts
The fresh review has produced two distinct drill targets, each grounded in historical intercepts and supported by magnetic survey interpretation.
Area 1 sits along strike from SLS’s Nanadie tenement and centres on historic RAB hole ER342-8, which recorded a standalone anomalous intercept of 4m @ 175ppm Cu at 36m depth. Sheared amphibolite bedrock was encountered at 44m, and granite has been identified in an adjacent drillhole 300m west. The planned drilling will target the untested contact between the granite and amphibolite, with the aim of locating a prospective undercover mineralised mafic intrusive (gabbro) or a mineralised shear zone.
Area 2 sits approximately 1.6km east of Area 1 and targets the Barrambie Igneous Complex (BIC), a distinct ridge-like magnetic high extending over 60km that mainly consists of gabbro and pyroxenite. A Newcrest drillhole, ER332-2, located only 55m south of the tenement boundary, recorded an anomalous 16m @ 277ppm Cu from 28m. The host rock was logged as sericitic schist with subordinate quartz veins, with adjacent holes recording dolerites and granites. Follow-up drilling across the ER332-2 position is planned.
Priority drill targets at a glance:
- Area 1: Along strike from SLS’s Nanadie tenure; historic intercept 4m @ 175ppm Cu at 36m (hole ER342-8); sheared amphibolite at 44m; granite 300m west; drilling objective — test granite-amphibolite contact for mineralised gabbro or shear zone
- Area 2: ~1.6km east of Area 1; targets the BIC (>60km magnetic structure); Newcrest hole ER332-2 recorded 16m @ 277ppm Cu from 28m, only 55m south of E51/1938; drilling objective — follow-up across ER332-2 position
| Area | Location | Historic Intercept | Drilling Objective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Area 1 | Along strike from SLS Nanadie tenure; centred on hole ER342-8 | 4m @ 175ppm Cu at 36m (hole ER342-8); sheared amphibolite at 44m; granite 300m west | Test granite-amphibolite contact for mineralised mafic intrusive (gabbro) or mineralised shear zone |
| Area 2 | ~1.6km east of Area 1; targets Barrambie Igneous Complex | 16m @ 277ppm Cu from 28m (Newcrest hole ER332-2); 55m south of E51/1938 boundary | Follow-up drilling across ER332-2 position within the BIC magnetic structure |
Figure 1 in the source announcement shows the Bradley Well tenement (E51/1938) on a magnetic image, with Area 1 and Area 2 drill locations marked relative to SLS’s Nanadie tenure and adjacent mining leases.
Understanding Cu-Au mafic intrusive targets — why geology matters to investors
To understand why these targets are considered prospective, it helps to know what Empire is looking for beneath the surface.
A mineralised mafic intrusive, in plain terms, is a body of dark, iron- and magnesium-rich rock (in this case, gabbro) that intruded into surrounding rock and, under the right conditions, concentrated metals like copper and gold. The contact zone between gabbro and different rock types such as amphibolite is a geologically active boundary where mineralisation can accumulate. That is precisely what Empire is targeting in Area 1.
The Barrambie Igneous Complex adds scale to the district story. A magnetic structure extending over 60km signals a substantial geological feature with potential to host multiple mineralised systems along its length. When a historic drillhole records anomalous copper just 55m outside the tenement boundary, it provides direct evidence that the mineralising system extends into the ground Empire controls.
RAB drilling (Rotary Air Blast) is a cost-effective method of obtaining rock chip samples from shallow depths. The historical intercepts cited here came from RAB programmes, and drilling will proceed when a suitable rig becomes available.
For investors, the granting of the POW and the identification of two defined priority areas represent the key de-risking steps in early-stage exploration. The company now has regulatory clearance to drill and geological rationale for where to put the holes. That is the stage where exploration optionality is created, before drill results convert targets into resources.
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Catalysts ahead as drill rig availability determines next step
The immediate catalyst for Bradley Well is straightforward: drilling will commence when a suitable rig becomes available. The four magnetic anomalies will first be validated in the field prior to or alongside drilling, confirming the targets on the ground before the drill program proceeds.
Bradley Well sits alongside Empire’s two existing projects. The Yuinmery Copper-Gold Project, located 470km northeast of Perth in the Youanmi Greenstone Belt, and the Penny’s Gold Project, 45km northeast of Kalgoorlie in the Eastern Goldfields, form the core of the company’s exploration pipeline. Bradley Well represents an incremental addition to that active portfolio, brought into focus by the exploration success of a neighbour.
The Yuinmery Copper-Gold Project, located 470km northeast of Perth in the Youanmi Greenstone Belt, has been advancing through an active drilling campaign that provides the strategic backdrop for Empire’s broader copper-gold exploration push across Western Australia.
For investors tracking Empire, the next material event at Bradley Well is the commencement of drilling. Results from the two priority areas will determine whether the historical copper intercepts and magnetic anomalies translate into genuine mineralisation beneath the tenement. Contact for further information: Michael Ruane, Non-Executive Chairman, +61 (0)8 6389 1032.
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