GreenTech Metals Extends Ayshia Copper Grade Beyond Resource Envelope at Depth
Key Takeaways
- Drill hole 26GTDD016 returned 4.76m @ 7.13% Cu, 1.20% Zn, 0.88 g/t Au and 29.6 g/t Ag from 367m — the highest-average-grade multi-metre copper intersection recorded at Ayshia to date.
- The intercept sits approximately 65m down plunge beyond the existing 2023 Ayshia Mineral Resource envelope, meaning it represents genuinely new ground that cannot yet be included in the current 6.2 Mt resource estimate.
- Five successive drill holes at Ayshia show copper grade strengthening consistently with depth — from 1.10% Cu at 169m to 7.13% Cu at 367m — a geological trend that points toward an unconquered high-grade core.
- Three additional holes at Yannery and Austin are pending laboratory assay results expected in October 2026, creating a near-term catalyst pipeline across multiple prospects within the broader Whundo Project.
- An updated Whundo JORC 2012 Mineral Resource estimate is targeted for Q4 2026, with the new high-grade intercepts and significant gold and silver results to be assessed as part of that process.
High-grade copper-gold-silver intercept confirms Ayshia’s down-plunge potential
GreenTech Metals (ASX: GRE) has delivered a standout result from diamond drilling at its 100%-owned Whundo Cu-Zn-Au Project in the West Pilbara, Western Australia. Drill hole 26GTDD016 returned 4.76 m @ 7.13% Cu, 1.20% Zn, 0.88 g/t Au and 29.6 g/t Ag from 367 m, including a high-grade sub-interval of 3.44 m @ 9.43% Cu, 1.59% Zn, 1.20 g/t Au and 39.7 g/t Ag from 367.62 m.
The result carries immediate significance for two reasons. First, the intercept sits approximately 65 m down plunge beyond the existing Ayshia Mineral Resource envelope, confirming the mineralised system continues at depth and remains open. Second, the company states this represents the highest-average-grade multi-metre copper intersection identified at Ayshia to date, and ranks among the highest-grade copper intersections recorded across the broader Whundo Project.
The assay interval is hosted within a broader 6.85 m interval of chalcopyrite-rich massive to semi-massive sulphides logged from 366.07 m to 372.92 m downhole, comprising chalcopyrite with pyrite, pyrrhotite and minor sphalerite. Note that reported intervals are downhole lengths; true widths have not yet been determined.
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What is a VMS system and why does grade at depth matter?
Ayshia is a Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) deposit. VMS deposits form from ancient seafloor hydrothermal vent systems, where metal-rich fluids precipitate ore. They are characteristically polymetallic, meaning they carry combinations of copper, zinc, gold, and silver, often in high concentrations within relatively compact zones.
A key feature of many VMS systems is that they plunge steeply at depth. “Down plunge” refers to following the ore body along its natural dip direction as it extends deeper into the earth. When grades increase rather than diminish as drilling goes deeper, that is a geologically positive signal — it suggests the core of the mineralised shoot has not yet been reached.
At Ayshia, this is precisely what the drilling record shows. Historical intersections at shallower depths already demonstrated improving copper tenor with depth, and 26GTDD016 continues that trend at 367 m, well beyond the current resource model. Crucially, because the new intercept lies outside the existing Mineral Resource envelope, it represents genuinely new ground with potential resource growth implications, not simply infill drilling confirming what is already known.
Drilling extends a strengthening trend — and more results are coming
How 26GTDD016 fits the Ayshia picture
The down-plunge drilling sequence at Ayshia tells a consistent story. Each successive hole has gone deeper, and the copper grade has responded accordingly:
- 34.85 m @ 1.10% Cu from 169.65 m (12AYDD102)
- 23.7 m @ 3.19% Cu from 209 m (12AYDD103)
- 13.97 m @ 3.4% Cu from 243.63 m (12AYDD109)
- 20 m @ 0.60% Cu, 1% Zn, 0.11 g/t Au from 250 m, including 3 m @ 3.1% Cu, 2.6% Zn (24GTRC004)
- 4.76 m @ 7.13% Cu from 367 m (26GTDD016 — new result)
The progression is clear: grade is not tailing off with depth. It is strengthening. The table below summarises the sequence.
| Drill Hole | Depth From (m) | Interval (m) | Cu (%) | Notable Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12AYDD102 | 169.65 | 34.85 | 1.10% | 0.46% Zn |
| 12AYDD103 | 209 | 23.7 | 3.19% | 0.39% Zn |
| 12AYDD109 | 243.63 | 13.97 | 3.4% | 0.42% Zn |
| 24GTRC004 | 250 | 20 | 0.60% | 1% Zn, 0.11 g/t Au; incl. 3 m @ 3.1% Cu, 2.6% Zn |
| 26GTDD016 ★ | 367 | 4.76 | 7.13% | 1.20% Zn, 0.88 g/t Au, 29.6 g/t Ag; incl. 3.44 m @ 9.43% Cu |
★ New result. Reported intervals are downhole lengths; true widths not yet determined. A notable sub-interval of 0.89 m @ 13.50% Cu, 2.18% Zn, 2.06 g/t Au and 55.1 g/t Ag from 368.48 m was also recorded within 26GTDD016.
Upcoming assay results to watch
Three additional drill holes across the Whundo Project have been completed, with laboratory assay results pending and expected in October 2026:
- 26GTDD014 at Yannery
- 26GTDD017 at Austin
- 26GTDD018 at Austin
GreenTech has also indicated that DHEM (downhole electromagnetic) surveying of 26GTDD016 is planned, which will assist in targeting further down-plunge drilling extensions at Ayshia. For investors watching the stock, the October assay window represents a near-term catalyst pipeline across multiple prospects within the broader project.
The pending results from Yannery and Austin sit within GreenTech’s 8,300m drill campaign across the West Pilbara, a program designed to advance both the Whundo copper-zinc system and the Munni Munni PGE-Cu-Ni project simultaneously.
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Resource growth in sight as Whundo targets Q4 2026 update
The current Whundo JORC 2012 Mineral Resource stands at 6.2 Mt @ 1.12% Cu, 1.04% Zn, prepared by independent resource consultant Phil Jones. The Ayshia deposit contributes 0.9 Mt @ 1.3% Cu and 2.3% Zn within that total.
Because 26GTDD016’s intersection lies approximately 65 m down plunge beyond the 2023 Ayshia Mineral Resource envelope, it cannot yet contribute to the existing estimate. However, the result supports the potential for the mineralised system to continue at depth, and an updated Mineral Resource estimate is targeted for Q4 2026, with significant gold and silver intercepts to be assessed as part of that process. These distances are approximate and remain subject to final survey and three-dimensional model verification.
That Q4 2026 MRE update is the near-term value inflection point for investors to monitor. GreenTech holds a landholding exceeding 500 km² in the West Pilbara, with Whundo complemented by the Munni Munni Project (PGE-Cu-Ni) as a second flagship asset.
The high-grade platinum discovery at Munni Munni positions GreenTech’s second flagship project as a meaningful complement to Whundo, giving the company simultaneous newsflow across copper-zinc and PGE commodity exposure within the same West Pilbara land package.
Chief Executive Officer James Rattenbury framed the result clearly:
James Rattenbury, Chief Executive Officer
“The high-grade result from 26GTDD016 is an outstanding start to our current Whundo drilling program. The intersection of 4.76 m at 7.13% copper, including 3.44 m at 9.43% copper, confirms one of the highest-grade multi-metre copper intersections recorded across the Whundo Project to date.
“Importantly, the intersection is located beyond the existing Ayshia Mineral Resource envelope and demonstrates the down plunge potential for resource extension with increasing copper grades at depth.
“The associated gold and silver grades provide additional value to an already exciting copper result, while the zinc confirms the polymetallic character of the Ayshia VMS system…”
The mineralised system at Ayshia remains open at depth. With pending assays from Yannery and Austin expected next month, and DHEM surveying planned to sharpen the next round of targeting, the current program is generating a pipeline of near-term newsflow against a backdrop of genuinely encouraging geology.
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