West Cobar Maps Path to Commercial Scandium With Q4 Drill Program After 102ppm Hit
Key Takeaways
- West Cobar has expanded its Q4 2026 air-core drilling program to include a new scandium target at Benriach, where RC hole BHTRSP002 returned 27m at 102ppm Sc₂O₃ from 171m in amphibolite bedrock.
- The Benriach bedrock carries the same geochemical signature as the ground beneath West Cobar's existing 15Mt at 153ppm Sc₂O₃ Inferred Mineral Resource at the neighbouring Newmont deposit.
- The Q4 program will test whether near-surface weathering above the Benriach amphibolite has produced saprolite-hosted scandium enrichment comparable to Newmont, where grades up to 649ppm Sc₂O₃ have been intersected.
- In parallel, metallurgical testwork including heap-leach processing and scandium recovery methods is advancing, alongside scoping and pre-feasibility studies and engagement on U.S. funding and offtake pathways.
- The Salazar Project holds a five-commodity JORC resource inventory spanning scandium, rare earth elements, titanium dioxide, gallium and alumina — providing critical minerals optionality from a single Western Australian asset.
West Cobar Metals has expanded its planned Q4 2026 air-core drilling program at the Salazar Critical Minerals Project in Western Australia to include a new scandium target at the Benriach Prospect. The addition follows a significant bedrock intersection in RC hole BHTRSP002: 27m at 102ppm Sc₂O₃ from 171m. The company already holds an Inferred Mineral Resource of 15Mt at 153ppm Sc₂O₃ at the neighbouring Newmont deposit. Scandium is a critical mineral used in aerospace alloys and fuel cell technology, and the expanded drilling program targets both resource extensions and the higher-grade zones essential for commercial development.
Key Program Highlights:
- Air-core drilling scheduled for Q4 2026
- New saprolite target added at Benriach
- Benriach bedrock intersection: 27m at 102ppm Sc₂O₃ from 171m
- Existing Newmont resource: 15Mt at 153ppm Sc₂O₃ (Inferred)
- Metallurgical testwork advancing in parallel
The Benriach discovery: what the drilling found
RC hole BHTRSP002, drilled to test aeromagnetic targets across the Salazar Project, intersected 27m at 102ppm Sc₂O₃ from 171m within amphibolite bedrock. The mineralised zone is characterised by elevated magnesium, titanium, iron, calcium, phosphorus and rare earth elements — a geochemical signature interpreted to indicate an alkaline basalt protolith. This geological setting is comparable with the bedrock underlying the Newmont saprolite-hosted scandium resource.
Aeromagnetic data define a discrete magnetic body at Benriach. The geometry of this body provides a specific exploration target where the scandium-enriched bedrock approaches the weathered profile. This position is considered prospective for near-surface scandium enrichment — the exploration thesis underpinning the Q4 2026 drilling program.
Matt Szwedzicki, Managing Director
“Benriach gives us an exciting scandium target which highlights a potentially significant expansion of the scandium mineralisation at Salazar. We have a substantial bedrock intersection within amphibolite that shows a similar geochemical association to the bedrock beneath the Newmont scandium resource, together with a discrete magnetic body that provides a clear focus for follow-up drilling.
The Q4 air-core program is designed to test the weathered profile above and around this bedrock zone for near-surface scandium enrichment, while also targeting extensions and higher-grade zones at Newmont. It is recognised that high scandium grades are essential for the development of a commercial operation.
This exploration work is being advanced alongside our metallurgical program as we assess the potential development pathway for scandium and the broader Salazar critical minerals resource.”
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Scandium explained: why grade and near-surface matter
Scandium (reported as Sc₂O₃, scandium oxide) is a critical mineral used in aerospace alloys and solid oxide fuel cells. It is rare, with few commercial deposits globally. At Salazar, scandium occurs in two geological settings: saprolite-hosted (clay-enriched weathered material) and bedrock-hosted (fresh rock). Saprolite hosting is significant because the material sits near surface, which supports low-cost open-pit mining and simpler processing compared to hard-rock extraction.
Grade matters because scandium is present in parts per million, not percentages. A deposit at 150ppm Sc₂O₃ contains 0.015% scandium oxide. Higher-grade zones — such as the 649ppm Sc₂O₃ intersection at Newmont — concentrate the economic value into smaller tonnages, improving project economics. The Q4 drilling program is designed to test whether weathering above the Benriach bedrock has produced near-surface enrichment comparable to, or exceeding, the grades at Newmont. This combination of grade and geometry underpins commercial viability.
Salazar’s scandium strategy and existing resource base
West Cobar holds an Inferred Mineral Resource of 15Mt at 153ppm Sc₂O₃ at the Newmont deposit. Previous drilling has identified discrete higher-grade zones within the resource, demonstrating the potential for grade variability across the deposit. The table below summarises key high-grade intersections to date:
| Hole ID | Intersection | Grade (Sc₂O₃) | High-Grade Zone | Prospect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAC358 | 13m from 9m | 318ppm | incl. 3m at 649ppm from 10m | Newmont |
| SAC391 | 11m from 6m | 282ppm | incl. 4m at 350ppm from 9m | Newmont |
| BHTRSP002 | 27m from 171m | 102ppm | Bedrock amphibolite | Benriach |
The Salazar Project hosts a broader multi-commodity critical minerals system. In addition to scandium, the project holds JORC Mineral Resource estimates for rare earth elements (REEs), titanium dioxide (TiO₂), gallium and alumina. This multi-commodity inventory provides optionality across several critical minerals markets from a single asset.
Full JORC Resource Inventory (Salazar Project):
- Scandium: 15Mt at 153ppm Sc₂O₃ (Inferred)
- Rare Earth Elements: 230Mt at 1,178ppm TREO (Total Indicated & Inferred), including 44Mt at 1,239ppm TREO (Indicated) using a 600ppm cut-off
- Titanium Dioxide: 42Mt at 5.2% TiO₂ (Inferred)
- Gallium: 263Mt at 35ppm Ga₂O₃ (Inferred)
- Alumina: 4Mt at 29.7% Al₂O₃ (Inferred)
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What’s next for West Cobar
The Q4 2026 air-core drilling program has three defined objectives:
- Undertake closer-spaced drilling at Newmont to better define the distribution of higher-grade scandium zones
- Test extensions to the Newmont scandium resource to expand the tonnage base
- Test the Benriach saprolite profile above and adjacent to the scandium-enriched amphibolite intersected in BHTRSP002
In parallel, the company is advancing metallurgical testwork, including heap-leach processing, scandium recovery methods and the potential production of mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC). Further bioleaching testwork is also planned. West Cobar is progressing integrated flowsheet demonstration and staged development studies, including scoping and pre-feasibility studies (PFS).
The company is continuing engagement on potential U.S. funding and offtake pathways, targeting support mechanisms available for critical minerals projects. What this means for you as an investor: multiple near-term catalysts across drilling results, metallurgical outcomes and funding announcements. The expanded drilling program increases the probability of defining a larger, higher-grade scandium inventory, while the parallel workstreams advance the technical and commercial pathway to development.
Could Benriach Become the Next Major Scandium Discovery at Salazar?
West Cobar Metals is set to drill a new high-priority target at Benriach in Q4 2026, where bedrock assays returned 27m at 102ppm Sc₂O₃ within amphibolite — a geological signature comparable to the company’s existing 15Mt Inferred scandium resource at Newmont. The expanded air-core program will test whether near-surface weathering has enriched the saprolite profile above the mineralised bedrock, potentially unlocking a new zone of higher-grade, open-pittable scandium mineralisation.
If you’re tracking West Cobar’s progress toward a multi-commodity critical minerals development, visit the WC1 investor centre to access the full drilling results, metallurgical updates and upcoming catalysts across the Salazar Project. With drilling and funding pathways advancing in parallel, the next 12 months could define the scale and grade of this emerging scandium system.