Inferred Status and Data Gaps Pose Challenges for Empire’s A-Zone Resource Development

Empire Resources Advances Yuinmery Project with Maiden A-Zone Resource

Empire Resources Limited (ASX – ERL) has taken a significant step forward in its copper-gold exploration ambitions with the announcement of a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the A-Zone deposit at its Yuinmery Project in Western Australia. The inferred resource totals 1.06 million tonnes grading 1.14% copper and 0.40 grams per tonne gold, representing a substantial addition to the company’s existing resource base.

This new resource complements the previously reported Just Desserts deposit, which holds an inferred resource of 2.52 million tonnes at 1.31% copper and 0.49 g/t gold. Together, these deposits bring the combined Yuinmery copper-gold resources to approximately 3.59 million tonnes at 1.25% copper and 0.46 g/t gold, positioning the project as a notable copper-gold asset in the region.

Geological Context and Resource Characteristics

The A-Zone deposit is a volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) style mineralisation hosted within a complex sequence of mafic and felsic volcanic rocks and cherts in the Youanmi greenstone belt. Mineralisation is concentrated over a 300-metre strike length and extends at least 320 metres down dip, with four parallel mineralised domains identified. Notably, the deposit remains open both at depth and along strike, suggesting further resource expansion potential.

The resource estimate is based on a comprehensive drilling database spanning nearly five decades, with 53 drill holes totaling over 11,000 metres, including recent drilling campaigns by Empire Resources. The company has applied rigorous sampling, assaying, and modelling techniques, including inverse distance squared estimation and selective top-cutting to manage high-grade outliers.

Encouraging Metallurgical and Development Outlook

Preliminary metallurgical test work conducted on A-Zone samples indicates that copper and gold can be effectively recovered through flotation processes, mirroring results from the Just Desserts deposit. These findings provide a positive outlook for potential processing routes and economic viability.

Empire’s management highlights the strategic importance of focusing on the shallow portions of the resource, particularly the high-grade supergene zones, which could enhance project economics. The company is actively pursuing mining licence applications and has submitted new program of works to access hilltop and strike extensions, aiming to unlock further value.

Looking Ahead – Exploration and Resource Growth

While the current resource classification remains inferred due to data density and historic assay quality constraints, Empire plans to conduct infill drilling to upgrade resource confidence and expand the mineralised footprint. Additional work will include detailed geometallurgical modelling, bulk density measurements, and multi-element geochemical analysis to refine the geological model and support future mine planning.

Empire Resources’ progress at Yuinmery reflects a broader trend of renewed interest in copper-gold projects amid improving commodity markets. The company’s methodical approach to exploration and resource development positions it well to capitalise on these market dynamics.