West Arunta Drilling Yields Nickel up to 2,200ppm and Copper to 318ppm

Exploration Progress at West Arunta

Tali Resources Ltd (ASX – TR2) has released the first assay results from its August 2025 reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the West Arunta Project in Western Australia. The program, comprising 12 drillholes totaling 1,818 metres, targeted five prospects – Chilka, Lonar, Maton B, Maton C, and Gibson East. These initial results provide valuable insights into the geological setting and mineral potential of this underexplored region.

Nickel-Copper Anomalies at Chilka and Lonar

The standout findings come from the Chilka and Lonar prospects, where drilling intersected ultramafic rock units exhibiting moderately anomalous nickel and copper values. At Chilka, nickel concentrations reached up to 2,200 parts per million (ppm) alongside copper up to 318 ppm, while Lonar showed weaker but still notable nickel (up to 1,390 ppm) and copper (up to 261 ppm). These anomalies coincide with weak to moderately conductive airborne electromagnetic (AEM) responses that remain untested by drilling, suggesting potential zones of magmatic sulphide mineralisation.

Tali’s Managing Director, Rhys Bradley, emphasised the iterative nature of greenfields exploration, noting that while the drilling has explained some geophysical anomalies, further work is needed at Chilka and Lonar to better delineate these targets. Ground-based electromagnetic surveys and additional drilling are under consideration to refine the understanding of these prospective zones.

Maton and Gibson East Prospects – Mixed Outcomes

In contrast, the Maton B and Maton C prospects, initially identified by AEM surveys as conductive anomalies, were found to be associated with graphitic shales and weakly anomalous silver and zinc values rather than significant copper mineralisation. This suggests sediment-hosted copper potential remains but requires more targeted investigation.

The Gibson East prospect, characterized by coincident gravity and magnetic anomalies, was drilled and intersected granite and gabbro units. These results have led to the downgrading of Gibson East as a priority target, with the anomalies explained by the rock types encountered.

Looking Ahead to 2026

With these initial results in hand, Tali Resources is focusing on integrating the new drilling data with updated geological and geophysical models. This will enable more refined targeting for follow-up exploration programs. The company has identified additional prospects such as Lonar East, Khya, and Vanda as priorities for the coming year.

Overall, the drilling campaign has demonstrated Tali’s capability to execute exploration plans on schedule and within budget in a challenging and underexplored terrain. While no definitive economic mineralisation has yet been defined, the moderately anomalous nickel and copper results at Chilka and Lonar provide encouraging signs of potential magmatic sulphide systems.