Great Western Exploration has commenced drilling at its Oval Copper-Gold Target in Western Australia, marking the start of an aggressive six-month exploration campaign that will test nine separate copper-gold targets across its Yerrida North Project. The initial drilling programme consists of a 750-metre diamond drill-hole designed to test a coincident gravity anomaly and a geologically modelled Volcanic Hosted Massive Sulphide (VHMS) horizon that the company believes represents the core of a potentially large copper-gold mineralisation system.
The Oval target sits adjacent to Sandfire Resources’ DeGrussa Copper-Gold Deposit, a significant advantage for Great Western’s exploration efforts. The Yerrida Basin where Great Western operates shares similar lithology and age characteristics with the nearby Bryah Basin that hosts the DeGrussa Deposit, providing geological precedent for the discovery of major VHMS deposits in the region. This proximity to an established, operating copper-gold mine validates the company’s geological model and exploration strategy in the area.
Great Western’s technical work has been methodical and layered. A ground gravity survey completed last year identified the gravity anomaly at Oval, which was then modelled using three-dimensional inversion techniques. This gravity signature is coincident with a previously identified VHMS horizon that was discovered through drilling and returned strong VHMS pathfinder assay results. The company interprets this horizon as being positioned distally from an undersea volcanic vent, or “black-smoker” environment, similar to the mineralisation style seen at DeGrussa. This multi-disciplinary approach combining geophysics, geology, and geochemistry suggests a well-reasoned exploration target.
The broader exploration campaign represents a significant acceleration of Great Western’s activities. Beyond the Oval drilling, the company plans to move sequentially to the Diorama Copper-Gold Target, followed by six individual targets at the nearby Juggernaut Project, and finally the Baroo Copper-Gold Target. Concurrent with these drilling campaigns, Great Western will advance exploration on regional targets within the Yerrida Basin with the goal of progressing additional prospects to drill-ready status.
Financial capacity supports this activity level. Great Western reported a cash balance of $4.3 million as of March 2026, providing the runway to execute this exploration programme without immediate funding pressure. The company appears well-positioned to generate newsflow over the coming months as drilling results flow from Oval and subsequent targets are tested.
Investors should monitor drilling updates from the Oval 750-metre hole closely, as intersections of significant copper-gold mineralisation would validate the company’s geological interpretation and potentially unlock additional value. The sequential nature of the programme, with nine targets to be tested over six months, suggests a steady cadence of exploration updates. This announcement is price sensitive and has been flagged as material by the ASX.
View the full ASX announcement (PDF)
About Great Western Exploration Limited (ASX: GTE)
Great Western Exploration Limited is an exploration company engaged in identifying and evaluating gold, copper, and nickel deposits. The company operates multiple mineral exploration projects in Western Australia, including Yerrida North, Fairbairn Copper, and Firebird Gold projects. It generates revenue from mineral exploration activities conducted across Australia.
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