Encounter Resources Limited Regains Full Control of Yeneena Copper Project, Unlocking Tier 1 Copper Potential and Robust Exploration Opportunities in Western Australia
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
at
8:16 am
Encounter Resources Limited has regained full control of its Yeneena Copper project after IGO Limited exited their joint venture. This shift enables Encounter to harness high-quality drill data, advancing exploration into promising high-grade copper prospects amid strong market demand for Tier 1 resources.
Encounter Resources Limited has regained complete control of its Yeneena Copper Project following IGO Limited’s decision to withdraw from their farm‐in joint venture. This change returns 100% ownership of the project – a large-scale copper-cobalt venture in the highly prospective Paterson Province of northern Western Australia – to Encounter Resources Limited, allowing the company to fully leverage a substantial technical dataset generated during IGO Limited’s six-year investment.
The technical highlights of the project include impressive drill results at the BM1 copper oxide zone, where high-grade intersections were recorded. For example, one drill hole returned 20 meters at 2.0% copper with a sub-interval of 12 meters at 3.2% copper, while other holes have reported intervals such as 10 meters at 6.8% copper (with up to 12.3% copper in part of that interval) and 18 meters at 3.2% copper from depth. These results have prompted the team to consider potential extensions into the primary sulphide zone as they refine updated geological models that have evolved over the past 15 years.
At BM5, follow-up aircore drilling has delineated a broad copper-leakage anomaly associated with elevated silver and minor palladium readings. Technical details include intervals such as 15 meters at 0.17% copper with silver values up to 21.8 g/t, supporting the idea that the near-surface geochemical anomaly may be tied to a deeper primary copper source. The project’s location in the same sedimentary formation as notable regional deposits further underpins its promise as a significant Tier 1 copper opportunity.
Looking at the sentiment, the news leans bullish on multiple fronts. Full project ownership empowers Encounter Resources Limited to direct exploration strategies without partner interference and utilize the extensive technical dataset to target key zones with high-grade mineralisation. These factors position the company well in a market with rising copper demand and a favorable regional geology. On the bearish side, the project remains in its early exploration phase, where geological uncertainties such as true mineralisation widths, the continuity of grades, and the depth of extensions still pose risks. Additionally, while the technical indicators are promising, further drilling and testing are necessary to establish a confident resource estimate.
Overall, Encounter Resources Limited’s re-acquisition of the Yeneena Copper Project and the accompanying robust technical findings highlight a potentially transformational opportunity in copper exploration, making it an intriguing prospect for investors as exploration programs advance.