Western Mines Group, an Australian mining company, has been awarded A$440,000 ($281,256) to advance drilling at its Mulga Tank nickel-copper-platinum group elements project in Western Australia’s Eastern Goldfields region. The funding, provided through the Western Australian State Government’s Co-funded Exploration Drilling Programme under the Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) Round 31, supports two successful applications, each granting A$220,000.

The first award of a maximum of A$220,000 was allocated to drilling a deep exploration hole within the main body of the Mulga Tank complex.

Located on the Minigwal Greenstone Belt, the Mulga Tank project will benefit from the first award, which funds a deep exploration hole targeting a sulphide-rich zone near high-grade geochemical results within the main Mulga Tank complex. The second award will finance two diamond holes to explore a komatiite channel system within tenement E39/2134, north of the main complex, focusing on a 1.3km-long komatiite body to study its stratigraphy and target nickel sulphide mineralization at the basal contact.

Drilling is scheduled to begin after June 1, 2025, building on prior EIS-funded efforts in Rounds 26 and 28. The upcoming deep diamond hole, exceeding 1.5km, will investigate the eastern portion of the MobileMT anomaly at the base of the intrusion. This follows successful deep drilling initiated in April 2024. The two additional holes aim to access previously unexplored basal contacts, enhancing understanding of the komatiite system’s potential.

Western Mines Group chairman Rex Turkington praised the exploration team, stating: “Once again, congratulations and great work by Caedmon, Ben and the exploration team in our fourth successful EIS application round – especially to again receive two awards in this round, both for the maximum amount of $220,000 for deep diamond drilling. The first award will be used to drill another exciting deep hole aimed at testing the significant MobileMT target at the base of the Mulga Tank Complex. The second award will step out to test the komatiite channels up the belt, looking to capture the stratigraphy of the system and target the basal contact.”

The Australian Government has allocated A$11.2 million across three EIS programs, including Round 31, Series 8 of the Energy Analysis Programme, and Venture 2 of the Co-funded Geophysics Programme. This funding supports 49 projects, with A$7.8 million for drilling, A$3.2 million for 25 geophysics initiatives, and A$200,000 for three energy analysis projects. The latest awards enable Western Mines to deepen its exploration of the Mulga Tank project, contributing to the region’s mineral resource development.