West Cobar (ASX: WC1) moves to centre stage with maiden resource at Bulla Park

West Cobar Metals (ASX:WC1) has marked a major milestone with the announcement of its maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Bulla Park Project in central New South Wales.

The estimate confirms Bulla Park as a polymetallic system of scale, hosting a mix of copper, silver and antimony — a compelling combination in a tightening critical minerals landscape.

According to West Cobar Metals Managing Director, Matt Szwedzicki, the MRE validates the company’s belief in Bulla Park’s geological and economic potential.

“This is a foundational moment for West Cobar,” he said. “We now have a robust resource base that demonstrates strong geological continuity, metallurgical viability and room for significant growth.”

The maiden resource provides the platform for broader project development, highlighting the commercial attractiveness of a large-scale polymetallic system.

The ability to extract copper, silver and antimony — all with favourable recovery metrics — provides the company with valuable commodity diversification, a feature increasingly important for juniors seeking to manage market volatility and supply chain risks.

Notably, the deposit is amenable to bulk mining techniques and sits within a region known for favourable permitting pathways and established infrastructure.

These factors support not only the technical viability of the project but also its strategic appeal as a future producer of critical metals.

A Strong Pipeline for Growth

The momentum behind the MRE is further bolstered by an Exploration Target of 30–50 million tonnes at 0.47–0.66% copper equivalent — a figure that, if realised, could more than double the current resource.

The Managing Director explained that the target is underpinned by a strong set of geological indicators.

“We’ve based the Exploration Target on compelling structural and geophysical continuity. Prior drilling intersected mineralisation in these areas, but the spacing was too wide to include in the resource,” Szwedzicki said. “Follow-up drilling is planned to test these zones, particularly around the WSW fault, which could represent a high-grade feeder zone.”

The company believes this next phase of drilling, scheduled over the coming 12 months, could deliver a significant uplift in both tonnage and grade, effectively transforming the scale of the project.

Metallurgy Offers a Commercial Edge

Beyond volume and scale, Bulla Park’s metallurgical characteristics add another layer of strategic value. Initial testwork has returned promising results, including high recoveries of copper (94.6%), silver (84.1%) and antimony (82.6%) into clean concentrate streams.

These recoveries are crucial not just for economic modelling, but for downstream processing simplicity.

“The ability to produce clean, saleable concentrates using conventional flotation and leaching techniques makes this deposit commercially compelling,” the Managing Director said.

Particularly valuable is the potential to extract a high-purity antimony product — a critical mineral used in flame retardants and solar photovoltaic technologies.

With global supply constrained and demand increasing, the ability to generate a standalone antimony concentrate gives West Cobar a unique competitive position.

Logistics and Location: A Rare Advantage

Bulla Park’s proximity to key infrastructure significantly strengthens its development credentials. The site lies 110km west of Cobar, offering direct access to the Barrier Highway and a nearby railhead.

This opens a transport corridor to the Newcastle export terminal, a facility already used by other regional miners.

Additionally, the project is located close to the Moomba to Sydney gas pipeline and is adjacent to a 33kV power line — two features that reduce both upfront capital costs and ongoing operational expenditure.

“Infrastructure of this quality is rarely available at this stage in a project’s lifecycle,” Szwedzicki noted. “It improves the feasibility of Bulla Park transitioning to production and provides options for future offtake or processing partnerships.”

What Comes Next?

Looking ahead, the company has outlined a detailed forward program aimed at resource expansion and further de-risking.

Key steps include:

• Diamond drilling focused on deeper extensions and high-grade zones near the WSW fault

• RC drilling to define shallower mineralisation to the north and east of the existing MRE

• A deep stratigraphic hole beneath 19CA006 targeting a geophysical anomaly that may indicate a higher-grade feeder zone

In parallel, metallurgical optimisation will continue. West Cobar is focused on refining its flotation and leaching pathways, particularly for antimony.

This includes work on precipitation techniques to produce a final commercial-grade antimony sulphide product, which could further enhance the project’s value proposition.

A Compelling Case in Critical Minerals

The timing of this resource declaration is significant. With global demand rising for critical and battery-related metals, West Cobar is positioning itself as an emerging player with a diversified, scalable deposit and a clear pathway toward development.

The Managing Director summed up the opportunity succinctly:

“This MRE is just the beginning. The scale, metallurgy and location of Bulla Park provide all the right ingredients to grow a compelling, multi-commodity project — one that can move with confidence into feasibility work and beyond.”

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