West Cobar Metals (ASX: WC1) is expanding its scandium drilling plans at the Salazar critical minerals project in southern Western Australia after assessing newly acquired data.

Scandium is designated a critical mineral by the Australian and United States governments, reflecting limited global production and supply chains concentrated among a small number of producers. The metal is used to strengthen lightweight aluminium alloys for aerospace, defence and additive manufacturing applications, and is also employed in solid oxide fuel cells.

The company has included a new exploration target at the Benriach prospect on the back of a significant bedrock scandium intersection in RC hole BHTRSP002, which returned 27 metres at 102 parts per million (ppm) scandium oxide (Sc2O3) from 171 metres within amphibolite bedrock.

Geology and target definition

The mineralised amphibolite at Benriach is characterised by elevated magnesium, titanium, iron, calcium and phosphorus, together with rare earth elements.

Aeromagnetic data indicates that the Benriach amphibolite forms a discrete magnetic body. According to the company, the geometry of this body provides a specific exploration target where the scandium-enriched bedrock is interpreted to approach the weathered profile.

Q4 2026 air-core drilling program

The prospect will be tested by air-core drilling planned for Q4 2026. Air-core drilling is a relatively low-cost method suited to rapidly testing shallow material, which aligns with the program's focus on the near-surface weathered profile. The program is designed to test the weathered profile above and adjacent to the scandium-enriched bedrock in order to determine whether weathering has produced enhanced scandium grades comparable with, or potentially higher than, those identified at the nearby Newmont deposit.

Managing Director Matt Szwedzicki said West Cobar considers this position prospective for the development of near-surface scandium enrichment within the weathered profile, providing a compelling target for the planned Q4 2026 air-core drilling program.

"Benriach gives us an exciting scandium target which highlights a potentially significant expansion of the scandium mineralisation at Salazar. We have a substantial bedrock intersection within amphibolite that shows a similar geochemical association to the bedrock beneath the Newmont scandium resource, together with a discrete magnetic body that provides a clear focus for follow-up drilling," he said.

"The Q4 air-core program is designed to test the weathered profile above and around this bedrock zone for near-surface scandium enrichment, while also targeting extensions and higher-grade zones at Newmont. It is recognised that high scandium grades are essential for the development of a commercial operation."

"This exploration work is being advanced alongside our metallurgical program as we assess the potential development pathway for scandium and the broader Salazar critical minerals resource."

The exploration work sits alongside the company's ongoing metallurgical program, which is assessing the potential development pathway for scandium and the broader Salazar critical minerals resource.

Share price

Prior to markets opening, WC1 shares were steady at 1.9 cents, with a market capitalisation of $7.070 million.