Asian Battery Metals PLC is fully funded to begin its 2025 regional exploration program at the wholly owned Yambat Project in southwestern Mongolia, targeting multiple copper-gold and copper-nickel prospects beyond the company’s flagship Oval Cu-Ni-PGE discovery.
Drilling is scheduled to begin in the June quarter at three high-priority targets: Copper Ridge, MS1 and MS2. Copper Ridge will be tested with two diamond drillholes totalling approximately 400 metres, while scout drilling at MS1 and MS2 will target significant chargeability anomalies identified in previous surveys.
The location map of the regional exploration area.
The program marks the first drilling at MS1 and MS2, both considered large-scale magmatic copper-nickel prospects. In addition, a Gradient Array Induced Polarisation (IP) survey is planned at CR Far East to define potential follow-up drill targets.
“While our primary focus remains the ongoing Phase 3 drilling at our Oval Cu-Ni-PGE discovery, we’re excited to begin testing several large-scale regional target areas across the Yambat Project,” AZ9 managing director, Gan-Ochir Zunduisuren said.
“This regional program will test a series of compelling copper and nickel targets. We are confident this work will help build a pipeline of opportunities that can complement our existing discovery at Oval. The drilling at Oval is progressing very well and we are planning to provide a separate update to the market shortly.”
2025 regional exploration program
AZ9 has detailed its 2025 regional exploration strategy across the Yambat Project in southwestern Mongolia, with drilling and geophysical campaigns planned at multiple copper-gold and copper-nickel targets.
In addition to ongoing work at the Oval prospect, the 2025 program will advance exploration at the Copper Ridge, MS1, MS2, and CR Far East targets.
Copper Ridge: Follow-up drilling to expand Cu-Au footprint
At Copper Ridge, a 2024 scout hole (CRS01A) intercepted 137.3 metres of semi-continuous mineralisation within a 199-metre section, including 20 metres at 0.21% copper and 0.43 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 7 metres.
The company now plans further investigation through geophysics, surface sampling, and two diamond drillholes (SC07 and SC08) targeting high chargeability and magnetic anomalies east and north of CRS01A.
Anomalies at the Copper Ridge Cu-Au and CR Far East exploration areas.
MS2: New magmatic target under evaluation
Field mapping at MS2 identified spotted slate outcrops indicative of contact metamorphism, spatially associated with the Oval intrusion. Follow-up geophysics between 2022 and 2024 identified coincident low-resistivity and high-chargeability anomalies. While surface geochemical sampling showed low copper and nickel grades, anomalous arsenic suggests potential for a concealed magmatic-hydrothermal system. A single 150-metre diamond drillhole (SC06) and further mapping are planned for 2025.
MS1: High-magnetic anomaly to be drilled
MS1, located 6 kilometres southeast of Oval, is defined by strong magnetic, chargeability and gravity anomalies beneath 100 metres of cover. The 2025 program will include a detailed magnetic survey followed by a 250-metre drillhole (PMS1) to test the underlying anomaly.
CR Far East: Early-stage target with promising indicators
The CR Far East area was delineated based on scattered magnetic anomalies, spectral signals indicating argillic alteration, and stream sediment results suggesting a copper-nickel-cobalt geochemical signature. A Gradient Array Induced Polarization (GAIP) survey covering 39.5 kilometres across 11 lines is planned to refine the geological model and identify drill targets.
What's next?
AZ9 will start drilling at Copper Ridge, MS1 and MS2 between April and May 2025, with assay results expected from mid-Q2. The GAIP survey at CR Far East will follow in May.
The company remains fully funded to execute this multi-target program, leveraging both geophysics and early-stage drilling to expand its pipeline of copper and nickel prospects critical to Asia’s energy transition.