High-Grade Copper Discovery Program Underway at Pivotal Metals' BAGB Project
Pivotal Metals Limited (ASX: PVT) has launched an aggressive exploration program targeting new high-grade copper at Pivotal Metals Ltd in its Midrim Field project in Quebec, Canada. The program builds on exceptional historical drill results and applies advanced technology to unlock the potential of this underexplored region.
Exceptional Grades Set the Stage for New Discoveries
Pivotal's exploration program is supported by outstanding historical drill intercepts across multiple deposits within its 100% owned Belleterre-Angliers Greenstone Belt (BAGB) project. These results demonstrate the project's potential to host globally significant concentrations of copper, nickel, and platinum group metals:
- 21.1m @ 2.48% Cu, 1.71% Ni, 2.66 g/t PGM at Midrim
- 25.6m @ 1.82% Cu, 1.37% Ni, 1.68 g/t PGM at Alotta
- 12.1m @ 1.13% Cu, 0.77% Ni, 1.41 g/t PGM at LaCroche
- 17.5m @ 0.86% Cu, 0.52% Ni, 0.53 g/t PGM at Delphi-Patry
Even more impressive are the high-grade individual results within these zones, with values reaching 7.06% Cu, 7.00% Ni, and 11.6 g/t PGM at various locations across the property. Similar to Patriot Lithium's recent copper discovery, these grades indicate significant mineralization potential.
"We're excited to launch exploration at Midrim," said Ivan Fairhall, Pivotal's Managing Director. "With multiple exceptional high-grade historical intercepts and a proven regional scale mineralising system, this is far more than a brownfields extension play. Our consolidated land position hosting numerous undrilled targets, combined with modern exploration techniques and a systematic data-driven approach, gives us a compelling platform to make new high-grade Cu-Ni-PGM discoveries across this underexplored terrain."
Modern Technology Applied to Historical Data
What makes Pivotal's approach particularly compelling is how the company is applying modern technology to an area where previous exploration was narrowly focused on outcropping discoveries from the 1960s. Historical drilling was heavily concentrated around these initial discoveries, with minimal attention paid to the broader mineral system.
The company has already identified numerous untested conductive anomalies from historical airborne electromagnetic surveys and has successfully employed ground Fixed Loop Time Domain EM (FLTEM) to refine these targets. One drill-ready target has already been defined, with a conductance stronger than the known high-grade copper at Pivotal Metals Ltd occurrence.
Exploration Approach | Historical Focus | Pivotal's Strategy |
---|---|---|
Target Selection | Limited to outcropping deposits | Using geophysics to identify blind targets |
Technology | Basic tools | High-powered surface EM, AI analysis |
Property Scope | Fragmented ownership | Consolidated land position |
Geological Model | Isolated deposits | Regional-scale mineralising system |
Understanding Magmatic Sulphide Systems
The mineral deposits within Pivotal's BAGB project are classified as magmatic sulphide deposits, which form when sulphide-rich fluids separate from magma and concentrate metals like copper, nickel, and platinum group elements. These deposits tend to be highly conductive due to their sulphide content, making them ideal targets for electromagnetic surveying.
What makes these deposits particularly valuable is their polymetallic nature – they contain multiple valuable metals in a single ore body, potentially leading to favourable economics even at moderate grades. The shallow depth of known mineralisation at BAGB (many significant intercepts start less than 50m from surface) suggests that any new discoveries could be relatively easy to access.
Magmatic sulphide systems typically form when:
- Magma rich in dissolved metals rises through the earth's crust
- The magma cools and sulphur-rich fluids separate from the main magma body
- Metals like copper, nickel and platinum group elements concentrate in these sulphide fluids
- The metal-rich sulphides settle and accumulate, often at the base of the intrusion
These deposits are particularly important sources of copper and nickel globally, with major examples including Norilsk (Russia), Sudbury (Canada), and Kambalda (Australia). Furthermore, companies like OD6 Metals have also reported significant findings in similar geological settings.
Infrastructure Advantage Lowers Development Hurdles
One of the most compelling aspects of Pivotal's BAGB project is its exceptional location. Situated just 85km south of Rouyn-Noranda in the heart of Quebec's mining district, the project benefits from:
- Extensive electrical grid, road and rail networks
- Skilled local mining workforce
- Multiple nearby processing facilities with spare capacity
- Low hydropower costs (estimated 5.5c/kWh)
- Proximity to Glencore's copper and nickel smelters
Particularly noteworthy is Agnico Eagle's Canadian Malartic Mine, which has a well-publicised 14 Mt/annum of spare milling capacity forecast from 2028. This could potentially allow Pivotal to develop discoveries without the enormous capital expenditure typically associated with building processing infrastructure.
Exploration Program Timeline
Pivotal's field program has already commenced, with initial results expected in Q3 2025. The company's approach includes:
- Geological mapping to validate gabbroic intrusion contacts
- Refined geophysical modelling of targets using AI
- Ground EM surveys to generate and prioritise drill targets
- Drill testing of high-conviction targets
This systematic approach is designed to maximise the chances of making new high-grade copper discoveries while efficiently managing exploration resources.
Investment Thesis
Pivotal Metals presents a compelling investment case based on several key factors:
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Proven high-grade system: The exceptional grades already identified across multiple deposits demonstrate the mineral endowment of the region.
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Untapped exploration potential: Despite the high-grade results, historical exploration was narrowly focused, leaving substantial areas untested.
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Modern exploration approach: By applying contemporary geophysical techniques and AI analysis to historical data, Pivotal has the potential to make discoveries that were previously overlooked.
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Infrastructure advantage: The project's location in an established mining district with access to power, processing facilities, and skilled labour significantly reduces development costs and timelines.
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Multiple projects: Beyond Midrim, Pivotal also holds the Horden Lake project with a JORC compliant resource of 37Mt @ 1.1% CuEq, providing additional upside. This approach mirrors Aurelia Metals' strategy of developing multiple copper assets simultaneously.
Why Follow Pivotal Metals
Pivotal Metals represents an opportunity to invest in a company with both established resources and significant exploration upside in the critical metals space. The company's strategic focus on copper, nickel, and platinum group metals positions it well to benefit from increasing demand for these metals driven by electrification and decarbonisation trends.
With field work already underway and results expected in Q3 2025, investors can anticipate a steady flow of news as the company executes its exploration strategy across the BAGB project area. The combination of high-grade copper at Pivotal Metals Ltd, excellent infrastructure, and modern exploration techniques creates a compelling foundation for potential discoveries that could significantly revalue the company. In addition, Pivotal's approach shares similarities with Greentech Metals' copper project, which has also attracted investor attention for its high-grade potential.
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