Uncovering Uranium Potential: DevEx Resources Identifies Kilometre-Scale Anomalies at Murphy West
DevEx Resources (ASX: DEV) has identified several significant kilometre-scale uranium targets at its Murphy West Uranium Project in the Northern Territory, with preliminary soil geochemistry results revealing promising pathfinder anomalies similar to those overlying established uranium deposits in the region.
The initial assay results from DevEx's first-pass surface geochemical sampling program have defined multiple promising uranium targets along the southern margin of the McArthur Basin—a region analogous to Canada's world-class Athabasca Basin, which hosts some of the world's most significant uranium mines.
Major Discovery in Uranium-Rich McArthur Basin
The McArthur Basin already contains over 700Mlbs of uranium endowment throughout the region and is considered highly prospective for large-scale unconformity-type uranium discoveries. DevEx's findings strengthen this potential, with the company having collected more than 650 soil samples at Murphy West to date, with assay results received for 450 of these samples.
"These early results have already highlighted several exciting large-scale uranium targets, analogous to both the Westmoreland and Alligator River uranium deposits, for further follow-up. DevEx has a dominant footprint in the McArthur Basin—which has strong geological similarities to the world-class Athabasca Basin in Canada," says Todd Ross, Managing Director of DevEx Resources Ltd.
Pathfinder Elements Mirror Established Uranium Deposits
What makes these findings particularly significant is that the pathfinder elements identified—including lead, copper, and beryllium—display close association with radiometric anomalies at Murphy West. These elements are known to persist through cover and overlie buried uranium deposits in the region.
The company confirmed this relationship through an orientation soil and vegetation survey over Laramide Resources Limited's Junnagunna Uranium Deposit at Westmoreland, conducted with Laramide's support.
At Junnagunna, despite uranium mineralisation being masked by surficial regolith and showing no discernible radiometric signature, DevEx's methodology successfully pinpointed the deposit using these pathfinder elements.
Understanding Pathfinder Elements in Uranium Exploration
Pathfinder elements are chemical elements that commonly associate with uranium mineralisation but may disperse more widely or be easier to detect than uranium itself. These elements create a geochemical halo around uranium deposits that can be substantially larger than the actual deposit, making them valuable indicators during early-stage exploration.
In the McArthur Basin, elements such as lead, copper, and beryllium have proven to be reliable indicators of potential uranium deposits. Their presence in soil samples, even when uranium isn't detected at anomalous levels, can indicate underlying uranium mineralisation—particularly where the mineralisation is covered by regolith or other geological features.
This approach is particularly valuable when exploring uranium targets with DevEx Resources Ltd at Murphy West, where the prospective geology has seen minimal uranium exploration to date and where the underlying geology is often masked by surficial regolith and transported sediments.
Strategic Position in Uranium-Rich Territory
DevEx is exploring the Murphy West under three separate earn-in agreements covering granted tenure held by various partners, totaling approximately 10,000km² of prospective tenure.
The project overlies strike extensions of key stratigraphy that hosts known uranium mineralisation east of the project area, including Laramide Resources Limited's 65.8Mlbs U₃O₈ Westmoreland Mineral Resource in Queensland.
Furthermore, the mineralogy, age and geochemistry of the Westmoreland uranium deposits along the southern margin of McArthur Basin have close similarities to the uranium deposits in the Alligator Rivers Uranium Province, which lie on the north-western margin of the McArthur Basin.
Target Categories at Murphy West
Based on interpretation and field investigations of radiometric and magnetic data, DevEx has identified two main categories of uranium targets at Murphy West:
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Unconformity-Type Uranium Targets: These show close association with magnetic features that lie proximal to the prospective unconformity with the Westmoreland Conglomerate (the base of the McArthur Basin)
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Westmoreland-Type Uranium Targets: These overlie the Westmoreland Conglomerate, with several showing close association with favourable fault offsets clearly visible in the new magnetic data
The company's approach to explore uranium targets with DevEx Resources Ltd involves a methodical, science-based exploration strategy that is already yielding promising early results.
The Orientation Study at Junnagunna
A particularly important aspect of DevEx's exploration approach was the orientation survey conducted at Laramide's Junnagunna Uranium Deposit. Unlike some other uranium deposits in the Westmoreland region, the Junnagunna deposit is masked by surficial regolith and flat-lying volcanic rocks, showing no discernible radiometric signature.
Despite no anomalous uranium occurring in the soils directly above Junnagunna, DevEx's orientation survey successfully pinpointed the deposit using the suite of pathfinder elements known to be associated with other uranium deposits in the broader McArthur Basin region.
This methodological approach, now being applied at Murphy West, provides strong technical validation for the company's exploration strategy and increases confidence in the targets being generated.
Next Steps and Exploration Timeline
As assay results continue to be received, DevEx is preparing additional sampling to expand these coincident priority targets over the coming month. The company is also preparing drill permit applications for lodgment with the Northern Territory Regulator to cover several target areas.
A multi-target drilling program is scheduled to commence at the start of the 2026 Field Season (approximately April), representing a critical next step in the company's exploration strategy.
"As results continue to be received, and our targeting confidence builds, we look forward to transitioning to our first phase of drilling at Murphy West," adds Todd Ross.
Investment Potential in a Strategic Commodity
DevEx's progress at Murphy West comes at a time of renewed global interest in uranium as a clean energy source. The company's strategic position in the uranium-rich McArthur Basin, combined with its methodical exploration approach and encouraging early results, positions it well for potential discovery success.
For investors interested in the uranium sector, DevEx offers exposure to:
- A district-scale project in a proven uranium province
- A methodical, science-based exploration approach
- Multiple kilometer-scale targets with similarities to established deposits
- A clear pathway to drilling in early 2026
With uranium prices strengthening amid growing nuclear energy demand globally, the opportunity to explore uranium targets with DevEx Resources Ltd at its advancing Murphy West project represents a compelling opportunity to watch in the uranium exploration sector.
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