Dalaroo Metals Extends Copper-Nickel Footprint at Watheroo With Soil Sampling Results

Dalaroo Metals Expands Copper-Nickel Footprint at Watheroo in Western Australia

Dalaroo Metals (ASX: DAL) has completed Stage 1 of its systematic soil sampling program at the Watheroo copper-nickel-platinum group elements (Cu-Ni-PGE) prospect in Western Australia's mid-north wheatbelt. The Dalaroo Metals Watheroo copper nickel soil sampling results have extended the known geochemical footprint of the target, consequently sharpening the path toward potential maiden drilling.

The 106-sample program returned peak values of 284 ppm copper and 176 ppm nickel, alongside platinum group element detections of up to 10 parts per billion (ppb) platinum, 10 ppb palladium and 10 ppb gold. Furthermore, results have extended the interpreted copper soil anomaly southward by approximately 2 square kilometres, adding weight to the company's interpretation of a large-scale magmatic Cu-Ni-PGE system hosted within a 7 km × 3 km magnetic feature.

CEO John Morgan commented: "Stage 1 has extended the Watheroo copper and nickel soil response south of the historical sampling area and represents an important step forward in our understanding of the target and the next phase of exploration. Peak results of 284 ppm copper and 176 ppm nickel are encouraging and, together with the broader multi-element response, provide a clear focus for follow-up work. Stage 2 soil sampling and planned ground IP geophysics will increase resolution across selected areas, refine the geochemical response and help rank priority areas for potential maiden drilling."

What Stage 1 Found: A Broader, More Connected Anomaly

The Stage 1 program was designed to test whether previously identified historical Cu-Ni soil anomalies extended beyond their known boundaries. According to the report, the results confirm that they do, and materially so.

Key results from the 106-sample Stage 1 program include:

• Peak copper value of 284 ppm (sample DM000052)
• Peak nickel value of 176 ppm (sample DM000021)
• Multi-element PGE detections of up to 10 ppb platinum, 10 ppb palladium and 10 ppb gold
• The 40 ppm copper contour now defines an interpreted southern extension of approximately 2 square kilometres, calculated in QGIS using the GDA2020/MGA Zone 50 coordinate system

The table below summarises standout results from the Stage 1 program:

What distinguishes this result set is not simply isolated high values, but the coherent, multi-element nature of the anomaly. Copper and nickel responses overlap across multiple areas of the interpreted intrusive target, displaying a consistent spatial association with mapped mafic-ultramafic geology — rock types rich in magnesium and iron, typically associated with magmatic sulphide systems — and the underlying magnetic feature.

This alignment across geochemistry, geology and geophysics is presented by the company as strengthening the geological model underpinning the Watheroo target. However, it does not confirm the presence, grade or continuity of sulphide mineralisation at depth.

Understanding the Geological Model: What Is a Chonolith?

What It Is

A chonolith is a type of irregular, discordant igneous intrusion — essentially a complex, pipe-like or lensoid body of magmatic rock injected into existing host rocks. Unlike flat-lying sills or vertical dykes, chonoliths have a more complex three-dimensional geometry shaped by the structural pathways available during magma emplacement.

Why It Matters at Watheroo

The Watheroo prospect is interpreted to be centred on this kind of feature, comprising olivine-rich gabbro with clinopyroxene, olivine, plagioclase and magnetite. Field mapping by Dalaroo has confirmed large, continuous outcrops of olivine gabbro supported by scattered serpentinite — rock types considered diagnostic of a prospective magmatic system.

Magmatic sulphide deposits, the source of many nickel, copper and PGE discoveries globally, are commonly found at the base or along the margins of intrusive systems of this type, where dense sulphide liquid pooled during the original magma injection event.

The Julimar Analogy: Why Does the Regional Setting Matter?

The Watheroo prospect sits within the same metamorphic belt along the western margin of the Yilgarn Craton that hosts Chalice Mining's (ASX: CHN) Julimar Ni-Cu-PGE deposit further south. According to the announcement, the geological similarities between Watheroo and the Julimar district underpin Dalaroo's exploration approach.

Both settings share:

• Mafic-ultramafic intrusive host rocks, including olivine gabbro and associated rock types
• Structural position along the Darling Fault system, described as a crustal-scale plumbing network
• A history of limited exploration attention due to agricultural cover masking the underlying geology
• Coincident magnetic anomalies with surface geochemical responses

Dalaroo's Exploration Manager Trystan Hughes noted that "the 7 km × 3 km magnetic footprint, historical Cu-Ni anomalies and newly extended copper response demonstrate the scale and coherence of the target."

The Julimar reference is presented by the company as a geological and exploration analogy based on shared characteristics. However, Watheroo remains an early-stage exploration target with no mineralisation defined to date, and the presence of mafic-ultramafic rocks and a coincident magnetic anomaly does not guarantee the presence, grade or continuity of any sulphide mineralisation at depth.

Three Datasets Converging on One Target

One notable aspect of the Watheroo story is the convergence of independent geological datasets pointing toward the same area.

Aeromagnetics: A high-intensity magnetic anomaly measuring 7 km × 3 km is mirrored by the copper-in-soil contours. The UAV magnetic survey, completed at a nominal 50 m line spacing and previously reported in April 2022, defines a large magnetic feature consistent with a buried mafic-ultramafic body.

Surface geochemistry: The Dalaroo Metals Watheroo copper nickel soil sampling results from Stage 1 have extended the Cu-Ni anomaly southward, with the 40 ppm copper contour encompassing approximately 2 square kilometres in the newly tested area. The combined historical and Stage 1 dataset demonstrates a multi-element response across the broader target.

Field geology: Structural mapping has confirmed outcrops of olivine gabbro and scattered serpentinite, consistent with the interpreted chonolith model. In addition, field crews observed trace to minor disseminated sulphide minerals within mapped mafic-ultramafic rocks. These visual observations have not been confirmed by laboratory analysis and do not establish sulphide species, grade or continuity.

The eastern contact of the interpreted intrusion has been identified by Dalaroo as a priority area for further evaluation, consistent with geological models for sulphide accumulation along intrusive margins.

What Comes Next: A Phased Path Toward Potential Drilling

Dalaroo has outlined a staged program intended to advance the Watheroo prospect toward a potential drilling decision:

The planned transition from the current 200 m × 100 m reconnaissance grid to a tighter 100 m × 50 m infill grid in priority areas reflects a staged approach aimed at narrowing drill targets ahead of any resource commitment.

Why Investors May Be Watching Dalaroo Metals

Several factors position Watheroo as a focal point for the company's exploration program:

• 100% ownership: The Watheroo Project is wholly owned by Dalaroo, without joint venture dilution or royalty encumbrance on the exploration upside.
• Target scale: The 7 km × 3 km magnetic footprint is large by exploration standards, and the Dalaroo Metals Watheroo copper nickel soil sampling results indicate the geochemical system extends across a comparable scale.
• Staged, methodical approach: Rather than proceeding directly to drilling on historical data alone, Dalaroo is building a multi-dataset framework spanning soil geochemistry, field geology and geophysics before committing drill capital.
• Multi-element anomalism: The presence of copper, nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium and gold in the soil response is consistent with the geochemical signature expected from a magmatic Cu-Ni-PGE system.
• Near-term catalysts: Stage 2 soil results and ground IP geophysics represent concrete information events that will inform any future drilling decision.
• Portfolio diversification: Beyond Watheroo, Dalaroo holds the Blue Lagoon rare earth elements-zirconium-niobium project in Greenland and gold exploration assets in Côte d'Ivoire's Birimian Greenstone Belt.

Key takeaway: Dalaroo Metals has expanded the known copper-nickel geochemical footprint at its Watheroo prospect, with Stage 1 soil sampling delivering an extended anomaly across a 7 km × 3 km magnetic target. A staged exploration program, incorporating further soil sampling and ground IP geophysics, is intended to inform a future decision on maiden drilling. Investors following copper and nickel exploration in Western Australia may find the coming Stage 2 results and geophysical data relevant to assessing the project's progression.

Ready to Follow Dalaroo Metals' Progress at Watheroo?

With Stage 1 soil sampling expanding the copper-nickel footprint at Watheroo and a clear pipeline of near-term catalysts — including Stage 2 soil results and ground IP geophysics — Dalaroo Metals (ASX: DAL) is systematically building the case for potential maiden drilling at one of Western Australia's more compelling early-stage Cu-Ni-PGE targets. Investors looking to stay across the company's exploration progress, project portfolio and upcoming milestones can find full details at dalaroometals.com.au.