GreenTech Metals (ASX: GRE) is gearing up for a transformational phase at its Whundo Copper-Zinc Project in Western Australia, marked by a series of major developments that reinforce the potential for resource expansion. The recent appointment of Julian Hanna, a well-respected figure in the Australian mining sector, as a Technical Adviser comes at a pivotal moment. This addition aligns perfectly with GreenTech’s ongoing efforts to build on its promising exploration results at Whundo, where the company has encountered robust copper intercepts and identified new targets.
Julian Hanna’s Appointment: A Key Strategic Move
In a critical development announced on 3 October 2024, GreenTech appointed Julian Hanna as a Technical Adviser. Hanna, a veteran with more than 35 years of experience in the industry, is known for his leadership roles at Western Areas and MOD Resources, where he played a key role in advancing both companies through pivotal stages of exploration and development. His efforts at Western Areas helped grow the company into a $1.95 billion market cap nickel producer, and his work with MOD Resources led to the discovery and eventual sale of the T3 copper-silver project to Sandfire Resources for $167 million.
Hanna's deep expertise in copper and nickel exploration is expected to be instrumental as GreenTech looks to accelerate its progress at Whundo. Upon his appointment, Hanna stated, "It is an exciting time to join GreenTech as it works to rapidly grow the scale of the Whundo VMS copper-zinc project. I look forward to assisting GreenTech as it continues to define the scale of the Whundo deposit and assess possible development options."
Executive Director Tom Reddicliffe echoed this sentiment, emphasising that Hanna's addition comes at a time when GreenTech is poised for significant growth. "Julian's appointment reflects our confidence in Whundo's potential and our commitment to unlocking its full value," Reddicliffe said. With GreenTech’s focus on expanding its resource base, Hanna’s input will be crucial in shaping the company’s development path.
Promising Drilling Results at Whundo
As GreenTech strengthens its leadership, its exploration activities at Whundo continue to deliver promising results. A recent drilling campaign, completed in September 2024, targeted the Austin and Ayshia zones, both of which have shown potential for high-grade copper mineralisation. The assays from the program returned some standout intersections, including:
- Austin: 16m @ 1.2% Cu from 230m, including 8m @ 1.5% Cu.
- Ayshia: 10m @ 1.2% Cu and 1.2% Zn from 260m, including 3m @ 3.1% Cu and 2.6% Zn.
These results confirm the continuity of copper mineralisation at depth, extending known zones and highlighting the potential to significantly increase the current resource of 6.2Mt at 1.12% Cu and 1.04% Zn. With copper playing an increasingly vital role in the green energy transition, these high-grade results place GreenTech in an excellent position to benefit from growing demand for the metal.
GreenTech’s drilling also extended known mineralisation at Ayshia, where further exploration will focus on down-dip extensions identified through down-hole electromagnetic (DHEM) surveys. According to Reddicliffe, "We firmly believe that we can continue to expand the Whundo copper resource to potentially underpin a copper project."
The Shelby Conductor: A Potential Game-Changer
In addition to the positive drilling results, GreenTech’s Whundo project revealed another significant exploration target at the Shelby zone. In August 2024, a DHEM survey at Shelby identified a large conductor measuring over 400m in length and 50-100m in width. This highly conductive anomaly, with a conductivity response of 15,000 siemens, is much greater than previously detected responses, indicating the potential for new, deeper mineralisation.
Although a recent drill hole deviated from its intended target, missing the conductor, the survey results point to a promising new discovery. Reddicliffe expressed the company's enthusiasm for the findings: "We are very excited to see such a large conductor materialise at depth at our Shelby target. This is exactly the scale of anomaly that we are targeting at Whundo, which has the potential to significantly increase our copper resources."
GreenTech is planning a follow-up drilling campaign at Shelby to test this large conductor, which could potentially add substantial tonnage to the Whundo resource. Given that previous drilling at Shelby intersected 11.25m @ 1.6% Cu, including 5.8m @ 2.4% Cu, GreenTech sees the conductor as a high-priority target for further exploration.
Looking Ahead: Expansion Plans in Motion
GreenTech Metals is clearly positioning itself for significant growth, driven by its robust exploration results and strategic leadership appointments. The company’s Whundo project, already delivering strong copper and zinc intercepts, is likely to see further expansion as drilling continues. In particular, the Shelby conductor offers a compelling target that could dramatically increase the scale of the project.
Moreover, with Julian Hanna now onboard, GreenTech has added a highly experienced industry veteran to help guide these efforts. Hanna's history of turning exploration projects into valuable assets will be key as the company evaluates development options and pursues further resource growth.
As GreenTech prepares for its next phase of exploration at Whundo, investors will be closely watching the results of both the Shelby drilling and the broader development strategy that Hanna will help shape. With copper prices strong and demand for green energy metals on the rise, GreenTech appears to be well-positioned to capitalise on its expanding resource base.
