AZ9 Builds Momentum with More Shallow High-Grade Hits
Strong grades, proven continuity, and a fully funded drill program set up a pivotal second half for this $10M explorer
The final assays from Phase 3 drilling at Asian Battery Metals (ASX: AZ9) are in, and they didn't disappoint, with results confirming further shallow high-grade copper and nickel hits at the company’s flagship Oval Project in Mongolia.
Trading at just 2.2c and with over $5 million in the bank, this small-cap explorer is primed for a big end to 2025.
With proven high-grade mineralisation near surface, fresh targets opening up across its wider property, and a fully funded program to keep the drill rigs turning, AZ9 is now entering a pivotal phase.
Investors looking for exposure to the critical metals powering electric vehicles and renewables, such as copper and nickel, will be watching closely as AZ9 works to uncover the full scale of this emerging system.
More High-Grade Copper-Nickel Intercepts at North Oval
The standout from today’s results was OVD036:
A zone starting around 113 metres down, with 8.7 metres grading 2.44% copper and 1.52% nickel.
Inside that zone was a two-metre section of massive sulphide (the really rich stuff), with 3.72% copper and 3.82% nickel.
These numbers show just how fertile the region is.
These shallow, high-grade results are rare for a small-cap explorer - and AZ9 has now landed 7 shallow massive sulphide hits with over 3% copper and 3% nickel.
It’s an incredible result for a company valued at only $10 million.
These results from drilling show that the metal-rich zone extends deeper than first thought and backs up the idea that a much larger system could be sitting below.
It also proves that AZ9's careful targeting, using EM surveys (underground identification of zones that may contain metals), is paying off, with the company efficiently managing the money spent on drilling.
Strengthening the North-West Extension
Drillhole OVD040, further west, also delivered:
6.9 metres grading 3.49% copper and 3.61% nickel from a depth of 93.5 metres.
That sat within a broader 70.2-metre zone that averaged 0.65% copper and 0.65% nickel, starting just 49 metres down.
These results point to strong continuity of massive sulphide mineralisation along the north-west corridor.
“We’re building a strong case for a large-scale, high-tenor copper-nickel sulphide system.”
- Gan-Ochir Zunduisuren, Managing Director of Asian Battery Metals
This combination of lower-grade, yet bulk tonnage is what large-scale systems often look like. It’s reminiscent of Rio Tinto’s $13 billion Oyu Tolgoi mine, also in Mongolia.
With mineralisation starting close to the surface, this zone could be an attractive starting point should mining prove a viable option in the future.
Signs of a Larger Magmatic System
Outside the main Oval zone, regional drilling at the MS1 target also showed promise. Hole SC07 returned trace sulphides and platinum group metals in layered mafic rocks.
This is an early but important signal. It indicates that the rocks in this area contain the necessary ingredients to form larger metal deposits.
Even though the amounts found were small, it hints that there could be richer zones nearby waiting to be discovered. It helps AZ9 narrow down where to focus future drilling on uncovering new high-grade targets.
With this new data in hand, the company has already initiated further ground-based EM and high-resolution magnetic surveys to guide the next steps.
Looking Ahead: Funded and Focused
AZ9 rolls into the back half of 2025 fully funded, with new geophysics already underway and the next drill phase locked in for August.
The team is already running detailed EM surveys at Oval and high-resolution magnetic work at MS2, building a sharper picture of what's happening below the surface.
All of this data will help pinpoint the most promising spots for the next wave of drilling.
Why AZ9 is Stacking up Nicely
In under 12 months, Asian Battery Metals has transformed Oval from an untouched greenfields target into what's now shaping up as a serious, camp-scale copper-nickel sulphide system.
Strong grades, shallow mineralisation, and plenty of room to grow give Oval real potential, especially at a time when the copper price is doing so well.
With new survey results and follow-up drilling on the way, investors can expect more potential high-grade zones to emerge as AZ9 edges closer to a maiden resource.
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