Silver Mines (ASX: SVL) has hit a record intercept at the historical Bowdens project in New South Wales.
In a program that was not targeting high-grade mineralisation, the company returned 116 metres at 245 grams per tonne silver during geometallurgical and geotechnical diamond drilling—the highest-ever silver assay at Bowdens, and significantly higher than the previous best of 145m at 144g/t silver drilled in 2003.
The record hit came from a 13-hole, 2,225.8m geometallurgical and geotechnical diamond drilling program Silver Mines undertook earlier this year that intersected multiple high-grade silver mineralised structures.
Potential Offtake Partners
Silver Mines is now progressing final mine designs and product specifications to assist with discussions with potential offtake partners.
The company released an optimisation study in December 2024 that identified the potential for robust economics from an output of 53 million ounces of silver, 92,000 tonnes of zinc and 67,000 tonnes of lead recovered over a 16-year mine life and 141⁄2-yrs of ore processing.
Located approximately 26 kilometres east of Mudgee in central NSW, the Bowdens project comprises 2,115 sq km of tenements covering approximately 80km of strike—making it the largest undeveloped silver deposit in Australia.
‘Unbelievable’ Result
“It’s quite unbelievable that – even after 36 years of exploration, resource, infill, and extensional drilling at Bowdens – we have just drilled the largest-ever silver mineralised intercept at this incredible deposit,” managing director Jo Battershill said.
“These results are validation of the quality of the Bowdens silver deposit, and of the hard work and targeting the technical team has undertaken to deliver this program.”
“In an environment of record silver and gold prices, Bowdens is incredibly well positioned within the global silver sector—it is very pleasing to be able to release such spectacular drilling results.”
Exploration drilling will now focus on infill and extensions to high-grade mineralisation both within Bowdens and on adjacent mineralised structures.
