Cornish Metals is stepping up exploration at the South Crofty tin project in Cornwall, with a focused surface diamond drilling campaign that just passed a major milestone. The company completed a deep hole that cut through several mineralised structures and is moving quickly to follow up while samples head to the lab. The work aims to test extensions of known veins and to clear ground needed for future site infrastructure.
The current programme covers roughly 2,400 metres of planned drilling around the Roskear area and is driven by both historic data and renewed geological interpretation. That mix of old maps and new thinking has helped the team prioritise targets that sit beyond the known resource boundaries. Management is treating the campaign as both resource extension work and practical site sterilisation ahead of development.
Drill-hole SDD26_001A reached more than 1,199 metres and encountered multiple mineralised structures along its path, providing direct visual evidence of the geology at depth. Crew log notes highlight quartz-tourmaline veining with visible cassiterite alongside sulphide minerals, which are classic signatures for tin-bearing systems in Cornwall. Those visual shows don’t replace assays, but they do sharpen the geological model and point to where the next collar should go.
A second hole, SDD26_002, is scheduled to target the same structural trends roughly 100 metres west of the completed hole so the team can test lateral continuity. Samples from SDD26_001A are being prepared for shipment to ALS Laboratories in Loughrea, Ireland, and the company expects assay results by June 2026. That timing will be key for updating models and deciding further drill spacing and priorities.
“The completion of drill-hole SDD26_001A marks an important milestone in this targeted exploration drilling programme at South Crofty. The drill-hole has successfully intersected multiple projected mineralised structures, including extensions to known resource areas beyond the current mineral resource estimate envelopes.”
“While assay results are still pending, the visual indications of mineralisation encountered are encouraging and support our geological interpretation of continued mineralisation to the west of the existing mineral resource areas.” In short, the team sees consistency between what the drill intercepted and their mapped projections, which reduces geological risk for deeper and lateral targets.
The programme’s objectives are straightforward: test extensions of the Roskear B and Roskear South structures beyond the limits of the current resource, and sterilise ground where surface infrastructure is planned. That dual focus balances exploration upside with pragmatic site planning so that future development won’t be compromised by later discoveries. Practical sterilisation work can prevent costly redesigns once construction begins.
Drilling has already confirmed intersections with several structures, including projections for Roskear 1 South, Roskear South, Roskear 6 North and Roskear 7 North, in addition to targets tied to Roskear B. Those Roskear-numbered zones were defined historically but have gaps in coverage, so modern drilling helps stitch the picture together. Confirming connectivity and continuity between these zones could materially increase the prospective footprint of mineralisation.
Roskear South and Roskear B are already included in the company’s 2023 mineral resource estimate, giving the project an established base to build from. Conversely, Roskear 1 South, Roskear 6 North and Roskear 7 North remain less well represented in that estimate due to limited historic drilling and data scarcity. Filling those data gaps is the practical aim of the current campaign and will determine whether those zones can be folded into future resource updates.
For Cornwall and for Cornish Metals, the implications are clear: demonstrated extensions or new, connected shoots of mineralisation would strengthen the project’s long-term resource case. Assay results due in the coming months will guide the next phase of work, which could include more infill or step-out holes depending on grades and widths. The team will keep drilling and sampling while integrating lab data into a revised geological model to inform both exploration and development timelines.
