Mapping a Discovery: White Cliff’s Rae Project Hits Its Stride in Nunavut
- Noel Ong
- May 26
- 8 min read
Updated: May 31
I have to say that this Rae Copper Project in Nunavut (Figure 1), Canada, by White Cliff Minerals (ASX: WCN) is slowly unfolding itself as a discovery but I am not getting the vibes from the market. The ASX releases are short of spectacular, but I sense something is not all there because the market is not very excited.
There is definitely movement in the station, but somehow they don't seem to be getting into the trucks. More importantly, the trucks seem to be leaving the station empty or very NOT FULL.
Figure 1: White Cliff’s Rae Copper Project Area (source: WCN)
When the first assay returned in late April, it caught my eye, and I have to say it caught a lot of other people's eyes, but there seemed to be a lot of discussions as well. I am reminded of the two previous situations when spectacular results were associated with a lot of discussions that were raising doubts, however, those two had a lot of market interest, and in hindsight, the doubters were pretty much drowned out with the euphoria of the rising share price.
When the next month came around, May 2025, the narrative had shifted from curiosity to clarity. And now, with the latest 90m intercept at 4% copper from surface, you would think that Rae is no longer just a “promising project” — it’s becoming a genuinely exciting copper system.
What’s most encouraging is the consistency of high-grade results, the shallow depth of mineralisation, and the predictable breccia-hosted geology — all hallmarks of a system with scale and not just isolated spikes.
What stands out even more is how early-stage drilling isn’t just confirming continuity, but revealing multiple mineralised zones within each hole.
As the company is narrating that the mineralisation is open in all directions, White Cliff is steadily proving that Danvers is no one-hit wonder — it’s a copper system that’s taking shape with every metre drilled (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Danvers Project. High grade historic copper occurrences present along a regional NE/SW trending fault zone for 7.5km’s. Inset map shows drillhole collars, covering only a fraction of the wider prospective corridor. See ASX announcement dated 23 April 2025 “Extensive sulphides observed in step out drilling at Rae Copper Project” for observations relating to the field samples/rock chips. (Source: 13 May 2025 WCN announcement)
White Cliff Minerals' Managing Director, Troy Whittaker commented:
“Danvers continues to just get better and better with each assay we receive. Not only are these high-grade results, once again, from surface but we have now dialled in on high grade zones".
Chronology of Discovery: High-Grade Copper, Hole by Hole
To make the review brief, I have focused my sequence of events based on the drilling results. For me, the drilling results will set the stage for developing the story. There have been a lot of discussions in the media, and I feel this is very good for the transparency of information from the ASX.
I recommend readers to follow a guy that I have come to know and respect on LinkedIn, Roland Gotthard. Roland is a geologist, and he is actively posting great content on this industry. And I recommend you guys follow his work. I have also reached out to him for his thoughts on this subject.
📅30 April 2025
DAN25003 kicked things off with (Figure 3):
58m @ 3.08% Cu and 13.3g/t Ag from 52m
Including 18m @ 5.21% Cu from 69m
This was the first real test of subsurface potential after high-grade rock chip sampling. It confirmed the presence of a breccia-hosted copper system — shallow, continuous, and better than anticipated.
Figure 3: Section of drillhole DAN25003 and DAN25004 (assays pending). Reported intervals are drilled thicknesses, not true thicknesses. (Source: 30 April 2025 WCN announcement)
📅6 May 2025
DAN25008 extends (Figure 4):
175m @ 2.5% Cu and 8.66g/t Ag from 7.6m
Including 14m @ 7.55% Cu & 25.8g/t Ag from 138m
Final 60m averaged 3.9% Cu, ending in 4.46% Cu at 182.88m
Figure 4: Drill section of DAN25008. Reported intervals are considered drilled thicknesses until true thickness can be proved. (Source: 6 May 2025 WCN announcement)
This intercept demonstrates vertical scale and suggests the system extends well beyond historic boundaries, with mineralisation still open at depth.
📅13 May 2025
DAN25002 delivered (Figure 5):
63m @ 2.23% Cu from 9.14m
Including 15m @ 5% Cu from 18.29m
Figure 5: Section of drillholes DAN25001 and DAN25002. Reported intervals are drilled thicknesses, not true thicknesses. DAN25001 - See ASX announcement dated 6 May 2025 “Danver’s drilling delivers sensational 175m @ 2.5% Copper, hole ends in 4.46% Copper, open at depth” (Source: 13 May 2025 WCN announcement)
DAN25004 added (Figure 6):
72m @ 1.08% Cu from 62.48m
Including 14m @ 2.32% Cu from 106.68m
Figure 6: Section of drillhole DAN25003 and DAN25004. Reported interval is drilled thickness, not true thicknesses. DAN25003 see ASX announcement dated 30 April 2025 “First assay results from Rae Copper Project returns high grade Copper”. (Source: 13 May 2025 announcement)
📅21 May 2025
DAN25005 returned the strongest results yet (Figure 7):
90m @ 4% Cu from surface
Including:
18m @ 6.5% Cu from 26m
1.52m @ 19.45% Cu from 30m
14m @ 7.7% Cu from 61m
According to the company, this hole was drilled across the mineralised trend, not along it. It was designed to test true width. Combined with previous holes testing depth (like DAN25008, which ended in 4% Cu), the picture is getting clearer: this looks like a broad, continuous, and high-grade copper system.
Figure 7: Cross-section of DAN25005From PDF: 2025_05_21_WCN.pdf, Page 4 (Source: 21 May 2025 WCN announcement)
What This Means: Grade, Geometry, and Growth
In copper exploration, you rarely get all three:
✅ Grade — consistent 2–4% Cu zones with spikes up to 19%
✅ Geometry — from surface, open-pittable, shallow breccias
✅ Growth Potential — open at depth and along a 9.5km corridor
The good thing for White Cliff’s drilling is that it is doing exactly what you want early-stage exploration to do: confirm the model, expand the footprint, and raise confidence with each result (Figure 8).
Figure 8: Plan view of Danvers licence area. (Source: 21 May 2025 WCN announcement)
Eyes on What Comes Next
With assays pending and drills ready to return, the coming months could see Rae evolve even further. If continuity continues along the 9.5km corridor and diamond drilling at Hulk delivers, White Cliff may not just be talking about Danvers anymore — they’ll be opening a district-scale play.
Samso’s Concluding Comments
There are copper projects, and then there are copper systems. At the moment, Rae is starting to look like the latter. There are still many questions, but I am hoping that this is legitimate and has the long legs to carry to an economical mining proposition.
White Cliff Minerals has moved quickly but appears to be methodical — from acquisition, to sampling, to drilling, to discovery. The fruitful path is that the results aren’t random. They appear to show consistency in grade, structure, and geological model. I do feel that this is an important point, and it matters. All the work and results do suggest we’re dealing with something more than a one-hole wonder.
What impresses me is the combination of grade and geometry. These hits start at surface. They run for tens of metres. They occur across multiple holes, from different directions. They’re beginning to outline a breccia system that may stretch for kilometres. That is the kind of system that supports real project economics.
And this is still early. Rae has seen limited drilling, and yet it has already produced grades and widths that rival development-stage assets. As the company steps out along strike and begins diamond drilling at Hulk, the upside remains open.
I have a big question that is clear in my mind, and that is the unanswered question as to why the market has not responded. The signals are present but there is an undeniable feeling that the market is not believing it? Personally, I am excited for the length of mineralisation and the grade, which is eye-catching, but my biggest concern is that I am in a room of gold and everybody is walking around it, why?
A Junior Explorer Winning
This discovery has not come from a billion-dollar major. It’s a junior explorer, moving methodically, ticking boxes, and staying ahead of the curve. White Cliff Minerals has backed its geological thesis with drill results, and they’re delivering.
I remember talking to stakeholders when the company brought in the project, and there was a lot of excitement. Then came the high-grade rock samples. Now, the high-grade drilling results. Exciting times ahead.
With $14.4 million raised and diamond drilling ready to go at Hulk, the next steps are about scaling up. But for now, Rae already has something most projects don’t: a credible, high-grade copper narrative with substance behind it. All it needs now is market excitement, but could this be the last opportunity for eager investors?
Irrespective of my thoughts on the lack of market participation, there is no doubt about the drilling results. Could this be a late bloomer, and when the dust settles, the market decides to pay its respect? Only time and further drilling will be the judge, but I am very impressed with the results. For the pessimistic investors who are thinking that there is a catch, you will have to look at the drilling results and make that final call.
Stay tuned. The next round of assays could take Rae from recognition… to revaluation.
Happy hunting in the markets, and never skip the research.
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