Domestic Metals has announced an expansion of its exploration budget following results from a surface exploration programme at the Smart Creek Copper Project in Montana, US.
The Smart Creek Project is situated 100km south-east of Missoula and 20km north of Philipsburg. It is accessible throughout the year via highways and gravel roads.
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The findings indicate significant potential for copper, gold and silver mineralisation, with the company planning to commence diamond drilling in April 2026.
Smart Creek’s exploration has uncovered mineralisation in porphyry and epithermal settings, as well as carbonate replacement deposits exposed at the surface.
Recent assay results from the 2026 exploration include notable highlights such as 102 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from sample G019007 and 74.7g/t gold with 13.8% copper and 3810g/t silver from sample G019235.
Other significant findings include 30.4g/t gold from sample G019001, and high copper and silver yields from various samples, including 23.1% copper with 424g/t silver from sample G019225 and 19.05% copper with 582g/t silver from sample G019038.
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By GlobalDataThe Smart Creek target, where surface alteration aligns with distal porphyry environments, remains a focal point for exploration.
Historical and new geological data has helped establish a key drilling target west of previous drilling activities.
Further south superimposed copper mineralisation suggests potential for additional porphyry centres westward of the earlier drilling areas.
Acquired in August 2024, the Smart Creek Copper Porphyry Project is a joint venture with Rio Tinto, which holds a 40% stake in the asset.
The site is regarded as having potential for porphyry copper and carbonate replacement deposits enriched with copper, gold and silver.
Additionally, Domestic Metals has identified mineralised porphyry dykes approximately 1km east of the former Sunrise Mine.
These dykes, exposed at the surface, are thought to represent the upper section of a new porphyry system at Smart Creek.
Plans to test these hypotheses are included in the forthcoming diamond drill programme.
Beyond exploration efforts, Domestic Metals has signed a marketing agreement with Machai Capital, effective from 27 February 2026.
