Pure Resources Limited (ASX:PR1) has announced the completion of a systematic, geologically controlled sampling program at its 100% owned Garnet Hill Project in Western Australia, marking a key step in advancing its broader Defence Materials Platform Strategy. The program focused on collecting representative surface material across the project’s mapped mineralised corridor, supporting Downstream technical workstreams across garnet abrasives, graphite-based thermal management, and rare earth recovery pathways.

On 14 May 2026, Pure Resources shares traded at AUD 0.69, reflecting a decline of 1.43%, while the stock continues to maintain a strong longer-term performance, remaining significantly higher over the past year.

The announcement highlights that more than 100 kilograms of representative channel and grab material were collected across approximately 5 kilometres of strike length within Mining Lease ML80/416, located in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. The sampling campaign is intended to underpin multiple development pathways linked to the company’s United States-focused downstream strategy.

The collected bulk material is expected to serve as foundational feedstock for three parallel streams: premium andradite garnet for industrial abrasive applications, large to jumbo flake graphite for advanced thermal management applications, and industrial garnet for heavy rare earth and yttrium recovery initiatives.

Systematic Sampling Completed Across 5km Mineralised Corridor

The field program was designed as a structured, geologically controlled sampling exercise across the Garnet Hill deposit, with samples taken at measured intervals along outcropping mineralised zones. According to the company, the program was supervised by its technical team and aimed to ensure representative coverage across both skarn-hosted garnet zones and adjacent lithologies.

Sampling was conducted across lithological contacts, including andradite garnet skarn horizons and associated marble units, as well as stratigraphically adjacent graphitic gneiss. Each sampling station was logged for mineralogy, texture, and structural context to support later subdivision of material for downstream processing and testing.

The company noted that the collected bulk sample will be sorted into mineralogically distinct domains prior to being distributed into separate technical programs aligned with its Defence Materials Platform Strategy.

Bulk Sample to Support Three Downstream Development Streams

Pure Resources stated that the 100kg+ bulk sample forms the physical foundation for three interconnected development pathways being progressed under its strategy.

The first stream focuses on premium andradite garnet, which is intended for qualification against United States Navy (NAVSEA) abrasive specifications. This material is targeted for applications including precision abrasive cutting and naval shipbuilding maintenance, particularly hull preparation processes.

The second stream involves large to jumbo flake graphite, with petrographic analysis confirming flake sizes predominantly in the 200–300 µm range. This material is being evaluated for use in advanced thermal management systems, including potential applications in high-performance computing infrastructure and defence-related thermal control systems.

The third stream centres on industrial garnet, which is being advanced under a Strategic Partnership Projects Agreement with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), operated by UT Battelle LLC. This work is focused on heavy rare earth element and yttrium (HREE+Y) recovery testwork through a structured laboratory program.

The company stated that all three pathways are being progressed from a single Upstream source, enabling parallel downstream evaluation without the need for additional near-term field mobilisation.

Geological Setting and Mineral System Characteristics

The Garnet Hill Project is described as a skarn-hosted andradite garnet system located within a carbonate-bearing metasedimentary sequence, with a co-located graphitic gneiss unit. The deposit is situated on Mining Lease ML80/416 and is considered part of a structurally and stratigraphically controlled mineralised corridor.

According to the announcement, the andradite garnet mineralisation exhibits angular, microfracture-free grain characteristics, which are considered favourable for industrial abrasive applications. The morphology and hardness profile are consistent with global Demand requirements for precision cutting and surface preparation applications.

In addition, graphite-bearing units have been identified within the system, with petrographic analysis confirming coarse crystalline flake graphite. This material is interpreted to fall within the large to jumbo flake category based on measured grain size.

The proximity of the project to other regional graphite systems, including projects operated by Green Critical Minerals (ASX:GCM), is also noted as supporting regional geological endowment consistency for flake graphite distribution in the area.

Strategic Positioning Under Defence Materials Platform Strategy

Pure Resources emphasised that the sampling program directly supports its broader Defence Materials Platform Strategy, which is designed to integrate upstream mining with downstream industrial applications.

The company outlined three key downstream pathways linked to Garnet Hill material:

  • High-specification garnet for NAVSEA-aligned abrasive qualification programs
  • Graphite-based thermal management solutions in collaboration with Rice University
  • Industrial garnet feedstock for rare earth and yttrium recovery at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Each of these pathways is being advanced from a single mining lease, with the company highlighting the efficiency of utilising one bulk sample to support multiple technical and commercial streams.

The strategy is positioned around delivering materials into United States and AUKUS-aligned Supply chains, particularly in defence, advanced Manufacturing, and energy-related applications.

Sampling Methodology and Program Design

The sampling program consisted of surface channel and grab sampling conducted across outcropping mineralisation. Samples were collected at measured intervals along the mapped 5km strike of mineralised terrain.

Each sampling point was documented for lithology, texture, and structural features. The company confirmed that over 100kg of material was collected in total, forming a composite bulk sample for downstream testwork.

No drilling was undertaken as part of the program, and no chemical assay results were reported in the announcement. The work is classified as reconnaissance-level geological sampling intended for material characterisation and testwork preparation rather than resource estimation.

The company also stated that sample representivity was achieved through distributed collection across both skarn and gneiss units, allowing for subdivision into distinct mineralogical domains for targeted evaluation.

Next Steps Across the Garnet Hill Project

Following completion of the sampling program, Pure Resources plans to advance several downstream and technical initiatives.

The collected bulk material will first be sorted into garnet-rich and graphite-rich fractions to ensure appropriate material allocation for each development stream. Subsamples will then be dispatched to Oak Ridge National Laboratory under the existing Strategic Partnership agreement to commence heavy rare earth and yttrium testwork.

In parallel, graphite material will be directed toward ongoing thermal management research collaborations, including work with Rice University focused on carbon nanotube fibre applications.

On the garnet side, the company intends to progress abrasive qualification programs aligned with NAVSEA specifications, including engagement with defence shipbuilding contractors for evaluation in jet cutting and surface preparation applications.

Additional engagement pathways with United States Department of Defense-related programs, including industrial base and critical minerals initiatives, are also expected to continue.

What This Means for Investors?

The completion of a structured bulk sampling program at Garnet Hill represents an operational step in Pure Resources’ strategy to validate and advance multiple downstream applications from a single geological system. The program is designed to provide representative material for technical validation across industrial, defence, and advanced materials markets.

While the market response has been modest in the short term, the announcement reinforces the company’s focus on integrating upstream geological work with downstream industrial collaboration programs, particularly within United States-linked critical materials supply chains.

Investors are likely to focus on upcoming technical milestones, including laboratory testwork outcomes from ORNL and further evaluation results from graphite thermal management studies, which will provide additional clarity on the development potential of the Garnet Hill material streams.