Key Highlights

  • Cyprium Metals (ASX:CYM) reported on 9 October 2026 that initial leaching and commissioning activities at the Nifty Copper Complex have achieved milestones, with grade control drilling confirming the resource block model to within +/- 5%.
  • A total of 212 production and monitoring wells are installed, with about 1.7 million tonnes of material in near-term leachable inventory.
  • High voltage power is connected to the SXEW plant, and wet commissioning and first cathode are on track for the fourth quarter of 2026.

Cyprium Metals Limited (ASX:CYM, OTCQB:CYPMF) announced on 9 October 2026 an update on heap leach commissioning at its Nifty Copper Complex in the Paterson region of Western Australia. The update covers grade control drilling, wells, leach performance and progress on the solvent extraction and electrowinning (SXEW) plant.

This article describes the company, the sector context, the update and the factors that may influence the restart.

About Cyprium Metals

Cyprium Metals Limited is a copper developer focused on the phased restart of the Nifty Copper Complex in the Paterson region of Western Australia. It is listed on the ASX and quoted on the OTCQB in the United States, with an office in Subiaco.

The restart plan involves leaching copper from existing heaps, recovering it through an SXEW plant and producing copper cathode. The company does not yet report production revenue.

Sector backdrop

Heap leaching dissolves copper from ore stacked on pads using acid solutions, and SXEW then recovers the copper from the solution as cathode. Restarts of idle operations depend on the condition of heaps, solution handling infrastructure and the plant.

Direct injection leaching is a method in which solution is applied directly into selected zones within an existing heap through wellbores, instead of relying only on surface irrigation. The company describes cycles of pre-conditioning, high-pressure injection and low-pressure injection.

Commissioning typically proceeds in stages, from establishing injection to building solution grade, before an SXEW plant starts and produces its first cathode.

Heap leach commissioning update released on 9 October 2026

Wells, inventory and block model

Following a direct injection field trial in August, the company completed and cased an additional 198 production and monitoring wells across Heaps 13 to 16 on Pad 6, for a total of 212 wells. It assayed composite samples from 24 wells, which reconciled within +/- 5% of block model grades in the Mineral Resource estimates for the existing Nifty heaps. About 1.7 million tonnes of material has been brought into near-term leachable inventory.

Leach performance and SXEW

Pad 6 has reached target injection rates and volumes, and the copper recovered per tonne of acid consumed is in line with expected leach chemistry. Onflow and production pipework is completed, and a cycle of pre-condition, high-pressure injection and low-pressure injection has been established. Volumes are being increased progressively to production scale before the SXEW plant is available. High voltage power is now connected to the SXEW electrical infrastructure and controls, with wet commissioning and first cathode on track for the fourth quarter of 2026. The company says it will expand the leaching footprint over the next few weeks to match targeted rates.

The company describes the injection method as isolating wells into higher and lower vertical zones targeted at different pressures, injecting a set volume at higher pressure to saturate material around the wellbore, then applying lower-pressure injections to move larger volumes of solution through stimulated material. Multiple spaced wells receive solution at the same time according to the mine plan, and operations rotate between wells until they reach economic cut-off. The company considers factors such as flow rates, well spacing, injection radius and vertical zones in planning.

Core growth drivers and material operating risks

Core growth drivers

The items identified are the expansion of the leaching footprint, building solution grade before the SXEW plant starts, wet commissioning of the plant and first cathode.

Material operating risks

The company has not yet produced cathode, and the timing of the fourth quarter is a target. Commissioning results are early, and sustained recoveries and costs are not yet reported. Direct injection leaching is described as having potential to improve flexibility, and its performance at production scale is yet to be shown. The company will need funding to complete the restart.