Key Highlights

  • Metallurgical testwork from Callisto resource returned up to 85% palladium and 94% copper recovery using conventional flotation
  • Aircore drilling 2km north of the 17.5Mt Callisto resource is complete, with assays expected in approximately six weeks
  • RC drilling targeting sulphide-rich zones at the Mission Sill prospect is scheduled to commence in early November 2026
  • Exploration focus at Mission Sill now covers two broad PGM anomaly zones — Zone A (1.4km) and Zone B (2km) — with intercepts including 8m at 0.42 g/t 3E

A Significant Metallurgical Milestone at Callisto

Galileo Mining Ltd (ASX:GAL) has delivered encouraging metallurgical results from its 100%-owned Norseman project in Western Australia, reporting palladium recoveries of up to 85% and copper recoveries of up to 94% from conventional grinding and flotation testwork conducted on diamond drill core from the Callisto resource.

The testing was carried out by ALS Metallurgy Pty Ltd on core samples from drill hole 26NRDD525, with a single bulk composite collected from a continuous twelve-metre interval between 147 and 159 metres within the disseminated sulphide mineralised zone. Several reagent combinations were trialled to assess the response of the sample to varying sulphide flotation conditions.

Managing Director Brad Underwood described the results as giving the company confidence that future sulphide discoveries across the Norseman province are likely to respond similarly, given the comparable geology across target prospects. The Callisto deposit currently hosts a resource of 17.5 million tonnes.

Aircore and RC Drilling Campaigns Underway

On the exploration front, Galileo has completed an aircore drilling program at the new Callisto North prospect, located 2 kilometres north of the existing Callisto resource, as well as further reconnaissance drilling along a 20-kilometre stretch of prospective strike. Aircore drilling is designed to probe near-surface weathered rocks for geochemical anomalism, and assays from this program are expected within approximately six weeks.

While awaiting those results, the company has turned its attention to an RC drilling campaign at the Mission Sill prospect. Prior drilling at Mission Sill has already identified PGM-copper mineralised rock units at shallow depths. The upcoming program will test these units for higher grades both down dip and along strike. The company has identified two broad zones of anomalous PGMs across Mission Sill — Zone A spanning 1.4 kilometres and Zone B spanning 2 kilometres — including intersections of 8m at 0.42 g/t 3E and 17m at 0.36 g/t 3E.

Norseman: A Prospective and Underexplored Province

The Norseman project sits within a highly prospective mineral province that the company describes as underexplored. Galileo's strategy has been to build a pipeline of multiple PGM-copper targets across the region, rather than relying on a single deposit. The Callisto resource, currently the flagship asset, forms the base from which exploration is being extended both northward and laterally across the tenement package.

The company's metallurgical work is designed to de-risk any future processing decision. By demonstrating that conventional flotation can achieve high recoveries from the mineralisation style at Callisto, Galileo has reinforced the commercial case for potential future resource development, should exploration drilling continue to expand the resource base.

Sector Context

Palladium and platinum group metals (PGMs) remain strategically relevant commodities, underpinned by Demand from the automotive catalytic converter sector and growing interest from clean energy and hydrogen applications. Australia's PGM pipeline is thin relative to South Africa and Russia, making domestic discoveries such as Callisto increasingly significant from a supply-chain Diversification perspective.

The broader Australian junior mining space has seen increased investor attention to battery and critical minerals, with PGMs occupying a niche between traditional precious metals and critical minerals narratives. Galileo's copper recoveries are also commercially relevant, as copper's role in electrification keeps demand elevated.

Risks

Exploration-stage companies like Galileo carry inherent project risks. Metallurgical results from bulk composite testing do not guarantee similar outcomes across a full resource or in future mine production. Assay results from the ongoing aircore program may not deliver the geochemical anomalism the company is targeting. The transition from resource delineation to feasibility and eventual production requires significant additional capital. Commodity price Volatility for palladium and platinum — both of which have experienced sharp swings in recent years — adds Financial Risk to the company's long-term outlook. The Norseman location, while in a proven Western Australian mining jurisdiction, introduces the usual logistical and permitting timelines associated with regional projects.

What to Watch Next

The most immediate catalyst for Galileo is the release of assay results from the completed aircore program at Callisto North, expected in approximately six weeks. Investors should also watch for early drilling results from the Mission Sill RC program, due to commence in early November. Any high-grade PGM intercepts from Mission Sill could materially expand the company's exploration narrative beyond the existing Callisto resource. Broader palladium market dynamics will remain a backdrop consideration.