6,000m Aircore Drilling Targets 8km Gold Corridor at BPM’s Claw Project

Strategic Drilling Resumes at Claw Gold Project

BPM Minerals Ltd (ASX: BPM) has officially kicked off a 6,000-metre aircore drilling program at its Claw Gold Project in Western Australia, marking a pivotal step in its exploration campaign. The program targets extensions of known gold mineralisation along an 8-kilometre highly prospective strike corridor that includes the Louie and Chickie prospects.

This latest phase of drilling is designed to test new mineralised zones beyond the previously discovered Louie Prospect, which has already delivered significant high-grade gold intercepts such as 25 metres at 1.27 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, including a standout 2 metres at 11.63 g/t. These results underscore the potential for economic gold resources within the project area.

Location and Regional Context

The Claw Gold Project benefits from a strategic location immediately south of Capricorn Metals Ltd’s (ASX: CMM) Mount Gibson Gold Project, which hosts a substantial 3.99 million ounce gold resource. This proximity places BPM’s tenements within a proven gold corridor, enhancing the prospectivity of the Claw Project and positioning it as a complementary asset to one of Western Australia’s emerging gold mining operations.

BPM’s CEO, Oliver Judd, highlighted the importance of this drilling campaign, noting that "another meaningful intercept could significantly enhance the project's strategic value and further solidify our position in this highly prospective gold corridor." The company is clearly aiming to leverage the geological continuity along strike to unlock further value.

Exploration Progress and Future Plans

Exploration to date has revealed promising mineralisation at both Louie and Chickie prospects, with multiple intercepts of gold mineralisation reported from aircore and reverse circulation drilling. Notably, the Louie Prospect has demonstrated a higher-grade core approximately 600 metres in length, defined by around 20 intercepts exceeding 1 g/t gold, primarily within the weathered zone.

Further drilling is underway with 80 holes planned on 400-metre spaced traverses, with the flexibility to tighten spacing to 100 metres depending on geological observations and assay results. The staged program is expected to be completed within 4 to 8 weeks, with assay results to be released progressively.

Beyond the immediate drilling program, BPM is also pursuing additional tenement applications that could secure approximately 20 kilometres of further prospective strike to the west of the current project area. Soil sampling programs are planned to commence in early 2025 as access agreements with landholders are finalised.

Geological Setting and Mineralisation Style

The Claw Project lies within the Retaliation Greenstone Belt of the Yilgarn Craton, an area known for its Archaean-aged gold deposits. Mineralisation is associated with sulphides within quartz-biotite-sericite schist adjacent to magnetic amphibolite units, a geological setting analogous to that of the Mount Gibson Gold Project to the north.

The presence of a supergene zone within the weathered profile, where gold grades are enriched due to geochemical processes, offers potential for a shallow, high-grade resource that could be more economically extracted. BPM is considering further drilling to delineate this zone at Louie.

Outlook and Market Implications

With the Claw Gold Project advancing through systematic exploration phases, BPM Minerals is positioning itself to potentially unlock a valuable gold resource adjacent to a major established project. The ongoing drilling and forthcoming assay results will be critical in defining the scale and grade of mineralisation, which could attract further investor interest and strategic partnerships.

As the company continues to expand its footprint with new tenement applications and regional soil sampling, the Claw Project story is evolving rapidly. Investors will be watching closely for assay results that could confirm the project's economic potential and influence BPM’s valuation in the competitive WA gold exploration sector.