North Stawell Minerals (ASX:NSM) reports promising drilling results and strategic advances at its North Stawell Gold Project in Victoria, highlighting potential repeats of the prolific Stawell gold system and a robust exploration pipeline.
- 87,300 oz shallow Wildwood Mineral Resource with open extensions
- High-grade gold intercepts at Darlington, including 2.3m at 29.2 g/t Au
- 504 km² tenement portfolio adjacent to the 5.3 Moz Stawell Gold Mine
- CSIRO modelling enhances targeting of Stawell-type mineralisation
- Planned 2025 work program focuses on follow-up drilling and expanding resources
Exploration Momentum Builds at North Stawell
North Stawell Minerals Ltd (ASX:NSM) has provided a comprehensive investor update on its North Stawell Gold Project in Victoria, Australia, underscoring significant progress in exploration activities during the first quarter of 2025. Situated immediately north of the operating Stawell Gold Mine, a historic producer of over 5 million ounces of gold, NSM’s portfolio spans 504 square kilometres of highly prospective ground along the Stawell Mineralised Corridor.
The company’s strategy leverages a vast historic drilling and geophysical database, combined with modern exploration techniques, to identify and test targets beneath a thin cover of unmineralised sediments. This approach aims to uncover shallow, high-grade gold mineralisation analogous to the renowned Stawell deposit.
Wildwood: A Boutique Satellite Resource
Central to NSM’s current asset base is the Wildwood Mineral Resource, which hosts approximately 87,300 ounces of gold from shallow depths below 40 metres. Recent reinterpretations and structural modelling have increased both the grade and confidence of this resource, with 44,600 ounces now classified as Indicated. The mineralisation style and geology at Wildwood closely mirror those at Stawell, suggesting potential for resource expansion as drilling continues to test open extensions.
While some recent drill holes outside the current resource model have returned anomalous gold grades, the overall geological framework remains encouraging. The proximity of Wildwood to the Stawell mill, just 25 kilometres away, offers a potentially short pathway to production should economic viability be demonstrated, especially in the context of rising gold prices.
Darlington Emerges as a High-Grade Focus
Darlington, located six kilometres north of Stawell, has become a focal point for NSM’s exploration efforts. Drilling has intersected multiple high-grade gold zones, including a standout intercept of 2.3 metres at 29.2 grams per tonne gold. These results suggest the presence of both Stawell-type and Mariners-type mineralisation systems, with visible gold observed in quartz-sulphide veins.
Notably, the recent maiden drillhole at Darlington West (NSD058) tested a blind target identified through advanced 3D geological and structural modelling in collaboration with CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. The hole intersected encouraging mineralisation on both margins of a foliated basalt, confirming the potential for a repeat of the Stawell-type gold system. This success validates the predictive targeting approach and opens avenues for further exploration along the Browns-Caledonia trend.
Science-Driven Targeting and Robust Pipeline
NSM’s partnership with CSIRO has introduced cutting-edge mineral systems modelling to refine exploration targeting. By integrating geophysical data, structural interpretation, and geochemical indicators, the company can prioritize drill sites with higher probabilities of hosting economic gold mineralisation. This scientific rigor is particularly valuable given the extensive cover masking much of the prospective geology.
Beyond Wildwood and Darlington, NSM’s pipeline includes several high-priority and secondary targets such as Lubeck Tip, which has already yielded encouraging shallow gold intercepts. The company’s disciplined approach to exploration, combined with a highly experienced management team and a supportive local community, positions it well to advance these projects toward resource growth and eventual production.
Looking Ahead
NSM plans to focus its 2025 work program on follow-up drilling at Darlington and Darlington West, alongside a review of Wildwood’s potential as a satellite deposit. The company aims to maintain a steady flow of exploration results to build on its current momentum, with the ultimate goal of delineating a significant gold resource that complements the nearby Stawell operation.
Bottom Line?
North Stawell Minerals is steadily unlocking the potential of a prolific gold corridor, with upcoming drilling poised to test the limits of its promising discoveries.
Questions in the middle?
- Can follow-up drilling at Darlington convert high-grade intercepts into a mineable resource?
- How will rising gold prices impact the economic viability of the Wildwood resource?
- What new targets might emerge from CSIRO’s mineral systems modelling for future drilling campaigns?