Can WIN Metals Unlock 73,000oz More Gold at Golden Crown?
WIN Metals has unveiled an Exploration Target at its Golden Crown gold deposit, aiming to add up to 73,000 ounces of gold beyond existing resources. A 9,000-metre drilling program is set to commence in July 2025 to test this promising extension.
- Exploration Target of 400kt to 700kt at 2.4g/t to 3.2g/t Au defined at Golden Crown
- Potential addition of 23,000oz to 73,000oz gold beyond current 38,000oz resource
- 2024 drilling confirmed high-grade mineralisation below existing resource
- 9,000m drilling campaign scheduled for July 2025 with heritage approvals secured
- Golden Crown positioned as a satellite producer complementing Butchers Creek
Exploration Target Defined at Golden Crown
WIN Metals Ltd (ASX: WIN) has announced a significant step forward in its Butchers Creek Gold Project with the definition of an Exploration Target at the Golden Crown deposit. The target estimates between 400,000 and 700,000 tonnes of ore grading from 2.4 to 3.2 grams per tonne of gold, potentially adding between 23,000 and 73,000 ounces of gold beyond the current Inferred Mineral Resource of 38,000 ounces.
This Exploration Target is supported by encouraging results from a 2024 drilling campaign, which included high-grade intercepts such as 6 metres at 10.85 grams per tonne gold, located 140 metres below the existing resource estimate. These findings suggest that the mineralisation extends deeper than previously modelled, opening up new avenues for resource growth.
Strategic Drilling Program and Heritage Clearance
Building on this momentum, WIN Metals is preparing for a substantial 9,000-metre drilling program set to begin in July 2025. The company has secured heritage clearances from the Koongie Elvire Traditional Owners Group, ensuring no impediments to advancing exploration activities. This targeted drilling campaign aims to convert the Exploration Target into a Mineral Resource and further delineate the extent of the high-grade mineralisation.
Managing Director Steve Norregaard emphasised the strategic importance of Golden Crown, describing it as a potential satellite producer that would complement the main Butchers Creek resource. He highlighted the company’s focus on low-cost, high-impact exploration designed to unlock shareholder value and progress towards production in the Kimberley region.
Context Within Butchers Creek Gold Project
The Golden Crown deposit is part of the broader Butchers Creek Gold Project, which currently hosts a global Mineral Resource of 5.63 million tonnes at 1.98 grams per tonne gold, equating to 359,000 ounces. Historical mining at Butchers Creek produced 52,000 ounces of gold between 1995 and 1997 before operations ceased due to low gold prices.
Since acquiring the project in late 2024, WIN Metals has been actively exploring and updating resource estimates, including a recent 2025 update for Butchers Creek itself. The company’s integrated approach aims to leverage Golden Crown’s high-grade potential alongside the larger Butchers Creek resource to build a robust development pipeline.
Looking Ahead
The upcoming drilling program will be critical in determining whether the Exploration Target can be converted into a formal Mineral Resource, a necessary step towards eventual mine development. With the project’s infrastructure legacy and strategic location near Halls Creek, WIN Metals is positioning itself to capitalize on the growing interest in Western Australia’s gold sector.
Bottom Line?
As WIN Metals embarks on its 2025 drilling campaign, the market will be watching closely to see if Golden Crown can deliver the resource growth needed to advance towards production.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the 9,000m drilling program confirm the Exploration Target as a formal Mineral Resource?
- How might the additional gold ounces at Golden Crown impact WIN Metals’ overall project economics?
- What timelines does WIN Metals envision for progressing Golden Crown from exploration to production?