Lunnon Metals Strikes High-Grade Gold at Cooee, Expands Exploration Ambitions
Lunnon Metals has revealed significant gold assay results from both recent and historical drilling at its Cooee prospect, highlighting a promising new target within its Kambalda Gold & Nickel Project. These findings elevate Cooee to a high-priority status alongside established prospects in the Foster Gold Belt.
- Significant gold intercepts including 2.0m at 20.24g/t Au and 4.0m at 11.14g/t Au
- Over 400m strike length of gold mineralisation confirmed beneath 1920s workings
- Cooee prospect identified as a new high-priority target in the Foster Gold Belt
- Historical and recent drilling data integrated to redefine exploration focus
- Follow-up mapping, sampling, and drilling planned for FY2026
A New Gold Frontier Emerges at Cooee
Lunnon Metals Limited (ASX – LM8) has announced compelling gold assay results from the Cooee prospect, part of its broader Kambalda Gold & Nickel Project (KGNP) in Western Australia. The discovery stems from a re-examination of historical drilling data combined with recent nickel-focused drill holes that unexpectedly intersected high-grade gold mineralisation. Notably, intercepts of 2.0 metres at 20.24 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 4.0 metres at 11.14 g/t gold have been reported, underscoring the prospect’s potential.
Situated at the southern end of what Lunnon Metals terms the Cooee Belt, adjacent to the established Foster Gold Belt, the prospect reveals a strike length exceeding 400 metres beneath surface workings dating back to the 1920s. These quartz-dominant lodes dip moderately south and represent a continuation of historical gold mining activity, now reinterpreted with modern exploration techniques.
From Nickel to Gold – A Strategic Pivot
Originally drilled with a nickel exploration focus, the diamond and reverse circulation holes from 2022 and 2023 serendipitously intersected gold mineralisation, prompting a strategic reassessment. The company’s Managing Director, Edmund Ainscough, highlighted this as a fortuitous development, noting that the discovery broadens Lunnon Metals’ gold portfolio and injects momentum into its exploration programs beyond the Foster Gold Belt.
This pivot aligns with the company’s recent success at the Lady Herial deposit, also within the Foster Gold Belt, which has delivered encouraging financial outcomes. The addition of Cooee to the high-priority list signals an aggressive expansion of exploration efforts planned for the 2026 fiscal year, including detailed mapping, rock chip sampling, and further drilling.
Historical Data Validates New Targets
Lunnon Metals undertook a comprehensive review of 19 historical drill holes, primarily completed by WMC Resources Ltd and later by Gold Fields Ltd, which corroborated the presence of significant gold mineralisation at Cooee. These historical assays, combined with the recent drilling, provide a robust dataset that supports the interpretation of a continuous mineralised structure with meaningful grade and extent.
The company’s rigorous quality assurance and quality control protocols, including re-logging and re-assaying of historical core, lend confidence to these findings. The integration of modern PhotonAssay technology further enhances assay accuracy, ensuring that the reported grades are reliable indicators of the prospect’s potential.
Strategic Positioning in a Prolific Gold Camp
The KGNP area, encompassing the Kambalda and St Ives gold camps, is one of Australia’s most prolific gold-producing regions, with a rich history dating back to the late 19th century. Lunnon Metals’ tenure includes granted mining leases with significant infrastructure nearby, including processing plants operated by major shareholders such as Gold Fields.
The Cooee prospect’s location within this geological and operational context enhances its attractiveness. The company’s exclusive rights to nickel and gold mineralisation in the area, subject to certain agreements, position it well to capitalise on discoveries. The recent Mining Agreement with the Ngadju Native Title Aboriginal Corporation further secures tenure and operational certainty.
Looking Ahead – Building on Momentum
While the current results are early-stage, they represent a significant step in expanding Lunnon Metals’ exploration footprint and resource base. The company plans to intensify exploration activities at Cooee and other prospects in the Foster Gold Belt, leveraging the geological similarities and proximity to existing deposits. Future metallurgical testing and resource estimation work will be critical to assessing the economic viability of these discoveries.
In sum, Lunnon Metals’ Cooee results underscore the value of revisiting historical data with fresh eyes and modern techniques, revealing new opportunities in a well-established gold district. As the company advances its FY2026 exploration program, the market will be watching closely for further developments that could reshape the KGNP’s gold potential.
Bottom Line?
Cooee’s promising gold grades could redefine Lunnon Metals’ growth trajectory as exploration intensifies in FY2026.
Questions in the middle?
- How will Lunnon Metals prioritize drilling and resource definition at Cooee relative to other Foster Gold Belt targets?
- What metallurgical characteristics will the Cooee gold mineralisation exhibit, and how might this impact processing options?
- Could further exploration reveal extensions beyond the current 400m strike, potentially increasing resource scale?
