Fletcher Discovery Raises Questions on Beta Hunt’s Future Production Scale

A Major Milestone at Beta Hunt

Westgold Resources Limited has announced a significant breakthrough at its Beta Hunt mine in Western Australia’s Southern Goldfields with the maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Fletcher Zone. The Stage 1 drilling campaign, which tested just 1 kilometre of the known 2 kilometre strike, has delivered a resource of 31 million tonnes grading 2.3 grams per tonne gold, equating to 2.3 million ounces of gold. This new resource effectively doubles the existing Beta Hunt Mineral Resource as of September 2024, marking a transformative moment for Westgold.

Geological and Operational Context

The Fletcher Zone is a structurally controlled gold-bearing shear zone located within the Hunt Block of Beta Hunt, interpreted as a parallel analogue to the well-known Western Flanks and A Zone deposits. Mineralisation extends over a broad zone up to 500 metres wide, with a strike length of 2 kilometres and vertical extent exceeding 800 metres. Importantly, the resource remains open at depth and along strike, underscoring substantial upside potential.

Westgold’s Managing Director Wayne Bramwell emphasised the scale of the opportunity, describing Fletcher as a "multi-decade journey" and a "transformational opportunity" to expand Beta Hunt’s mine life and production scale. Current mine life at Beta Hunt exceeds ten years without Fletcher’s contribution, highlighting the resource’s strategic importance.

Drilling and Resource Estimation Methodology

The maiden resource was developed using industry-standard geological modelling and statistical techniques, including Ordinary Kriging for grade interpolation. The estimate is based on 73 diamond drill holes totaling approximately 46,000 metres, with rigorous quality control and validation processes. The resource is classified as Indicated and Inferred, with no Measured category assigned yet, reflecting the early stage of drilling coverage.

Westgold has already commenced infill drilling to upgrade the Stage 1 resource and aims to define a maiden Ore Reserve during the 2026 financial year. Concurrently, a Stage 2 drilling program is planned to test the northern 1 kilometre extension of the Fletcher Zone, as well as fault-offset extensions to the south, known as the Mason Zone.

Strategic Implications and Next Steps

The addition of Fletcher’s resource nearly doubles Beta Hunt’s gold inventory, offering Westgold a platform to evaluate optimal mining and processing strategies that could significantly increase output. Scoping studies are underway to explore operational scale-up options beyond the current mine plan constraints.

With drilling momentum sustained and exploration targets still open, Fletcher represents a compelling growth avenue for Westgold. The company’s methodical approach to resource definition, reserve conversion, and operational planning will be closely watched by investors and industry observers alike.