Exploration Risks Remain as Catalina Eyes Gold and REE Potential in WA’s Yilgarn

Exploration Momentum Builds in Central Yilgarn

Catalina Resources Limited (ASX – CTN) has announced an ambitious exploration update focusing on its Central Yilgarn and Laverton projects in Western Australia. The company plans to commence an initial reverse circulation (RC) drilling program in the second half of 2025, targeting multiple high-grade gold prospects within the Yerilgee and Evanston greenstone belts. These belts cover over 650 square kilometres and have seen limited modern exploration despite proven mineralisation potential.

Seven compelling walk-up drill targets have been delineated, including the T6 Gold Camp with its notable Chicken Little prospect, which previously returned impressive intercepts such as 24m at 1.6 g/t Au and 17m at 4.1 g/t Au. Other targets like Snowflake and Megatron also exhibit robust gold-in-soil anomalies and encouraging historical drill results, underscoring the potential for significant discoveries.

Laverton Project Delivers Promising Gold and Rare Earth Results

At Laverton, recent aircore drilling has identified a substantial gold mineralisation zone along the Barnicoat Shear Zone, a regionally significant structure known for hosting several gold deposits. A standout intercept of 28m at 1.09 g/t Au, including a high-grade 1m section at 9.69 g/t Au, highlights the prospectivity of this area. This broad mineralised zone is interpreted to lie just above the bedrock source, supported by visual veining and alteration observed in drill samples.

In addition to gold, the Laverton drilling revealed a high-grade rare earth element (REE) intersection with a 4m zone exceeding 1% total rare earth oxides (TREO). The REE mineralisation includes a notable concentration of neodymium and praseodymium, critical components for high-performance magnets used in renewable energy and advanced technologies. These findings position Catalina well within a globally strategic commodity space.

Strategic Next Steps and Exploration Outlook

Catalina plans to follow up these encouraging results with targeted RC drilling at both the Central Yilgarn and Laverton projects. The company will also undertake further soil sampling to refine and extend the identified anomalies, particularly around the T8 Gold Camp’s magnetic dome structure and other undrilled soil anomalies. The extensive historical data, combined with recent technical reviews, provide a solid foundation for advancing these projects.

All tenements are in good standing, with no known impediments, and the exploration data quality meets industry standards, ensuring confidence in ongoing work. The company’s strategy to explore multiple commodities, including gold, iron ore, lithium, nickel, copper-zinc-silver massive sulphides, and REEs, reflects a diversified approach to value creation in a highly prospective region.

With the Yilgarn Craton’s reputation as a prolific mineral province and the Laverton area’s established mineral endowment, Catalina’s exploration update signals a potentially transformative phase. Investors and industry watchers will be keenly observing the upcoming drilling results, which could significantly enhance the company’s resource base and market positioning.