Data Errors Delayed Emjay Gold Discovery—What Does This Mean for Butchers Creek?
WIN Metals Ltd reports rock chip samples grading up to 23.5g/t gold at the Emjay prospect, confirming it as a prime drill target after correcting its previously mislocated position in government datasets.
- Rock chip samples up to 23.5g/t gold confirm Emjay prospectivity
- Emjay location corrected, 2km south of government MINDEX data
- Emjay identified as a high-priority drill target for 2025 season
- Butchers Creek project holds 359,000oz gold resource
- Tenements in good standing with some pending conversions
Reassessing a Forgotten Goldfield
WIN Metals Ltd (ASX – WIN) has delivered a compelling update from its Butchers Creek Gold Project in Western Australia's Kimberley region. Rock chip sampling at the Emjay gold prospect has yielded impressive grades, peaking at 23.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold. These results not only reaffirm Emjay’s potential but also correct a longstanding error in government datasets that had mislocated the prospect by approximately two kilometres.
Correcting the Record
Systematic desktop studies revealed discrepancies between the government’s MINDEX dataset and open-file data, prompting WIN Metals to re-examine Emjay’s true position. Their fieldwork confirmed that the prospect lies further south than previously recorded, a correction that has significant implications for exploration targeting. The company is now collaborating with the Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration to update official records.
High-Grade Samples Signal Drill Readiness
Fifty rock chip and lag samples collected over a 500-metre strike length at Emjay have confirmed the presence of high-tenor gold mineralisation. The standout sample returned 23.5g/t gold, with others ranging from 3.59g/t to 14g/t. These results validate anecdotal reports and historical indications that were previously overlooked due to data inaccuracies. WIN Metals’ Managing Director Steve Norregaard highlighted the irony that drill pads prepared in the 1990s were never tested due to low gold prices at the time.
Geological Context and Next Steps
Emjay’s gold mineralisation is hosted within shear zones associated with quartz veining and sulphides in sedimentary rocks, typical of the Halls Creek Orogen’s Paleoproterozoic geology. This setting is consistent with other productive zones within the Butchers Creek Project, which collectively hosts a resource of 359,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 1.98g/t. WIN Metals plans to integrate the new sampling data into its geological model and prepare for targeted drilling in the upcoming field season.
Tenement and Project Overview
The Butchers Creek Gold Project comprises multiple mining leases, exploration licences, and prospecting licences, all in good standing with some pending conversions. The project benefits from existing infrastructure and historical mining activity, including a 500ktpa processing plant that operated in the mid-1990s. WIN Metals acquired the project in late 2024 and has since advanced resource updates and exploration programs, positioning Emjay as a key focus area.
Bottom Line?
With Emjay’s high-grade gold confirmed and its location clarified, WIN Metals is poised to unlock new value in a historically overlooked part of the Kimberley goldfield.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the corrected Emjay location impact the overall resource model at Butchers Creek?
- What are the timelines and targets for the upcoming drilling campaign at Emjay?
- Could further historical data discrepancies exist elsewhere on WIN’s tenure, offering additional exploration upside?
