First 8 Mile Drill Hole Yields 18m at 0.94g/t Gold Including 6.04g/t Peak
Miramar Resources has uncovered high-grade gold mineralisation extending 75 metres beyond its tenement boundary at the 8 Mile target near Kalgoorlie, signalling promising expansion potential for its Gidji JV Project.
- First RC drill hole at 8 Mile intersects high-grade gold and ends in mineralisation
- Gold mineralisation extends 75m north beyond Miramar’s tenement boundary
- Initial assays show 18m at 0.94g/t Au including 1m at 6.04g/t Au
- WA Department of Mines extends Gidji JV tenement to 2030
- Further drilling and airborne geophysical surveys planned
Discovery at 8 Mile Target
Miramar Resources Limited (ASX, M2R) has announced a significant breakthrough at its 8 Mile target within the Gidji Joint Venture Project, located approximately 15 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The first reverse circulation (RC) drill hole, designated GJRC029, intersected a wide zone of high-grade gold mineralisation and notably ended in mineralisation, a promising indicator for further resource potential.
The drill hole was designed to test an induced polarisation (IP) anomaly near the tenement boundary, thought to represent sulphide-rich gold mineralisation similar to that found at the adjacent 8 Mile Dam deposit owned by Northern Star Resources. Despite a deviation from the planned drill path, the hole ended approximately 75 metres north of the tenement boundary, effectively extending the known strike of mineralisation onto Miramar’s ground.
Encouraging Assay Results and Geological Insights
Preliminary assay results from the bottom 56 metres of GJRC029 reveal a substantial gold interval of 18 metres grading 0.94 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, including a higher-grade 1-metre section at 6.04 g/t. The hole also ended with 3 metres at 0.52 g/t gold, confirming mineralisation continues at depth. These results align closely with the tenor of the nearby 8 Mile Dam deposit, which contains an estimated 314,000 ounces of gold at 1.4 g/t.
Geological logging and portable XRF analysis identified widespread sulphide mineralisation, including arsenopyrite and pyrrhotite, alongside magnetic anomalies that correlate with gold presence. This relationship validates the use of IP geophysical anomalies as effective targeting tools for further exploration within the Gidji JV Project.
Strategic Implications and Next Steps
Miramar’s Executive Chairman Allan Kelly expressed enthusiasm about the discovery, highlighting that this is the first significant gold mineralisation identified on Miramar’s side of the boundary. The extension of mineralisation strike length by over 100 metres onto Miramar’s tenements enhances the project’s value and potential for a new gold camp in the region.
With the Western Australian Department of Mines granting a five-year extension to the main Gidji JV tenement, now valid until March 2030, Miramar is well-positioned to advance its exploration program. The company plans to complete assays for the remainder of GJRC029 and other holes, followed by further RC and diamond drilling to delineate the mineralisation’s dip and strike extent.
Additional exploration activities are underway, including a co-funded detailed airborne magnetic and VTEM survey at the Bangemall Ni-Cu-PGE Projects and planned soil and rock chip sampling at the Chain Pool Cu-Pb-Zn-Ag Project, underscoring Miramar’s broader commitment to resource discovery in Western Australia.
Bottom Line?
Miramar’s 8 Mile discovery not only extends known gold mineralisation but also sets the stage for a potentially transformative exploration campaign in the Eastern Goldfields.
Questions in the middle?
- What will the full assay results from the remainder of GJRC029 reveal about grade and continuity?
- How will Miramar’s follow-up drilling refine the geometry and true width of the mineralisation?
- What impact will the tenement extension have on Miramar’s exploration timeline and funding strategy?
