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Early Drilling Success at Lightning & Monza Raises Development Questions

Mining By Maxwell Dee 3 min read

Terrain Minerals has reported a significant gold intersection of 22 metres at 2.71 g/t from its recent drilling at the Lightning & Monza Gold Prospect, reinforcing its exploration strategy and advancing the project towards a resource estimate.

  • 22m @ 2.71 g/t gold intersection from 105m depth
  • First assay results from 22-hole, 4,995m drilling campaign
  • Further assay results pending, expected in September
  • Supports induced polarisation (IP) targeting strategy
  • Plans for Mineral Resource Estimate in early to mid-2026

Significant Gold Intersection at Lightning & Monza

Terrain Minerals Limited has announced promising initial assay results from its recent reverse circulation drilling campaign at the Lightning & Monza Gold Prospect, part of its Smokebush Project in Western Australia’s Murchison gold region. The standout result is a 22-metre intersection grading 2.71 grams per tonne gold starting from 105 metres downhole, obtained from a single hole targeting the Lightning structure.

This intersection suggests the prospect has the potential to host substantial zones of gold mineralisation with grades consistent with other deposits in the Yalgoo-Singleton Greenstone Belt, a well-known gold-bearing region. The result also validates Terrain’s use of induced polarisation (IP) geophysical surveys as an effective targeting tool.

Drilling Campaign and Next Steps

The reported assay is the first batch from a 22-hole, nearly 5,000-metre drilling campaign completed between May and July 2025. Assay results from the remaining 21 holes are still awaited, with expectations to receive them throughout September. Terrain plans to submit all gold-mineralised holes for multi-element analysis, including silver, which has shown encouraging associations in previous drilling.

Executive Director Justin Virgin highlighted the significance of these early results, noting that the strong intercept reinforces confidence in the company’s exploration strategy and the prospect’s potential. Terrain has also secured approval for an additional 35 follow-up drill holes, indicating a clear commitment to advancing the project.

Regional Context and Exploration Strategy

The Lightning & Monza Gold Prospect lies within a greenstone sequence interpreted as part of the Mougooderra Formation, prospective for shear-hosted gold mineralisation similar to nearby deposits held by Warriedar Resources and Capricorn Metals. Previous drilling at the prospect has intersected high-grade gold and silver mineralisation, further supporting the prospect’s potential.

Terrain’s exploration approach integrates geophysical IP surveys to identify chargeability anomalies indicative of sulphide mineralisation often associated with gold. The company is currently reviewing and remodelling its 2023 IP data to refine targets and plans to extend surveys to the nearby Wildflower Gold Prospect.

Towards Resource Estimation and Development

Terrain is progressing towards an initial Mineral Resource Estimate for Lightning & Monza, targeted for release in early to mid-2026. The company has already lodged a Mining Lease application over the prospect area, signaling intent to move towards development. Additionally, sighter metallurgical test work is planned to assess gold recovery methods, which will inform future processing strategies and potential partnerships.

With multiple promising intersections and a clear exploration pathway, Terrain Minerals is positioning itself to unlock value from its Western Australian gold assets, while maintaining environmental stewardship and regulatory compliance.

Bottom Line?

Terrain Minerals’ latest drilling success at Lightning & Monza sets the stage for a pivotal resource update and further exploration milestones.

Questions in the middle?

  • What will the remaining 21 drill hole assays reveal about the prospect’s continuity and grade?
  • How will multi-element assays influence the understanding of associated metals like silver and arsenic?
  • What impact will metallurgical test results have on potential processing and project economics?