Early Mystique Results Highlight Structural Risks and Exploration Challenges
West Cobar Metals has reported encouraging gold assay results from its recent aircore drilling at the Mystique Gold Project in Western Australia, highlighting structural controls that could point to a significant deposit.
- 66 aircore holes drilled totaling 4,262 meters
- Gold grades up to 2.05g/t over 1 meter intersected
- Anomalous gold found in 28 drill holes across saprolite and basement rock
- Gold mineralisation linked to NW-SE trending fault structures
- Plans underway for focused follow-up drilling to refine targets
Exploration Overview
West Cobar Metals Limited (ASX – WC1) has released assay results from its latest aircore drilling campaign at the Mystique Gold Project, located approximately 240 kilometers east of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The program comprised 66 aircore holes totaling 4,262 meters, targeting two key prospects – Themis South and Torquata.
The drilling aimed to test historical gold anomalies and better understand the geological controls on mineralisation. The results revealed anomalous gold values in 28 holes, with the standout intercept being 1 meter grading 2.05 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 30 meters depth in hole MTA030.
Geological Insights and Mineralisation Controls
Gold mineralisation was encountered both in the saprolite, a weathered rock layer, and in the underlying basement rock. The distribution of gold appears to be structurally controlled, associated with northwest-southeast trending fault zones identified through aeromagnetic surveys. This structural interpretation provides a valuable framework for targeting future drilling.
The regolith and secondary gold movement in the area are complex, with gold also detected in paleochannel sediments and carbonaceous claystones. These findings suggest a dynamic geological history that could host significant gold deposits at depth.
Next Steps and Exploration Potential
West Cobar’s Managing Director, Matt Szwedzicki, emphasised the significance of the results, noting the 400-meter lateral zone of interest at Themis South and the anomalous gold intersections at Torquata. The company plans to undertake closer-spaced drilling to better define the mineralisation along the identified structural corridors, both in saprolite and basement rocks.
Given the early stage of exploration and the wide drill line spacing of 800 meters, these results are promising but preliminary. The potential for a major gold deposit remains high, warranting further detailed investigation.
West Cobar’s approach aligns with its broader strategy of advancing its portfolio of mineral projects, including copper-antimony and critical minerals, while aggressively exploring for gold at Mystique.
Bottom Line?
West Cobar Metals’ Mystique Project drilling confirms structural gold targets, setting the stage for focused follow-up exploration.
Questions in the middle?
- What will closer-spaced drilling reveal about the continuity and grade of gold mineralisation?
- How might the complex regolith history affect future resource estimation and mining methods?
- What timeline and budget has West Cobar allocated for the next phase of drilling?
