Lake Johnston Drilling to Test 12m @ 6.55 g/t Au Xmas Gold Discovery and Medcalf Lithium
Charger Metals NL is set to commence a significant 3,000-metre drilling program at its Lake Johnston Project, targeting high-grade gold and lithium mineralisation following recent promising results. The program aims to expand on the Xmas Gold Discovery and advance the Medcalf Spodumene Deposit.
- 3,000m diamond and reverse circulation drilling approved and contracted
- Follow-up on Xmas Gold Discovery intercepts including 12m @ 6.55 g/t Au
- Significant historic and recent gold intercepts at Richard Gold Prospect
- Drilling to test extensions of Medcalf Spodumene Deposit and Medcalf West target
- Project remains 100% owned with strong potential for resource growth
Exploration Momentum Builds at Lake Johnston
Charger Metals NL (ASX, CHR) is advancing its exploration ambitions at the Lake Johnston Lithium and Gold Project in Western Australia with a newly contracted drilling program of approximately 3,000 metres. This program, commencing in January 2026, will focus on expanding the footprint of the recent high-grade Xmas Gold Discovery and further testing the Medcalf Spodumene Deposit and Medcalf West Exploration Target.
The Xmas Gold Discovery, located about 1.5 kilometres southwest of the Richard Gold Prospect, has delivered compelling results including a standout intercept of 12 metres grading 6.55 grams per tonne gold from 132 metres depth, with a high-grade subset of 4 metres at 16.9 grams per tonne. These intercepts were obtained from composite samples and await confirmation from fresh 1-metre interval assays, which are currently underway.
Rich History and New Targets at Richard Gold Prospect
The Richard Gold Prospect itself has a history of significant gold mineralisation, with previous drilling returning intercepts such as 5 metres at 7.15 grams per tonne gold from 24 metres and 8 metres at 0.86 grams per tonne from 60 metres. Charger’s recent drilling continues to build on this foundation, reinforcing the prospect’s potential as a key component of the Lake Johnston gold system.
Importantly, the Xmas Gold Discovery area remains underexplored, with over 2 kilometres of strike length yet to be drill tested. Charger has secured all necessary permits and clearances, including heritage agreements with the Ngadju people, enabling an aggressive follow-up drilling campaign designed to delineate the extent and orientation of the mineralisation.
Lithium Potential at Medcalf and Medcalf West
Beyond gold, the drilling program will also target the Medcalf Spodumene Deposit, where Charger aims to test down-plunge and down-dip extensions of the lithium-bearing spodumene mineralisation. The Medcalf West Exploration Target, conceptual in nature but promising, will also be drilled to assess continuity beneath existing spodumene outcrops.
Charger’s Managing Director Bryan Dixon emphasised the strategic value of retaining 100% ownership of the Lake Johnston Project, noting the proximity of four lithium concentration plants within trucking distance. This infrastructure advantage could prove pivotal in advancing any future development.
Methodical Approach and Next Steps
The company has engaged Southern Geoscience Consultants to enhance magnetic and terrain data interpretation, complementing ongoing soil sampling programs designed to refine drill targets. The upcoming drilling will include both reverse circulation and diamond core methods, providing detailed geological and metallurgical data to support resource estimation efforts.
With assay results pending from recent drilling and further exploration planned, Charger Metals is positioning itself to unlock significant value from its Lake Johnston tenure, which sits within the prolific Yilgarn Province, a globally recognised mineral province.
Bottom Line?
As Charger Metals embarks on this critical drilling phase, the market will be watching closely for assay results that could redefine the scale of gold and lithium resources at Lake Johnston.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the fresh 1-metre assay results confirm and extend the high-grade gold intercepts at Xmas Gold Discovery?
- How continuous and extensive is the spodumene mineralisation at Medcalf and Medcalf West?
- What impact will the drilling outcomes have on the timing and scale of potential resource upgrades?
