New Age Exploration’s latest drilling at the Wagyu Gold Project in Pilbara confirms a significant intrusion-related gold system with high-grade intercepts, expanding the mineralised footprint near Northern Star’s Hemi deposit.
- 4,034m Reverse Circulation drilling completed at Wagyu
- High-grade gold intercepts including 4m @ 11.0 g/t Au
- Gold mineralisation linked to altered intrusions and sulphides
- Mineral system resembles nearby 11.2Moz Hemi deposit
- Plans underway for further data integration and deeper drilling
Context and Significance
New Age Exploration Limited (ASX:NAE) has released final assay results from its recent 4,034-metre Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling program at the Wagyu Gold Project, located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The results confirm the presence of a robust intrusion-related gold system, marked by significant high-grade gold intersections. This discovery is particularly notable given Wagyu’s proximity; just 5 kilometres west; to Northern Star Resources’ Hemi Gold Deposit, one of Australia’s most substantial recent gold finds with an estimated 11.2 million ounces of gold.
Drilling Highlights and Geological Insights
The drilling campaign focused on Target 10 within the Wagyu project area, delivering standout intercepts such as 4 metres at 11.0 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 120 metres depth, alongside multiple other zones of moderate-grade mineralisation. The gold mineralisation is closely associated with altered intrusive lithologies, quartz veining, and sulphide minerals including pyrite and arsenopyrite, all hallmarks of an intrusion-related system. Elevated arsenic levels further support this interpretation.
These geological characteristics mirror those observed at the Hemi deposit, suggesting Wagyu may host a similarly large and rich gold system. The mineralised footprint has expanded eastwards with primary mineralisation confirmed below 100 metres, indicating potential for significant depth extensions.
Strategic Location and Project Potential
Situated within the Mallina Basin mineralised corridor, Wagyu benefits from a geological setting that has proven highly prospective for gold. The project’s exploration licence is held by Holcim (Australia) Pty Ltd, with New Age Exploration controlling all mineral rights except sand and gravel. The area has seen limited prior exploration, positioning NAE as a pioneering explorer in this promising terrain.
CEO Kirby Johnson emphasised the project’s potential, noting the presence of all key components of a large mineral system and the encouraging scale of mineralisation encountered. He highlighted Wagyu’s unique position as the closest exploration project to Hemi, underscoring its strategic value in the current market.
Next Steps and Outlook
Looking ahead, New Age Exploration plans a comprehensive integration of the extensive geological, geochemical, and geophysical data collected over the past two years. This will inform refined mineral system modelling and guide the design of upcoming drilling programs. The company intends to pursue both RC and diamond drilling to test the eastern extensions of Target 10 and explore deeper targets across the project.
While the true widths of mineralised intercepts remain to be confirmed and the geological model is still evolving, these latest results significantly bolster the case for Wagyu as a major gold discovery in the Pilbara. Investors and industry watchers will be keenly awaiting the outcomes of the next exploration phases.
Bottom Line?
Wagyu’s expanding gold system edges closer to Hemi’s scale, setting the stage for a pivotal exploration phase.
Questions in the middle?
- How extensive and continuous is the high-grade mineralisation at depth beyond 100 metres?
- What will integrated geological and geophysical modelling reveal about the system’s full scale?
- How might Wagyu’s development impact Northern Star’s dominance in the Mallina Basin corridor?