S2 Resources and Black Raven Mining have signed a key Heritage Protection Agreement with the Wajarri Yamaji people, paving the way for exploration licences to be granted over the highly prospective Jillewarra Project in Western Australia.
- Heritage Protection Agreement signed with Wajarri Yamaji traditional owners
- Exploration licences for 35km strike of Karbah shear zone expected within two months
- Initial 30,000m aircore drilling planned to target gold anomalies
- S2 aims to extend agreement to adjacent 25km tenure for total 60km coverage
- S2 must spend A$5 million by October 2026 to earn 51% interest in the project
Heritage Agreement Clears Regulatory Hurdle
S2 Resources Ltd, in partnership with Black Raven Mining, has reached a significant milestone by signing a Heritage Protection Agreement (HPA) with the Wajarri Yamaji people, the traditional custodians of the Jillewarra area near Meekatharra, Western Australia. This agreement is a crucial step that allows the Western Australian Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration to proceed with granting exploration licences for the Jillewarra Project.
The licences cover two exploration licence applications (ELA’s) spanning 35 kilometres of the Karbah shear zone, a largely undercover geological structure believed to be highly prospective for gold. This shear zone is part of the same regional system that hosts multi-million ounce gold deposits such as Westgold’s Big Bell and Ramelius Resources’ Dalgaranga operations further south.
Exploration Plans and Strategic Importance
With the HPA in place, S2 Resources plans to commence heritage surveys promptly to facilitate the start of exploration activities. The initial phase will involve approximately 30,000 metres of reconnaissance aircore drilling across widely spaced traverses. This first pass drilling aims to identify gold and pathfinder element anomalies that could indicate the presence of significant mineralisation.
The exploration strategy is designed to cover the 35-kilometre strike at an initial line spacing of 800 metres, providing a broad but systematic assessment of the area. Subsequent drilling will be more targeted, informed by the results of this initial program and refined geological interpretations.
Expanding the Footprint
S2 also intends to use the current HPA as a template to negotiate a similar agreement for its adjacent 100%-owned exploration licence to the north, which covers an additional 25 kilometres of the Karbah shear zone. This would extend the company’s exploration footprint to a total of 60 kilometres of strike, significantly enhancing the potential scale of the project.
Financially, S2 is committed to spending A$5 million by October 2026 to earn a 51% interest in the Jillewarra Project. As of December 2025, the company had already invested A$3.3 million in drilling and exploration on granted tenure within the project area, positioning it well to meet this earn-in requirement.
Looking Ahead
The granting of the exploration licences is expected within the next two months, contingent on regulatory approval. Once granted, and following completion of heritage and environmental approvals, S2 and Black Raven Mining will be poised to commence drilling operations. The Jillewarra Project represents a compelling opportunity to explore an underexplored extension of a major gold-bearing shear zone with proven regional endowment.
Investors and analysts will be watching closely as the company advances its exploration program, with the potential to uncover new gold deposits in a well-established mining region.
Bottom Line?
With heritage approvals secured, S2 Resources is set to unlock a major gold exploration opportunity in WA’s underexplored Karbah shear zone.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the Western Australian regulators grant the exploration licences within the anticipated two-month timeframe?
- What initial results will the 30,000-metre aircore drilling program yield regarding gold mineralisation?
- How quickly can S2 extend the Heritage Protection Agreement to its adjacent 25km tenure to expand exploration?