Auravelle Metals Limited (ASX:AUV) has acquired nine new tenements adjacent to its Crown Gold Project near Kalgoorlie, WA, adding 20 km² to its landholding. Historical drilling on these tenements has identified gold anomalism with grades up to 1.78 g/t Au near surface.
- Acquisition of nine tenements totaling 20 km² from Orange Minerals NL for $200,000 in AUV shares
- New tenements share geology with nearby Black Cat Syndicate’s Majestic gold centre
- Historical drilling shows gold anomalism up to 1.78 g/t Au within 35m of surface
- Auravelle plans integration of historical data and follow-up soil sampling and drilling
- Acquisition includes a 1.5% gold net smelter return royalty obligation
Auravelle Metals Expands Strategic Footprint at Crown Gold Project
Auravelle Metals Limited (ASX:AUV) has announced the acquisition of nine tenements covering 20 square kilometres immediately south of its existing Crown Gold Project near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The tenements were purchased from Orange Minerals NL (ASX:OMX) for $200,000 in Auravelle ordinary shares, issued at 1.52 cents per share based on a five-day volume weighted average price prior to the agreement. Half of these shares will be subject to a 12-month voluntary escrow.
The newly acquired tenements are a mix of granted prospecting and exploration leases, expanding Auravelle’s landholding in a region known for significant gold mineralisation. The geology and structural setting of the new tenements are reported to be similar to those of the existing Crown Project and are associated with the nearby Majestic gold mining centre operated by Black Cat Syndicate (ASX:BC8), which forms part of the 1.29 million ounce Kal East gold project.
Historical Drilling Highlights Gold Anomalism
Historical shallow aircore and rotary air blast (RAB) drilling on the newly acquired tenements identified gold anomalism with grades up to 1.78 grams per tonne (g/t) within 35 metres of surface. These results, which include multiple intercepts exceeding 0.5 g/t Au, have not been followed up previously. Auravelle’s 2025 aircore drilling on its existing Crown tenements also identified gold anomalism over at least 2 kilometres north-south, supporting the potential for mineralisation continuity across the expanded project area.
Auravelle is currently compiling and integrating all relevant historical datasets into its internal systems to inform exploration targeting. Planned activities include soil sampling, first-pass and follow-up aircore drilling, and deeper reverse circulation (RC) drilling to test priority targets generated from the combined data.
Considerations and Forward Exploration Plans
The acquisition carries a 1.5% gold net smelter return royalty obligation on the new tenements. Auravelle’s Managing Director Andrew Muir described the acquisition as a "logical and cost-effective bolt-on" to the Crown Gold Project, highlighting the importance of key structures associated with the Majestic gold centre that transect the expanded tenement package.
Looking ahead, Auravelle plans to incorporate the new tenements into its scheduled exploration workflow alongside ongoing programs at other projects. These include maiden site visits and metallurgical testwork at the Skye Gold Project and Sheoak in South Australia, as well as discovery-focused aircore and RC drilling at Nuckulla Hill and Sheoak. Additional heritage surveys and soil sampling are also planned to support exploration activities.
The company’s approach reflects a methodical integration of historical data with new fieldwork to refine target generation and advance exploration in a prolific gold region.
Contextualising the Acquisition
The Crown Gold Project lies within the Archaean Norseman-Wiluna greenstone belt, a geological setting known for hosting significant gold deposits. The proximity of the new tenements to established mines such as Black Cat Syndicate’s Majestic deposit underscores the strategic nature of the acquisition. However, Auravelle notes that the geometry of mineralisation and true widths of intercepts remain to be established, and historical drilling data varies in quality and completeness.
In a broader market context, this expansion complements Auravelle’s ongoing exploration efforts in Western and South Australia, as detailed in recent company updates on the Sheoak and Nuckulla Hill projects. The integration of historical data and planned systematic exploration may provide further clarity on the potential of the expanded Crown Gold Project.
Bottom Line?
Auravelle’s acquisition expands its footprint in a gold-rich region, with historical data supporting further exploration, though results remain preliminary and require validation.
Questions in the middle?
- How will Auravelle prioritise targets within the expanded Crown Gold Project given the variability in historical data quality?
- What impact might the 1.5% gold net smelter return royalty have on the economics of potential future mining at the new tenements?
- How does Auravelle’s expanded landholding position it relative to regional peers in the Kalgoorlie gold district?