Golden Horse Minerals (ASX: GHM) has delivered robust assay results from its regional exploration at Southern Cross, confirming high-grade gold and silver mineralisation at Hakes Find and advancing drilling at Greenmount and Hopes Hill.
- High-grade gold intercepts up to 11m at 5.94 g/t Au at Hakes Find
- Significant silver mineralisation including 16m at 62 g/t Ag identified
- Multi-element analysis highlights silver, arsenic, and lead as pathfinder elements
- Ongoing drilling at Greenmount and Hopes Hill with notable wide gold zones
- Soil sampling and geological modelling guiding further exploration
Strong Gold and Silver Hits at Hakes Find
Golden Horse Minerals has confirmed a series of high-grade gold and silver intersections from its recent reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the Hakes Find prospect, located roughly 10km south of Southern Cross in Western Australia. The 49-hole, 3,346-metre program returned standout results including 11 metres at 3.37 g/t gold from 33 metres, featuring a 6-metre interval at 5.94 g/t Au. Silver mineralisation was also impressive, with one hole intercepting 16 metres at 62 g/t Ag from 54 metres, highlighting a significant silver component within the system.
The assays reinforce the prospect as a substantial mineralised system, with gold mineralisation associated with quartz veining and structurally controlled zones rather than continuous horizons. This aligns with typical orogenic gold styles found in the Southern Cross greenstone belt. The presence of elevated silver, arsenic, and lead in assays suggests these elements serve as effective pathfinder minerals, aiding in targeting mineralisation across Golden Horse's extensive 130km tenure along the Frasers Shear Zone.
Advancing Drilling at Greenmount and Hopes Hill
In parallel with Hakes Find, Golden Horse has commenced its inaugural RC drilling program at the Greenmount project, approximately 5km south of Southern Cross. Previous drilling at Greenmount yielded high-grade gold intercepts such as 5m at 15.7 g/t Au and 3m at 9.31 g/t Au, setting a promising precedent for current exploration efforts.
Meanwhile, drilling continues to extend the footprint of mineralisation at the flagship Hopes Hill project. Recent assays include a 7.05-metre intercept at 7.04 g/t Au from 251.9 metres and shallower hits like 7m at 1.05 g/t Au from 30 metres. These results build on earlier successes that extended gold mineralisation over 3km strike length, confirming the prospect's growth potential. Drilling at Hopes Hill also targets structural controls such as the sedimentary iron formation unit, which acts as a marker horizon for mineralisation.
Multi-Element Geochemistry Enhances Targeting
Golden Horse is leveraging multi-element geochemical analysis to refine its exploration approach. The recent assays demonstrate a strong correlation between gold and silver, with an approximate 17:1 silver-to-gold ratio for intercepts exceeding 0.5 g/t Au. Positive associations with arsenic and sulphur further support a complex mineralising system involving multiple fluid phases and sulphide species such as arsenopyrite and galena. This geochemical signature is consistent with established models for Archaean orogenic gold deposits in the region.
By integrating these geochemical pathfinders with geological and structural data, the company aims to enhance its ability to vector towards higher-grade zones and identify new targets along strike and at depth. This strategy is expected to accelerate the discovery process not only at Hakes Find but across the broader Southern Cross greenstone belt.
Ongoing Exploration and Future Work
Golden Horse’s exploration momentum continues with soil sampling programs covering an untested 5.5km stretch of the Southern Cross greenstone belt and historic mining extents at Withers. Despite some assay delays due to laboratory backlogs, drilling is progressing at multiple prospects including Marionete, Greenmount, and Hakes Find. The company plans to release assay results and geological interpretations progressively as they become available.
Managing Director Nicholas Anderson emphasised the significance of the findings, stating that the results validate the company’s exploration strategy and highlight the value of geological modelling combined with multi-element analysis. With a substantial portfolio and ongoing drilling campaigns, Golden Horse is poised to further delineate its gold systems and potentially expand its resource base in this prolific gold-producing region.
Bottom Line?
Golden Horse’s latest assays confirm promising high-grade gold and silver mineralisation, with multi-element geochemistry sharpening exploration focus across Southern Cross.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the multi-element pathfinder approach influence drilling priorities at other Southern Cross prospects?
- What impact will assay lab delays have on the timing of resource estimations and development plans?
- Can ongoing drilling at Greenmount replicate or exceed the high-grade intercepts seen in previous campaigns?