Miramar Resources has more than doubled the gold Exploration Target at its Gidji JV Project near Kalgoorlie, citing extensive new drilling data. The company is now advancing towards resource estimation and mining lease applications, eyeing deeper bedrock mineralisation potential.
- Gidji JV gold Exploration Target doubled to 125,000–325,000 ounces
- Updated target covers multiple prospects including Marylebone and Highway
- Drilling database includes 939 aircore holes and 26 RC holes
- Plans underway for JORC resource estimation and mining lease application
- Potential for deeper bedrock mineralisation remains untested
Exploration Target Doubles on Robust Drilling Data
Miramar Resources Limited (ASX:M2R) has announced a significant upgrade to the gold Exploration Target at its 80%-owned Gidji JV Gold Project, located just 15 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie. The revised target now ranges between 124,871 and 325,125 ounces of gold, more than doubling previous estimates based on extensive recent drilling and assay results.
This jump in potential gold endowment stems from drilling across multiple prospects, Marylebone, Powerline, Blackfriars, Highway, and Railway, using a substantial dataset comprising 939 aircore holes, 26 reverse circulation (RC) holes, and one diamond hole. The updated Exploration Target reflects a tonnage range of 6.2 to 7.6 million tonnes at grades between 0.4 and 1.5 grams per tonne.
Strategic Location and Infrastructure Advantages
Miramar’s Managing Director Marion Bush highlighted the project’s strategic position adjacent to the Goldfields Highway and close to existing gold processing plants, which could facilitate multiple pathways to monetise the gold discoveries. “Being located so close to the Goldfields mining hub of Kalgoorlie opens the door to multiple options to monetise the gold we have found to date, especially at the current gold price,” Bush said.
The project’s proximity to Northern Star Resources’ 8 Mile Dam Project, which borders Gidji to the south, adds further regional value. Miramar believes the market has yet to fully recognise Gidji’s potential, particularly given ongoing exploration and development activities nearby.
Drilling Details and Geological Insights
The drilling program underpinning the target update includes aircore holes averaging 56 metres in depth, with vertical holes drilled to blade refusal, and RC and diamond holes reaching depths of up to 240 metres. Sampling protocols involved both composite and 1-metre resplit samples, with quality assurance measures such as standards, blanks, and duplicates incorporated at regular intervals.
The mineralisation identified is primarily supergene gold within a sub-horizontal zone averaging 48 metres vertical depth. The intersections are interpreted as true widths due to the vertical orientation of drilling relative to the mineralisation geometry. No specific gravity measurements have been conducted yet, so a theoretical density of 2.3 g/cm³ was applied based on comparable deposits.
Exploring Beyond the Current Target
Miramar also flagged significant upside potential beyond the current Exploration Target. The company notes limited deeper drilling to date, with an average hole depth under 60 metres, leaving open the possibility of primary bedrock mineralisation sources underlying the supergene gold. Additionally, areas outside the paleochannel remain underexplored, with shallower drilling depths and coincident pathfinder anomalies suggesting further gold mineralisation could be uncovered with targeted deeper drilling.
Next Steps Toward Development
The company is actively progressing the project towards a potential development decision. This includes engaging a resource geologist to review drilling data for one or more JORC-compliant Mineral Resource estimates and advising on infill drilling requirements. Early discussions with potential development partners are underway, and Miramar is preparing a Mineralisation Report to support a Mining Lease application over the main mineralised zones.
Technical Director Allan Kelly, who has a track record of successfully developing gold projects in Western Australia, leads the technical work. The company’s approach balances advancing near-term monetisation options for shallow gold while targeting larger bedrock deposits as a longer-term goal.
Bottom Line?
Miramar’s doubling of the Gidji JV Exploration Target marks a pivotal step, but the leap from conceptual target to JORC resource, and ultimately production, depends on upcoming resource estimates and deeper drilling results.
Questions in the middle?
- Will upcoming resource estimates confirm a JORC-compliant Mineral Resource at Gidji?
- Can deeper bedrock drilling unlock a larger, economically viable gold deposit beneath the supergene zone?
- How will Miramar’s engagement with development partners influence the project’s path to mining lease approval?