Lachlan Star has kicked off an expanded 4,000m reverse circulation drilling program at its New Waverley gold project near Norseman, aiming to delineate and extend multiple high-grade quartz reef shoots within a 400m mineralised shear corridor.
- Expanded 4,000m RC drilling program underway
- Focus on high-grade quartz reef shoots in mineralised shear corridor
- Previous drilling confirmed shallow, high-grade gold mineralisation
- Drilling expected to finish in 3-4 weeks with assays pending
- Project shares characteristics with major Norseman gold deposits
Expanded Drilling Targets High-Grade Gold Continuity
Lachlan Star Limited (ASX:LSA) has launched a significant follow-up reverse circulation (RC) drilling campaign at its New Waverley Gold Project, located about 16km northeast of Norseman in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields. The program has been expanded to approximately 4,000 metres, a substantial increase from earlier plans, reflecting growing confidence in the project's geological model and the potential for multiple high-grade gold shoots within a roughly 400-metre mineralised shear corridor.
The expanded drilling aims to in-fill and extend previously reported high-grade intercepts, which include standout results such as 6.15m at 8.6g/t Au (including 2.9m at 17.7g/t Au) and 4.6m at 4.24g/t Au (including 0.9m at 21.5g/t Au). These intercepts underpin the prospectivity of the system and suggest the presence of stacked quartz reef shoots that remain open in all directions.
Geological Model Supports Down-Plunge Extensions
Chief Executive Officer Andrew Tyrrell highlighted that the maiden diamond drilling program was instrumental in refining the structural controls on mineralisation. This improved understanding has encouraged the company to test down-plunge extensions of the known high-grade shoots, which in similar Norseman-style systems can extend for hundreds of metres. The program also targets additional priority zones that may represent new shoots within the shear corridor, potentially broadening the project's resource base.
New Waverley exhibits geological and structural features akin to major deposits in the Norseman Goldfield, such as the North Royal mine and Harlequin mine, which have produced 1.8 million and 800,000 ounces of gold respectively. The shallow nature of historical mining at Waverley and Trial Pit, limited to around 30 metres depth, suggests significant upside potential remains at depth.
Drilling Timeline and Regional Significance
The RC drilling is expected to conclude within three to four weeks, with assay results to be announced thereafter. The New Waverley project lies within a highly prospective 40 square kilometre tenement package underlain by the Woolyeenyer Formation, a key stratigraphic unit known for hosting significant gold mineralisation across the Norseman district, which has produced over six million ounces historically.
Lachlan Star's ongoing exploration efforts at New Waverley build on a series of drilling campaigns confirming shallow, high-grade gold mineralisation, prompting the current expanded program to test the continuity and extent of mineralisation along the shear corridor expanded 4,000m drilling program. The company’s approach reflects a methodical progression from maiden diamond drilling through to targeted RC follow-up, aiming to unlock the broader scale potential of the project.
Bottom Line?
Assay results from this expanded drilling will be pivotal in defining New Waverley's resource potential and guiding next-stage exploration.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the new drilling confirm continuity of high-grade shoots down-plunge beyond current intercepts?
- Could additional priority targets within the shear corridor reveal new zones of mineralisation?
- How might assay results influence Lachlan Star’s development timeline and resource updates?