Metal Hawk has secured two contested exploration licences at its Mt Percy Gold Project, boosting its presence along the Keith-Kilkenny Shear Zone and expanding its northeast Goldfields portfolio.
- Two contested exploration licences won at Mt Percy
- Project footprint now exceeds 289 km² along Keith-Kilkenny Shear Zone
- Tenure expansion consolidates position near major gold deposits
- Mt Percy complements advanced Leinster South Project
- RC drilling at Leinster South to restart imminently
Contested Ballot Wins Boost Mt Percy Tenure
Metal Hawk Limited (ASX:MHK) has strengthened its foothold in Western Australia’s northeast Goldfields by securing two additional exploration licences at the Mt Percy Gold Project through contested ballots. The licences, E31/1457 and E39/2587, add substantial ground to a portfolio now covering over 289 km² along the Keith-Kilkenny Shear Zone (KKSZ), a major regional structural corridor known for hosting significant gold deposits.
This expansion consolidates Metal Hawk’s position in a highly prospective area, with the KKSZ hosting notable deposits such as Northern Star Resources’ Porphyry mine and Saturn Metals’ 2.8 million-ounce Apollo Hill project, both within 30 kilometres of Mt Percy. The ballot contests underscore the recognised value of the ground, reflecting strong interest from industry peers.
Strategic Significance of the Keith-Kilkenny Shear Zone
The KKSZ is a crustal-scale shear zone that controls a variety of gold mineralisation styles, including shear-hosted deposits in mafic rocks and high-grade gold associated with intrusive contacts. Metal Hawk’s Managing Director Will Belbin described the ballot success as a "major win" that cements the company’s presence along this prolific gold corridor and enhances its pipeline of exploration targets.
With the Mt Percy Project now comprising four tenement applications, Metal Hawk gains the scale necessary for systematic, camp-scale exploration, a critical factor in unlocking the region’s mineral potential. The project’s location approximately 60 kilometres southeast of Leonora places it in a strategic position to benefit from regional infrastructure and geological continuity.
Complementing Leinster South and Upcoming Drilling
The expanded Mt Percy tenure adds a new pillar to Metal Hawk’s northeast Goldfields portfolio, complementing the company’s more advanced Leinster South Project located about 150 kilometres to the northwest in the Agnew-Lawlers region. This diversification broadens the company’s exposure across different structural corridors and gold systems.
Meanwhile, Metal Hawk is preparing to recommence reverse circulation (RC) drilling at Leinster South imminently, following a series of encouraging assay results from previous campaigns that confirmed thick, shallow high-grade gold zones. This drilling is expected to further refine targets and potentially add to the company’s resource base in the region.
Metal Hawk is also conducting comprehensive reviews of historic geochemical and geophysical data over the Mt Percy tenements to prioritise drill targets and guide exploration strategy.
Bottom Line?
Metal Hawk’s tenure expansion along the Keith-Kilkenny Shear Zone enhances its exploration scale and potential, but upcoming drilling results will be critical to validating this strategic position.
Questions in the middle?
- What initial exploration results will emerge from the expanded Mt Percy licences?
- How will the upcoming Leinster South drilling campaign influence Metal Hawk’s near-term valuation?
- Could the consolidation along the KKSZ lead to a significant resource discovery or joint venture interest?