GoldArc Resources has recorded its best grade control drilling results yet at the Mt Stirling Well deposit, reinforcing its resource model and advancing mine planning towards regulatory approval for mining commencement.
- Mt Stirling Well delivers highest-grade intercepts to date
- Grade control drilling program 70% complete with 23,654m drilled
- Mine planning intensifies ahead of Mining Development and Closure Proposal approval
- Program fully funded by BML Ventures under 50/50 profit share
- GoldArc retains 100% ownership of Mt Stirling and Mt Stirling Well
Mt Stirling Well Delivers Record Gold Grades
GoldArc Resources (ASX:GA8) has unveiled its strongest batch of grade control drilling results yet from the Mt Stirling Well deposit, located within its Leonora North hub. The latest assays reveal multiple high-grade gold intercepts, including standout hits such as 4 metres at 9.24 g/t Au from 16 metres, featuring a 1-metre interval at 27.5 g/t Au. Other notable intercepts include 2 metres at 15.5 g/t Au and 2 metres at 9.75 g/t Au, confirming the presence of high-grade shoots consistent with the deposit’s 2.3 g/t resource grade.
These results reinforce the geological model underpinning Mt Stirling Well’s JORC Inferred Mineral Resource of 198,000 tonnes at 2.3 g/t Au (15,000 ounces). Gold mineralisation here occurs within narrow, flat-dipping quartz veins hosted in granitoid rock, a structural setting distinct from the Hydra Fault-controlled schistose-mylonitic mineralisation at the nearby Mt Stirling deposit.
Advancing Grade Control and Mine Planning
The combined grade control drilling program across Mt Stirling and Mt Stirling Well is now approximately 70% complete, with over 23,654 metres drilled out of a planned 34,000 metres. The program is fully funded by BML Ventures Pty Ltd under a 50/50 net profit share agreement, while GoldArc retains 100% ownership of both deposits.
At Mt Stirling, the eighth batch of results covers the deposit’s eastern edge and western upper zones, where mineralisation is characteristically narrower. This latest data returned elevated-grade narrow intercepts such as 2 metres at 8.11 g/t Au and 2 metres at 5.94 g/t Au, which are critical for defining mine boundaries and discriminating ore from waste in these peripheral areas.
With the first phase of grade control drilling largely complete at Mt Stirling, GoldArc and BML Ventures are now focusing on updating mining models and advancing mine planning. This work is in preparation for the anticipated approval of the Mining Development and Closure Proposal (MDCP), a key regulatory milestone required before mining operations can commence.
Strategic Implications and Next Steps
GoldArc’s Managing Director, Paul Stephen, highlighted the significance of the recent Mt Stirling Well results, stating that intercepts like 4 metres at 9.24 g/t Au and 2 metres at 15.5 g/t Au provide confidence that grade control coverage is tracking well. The results are expected to contribute meaningfully to broader development planning within the Leonora North hub.
Subject to MDCP approval, mining is expected to commence at Mt Stirling, marking a pivotal step in unlocking value from GoldArc’s substantial resource base in the Eastern Goldfields. The company plans to release further assay results progressively as batches are received and validated, maintaining momentum in this critical development phase.
The grade control program employs a tightly spaced drill grid to systematically cover the deposits, enabling precise ore boundary definition and optimisation of extraction scenarios. This approach aims to reduce dilution risk and improve production scheduling accuracy for potential open-pit mining operations.
Bottom Line?
GoldArc’s strongest intercepts at Mt Stirling Well bolster confidence as mine planning advances toward critical regulatory approval.
Questions in the middle?
- How swiftly will the MDCP approval process progress, and what factors could influence its timeline?
- To what extent will the high-grade shoots at Mt Stirling Well impact overall project economics once mining begins?
- What are the next key technical or regulatory milestones following the current grade control drilling phase?