Dundas Minerals Secures Heritage Clearance to Start Drilling at Capricorn Gold Project
Dundas Minerals has cleared a major regulatory hurdle with native title approval at its Capricorn Gold Project, enabling imminent drilling across its Kalgoorlie district portfolio.
- Heritage survey clears Capricorn Prospect with no Aboriginal sites found
- Government drilling approvals and native title clearance now in place
- Drilling to target extensions at Capricorn, Rockland, and Baden-Powell
- Tender underway for drilling contractor to commence exploration
- Capricorn hosts a defined JORC gold Mineral Resource on granted mining lease
Heritage Clearance Unlocks Drilling at Capricorn
Dundas Minerals Limited (ASX:DUN) has received Aboriginal heritage clearance for its Capricorn Gold Project north of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, clearing a significant obstacle for its exploration ambitions. The heritage survey, conducted jointly with the Kapurn Kalamaia Karlaku Traditional Owners of the Marlinyu Ghoorlie native title claim, found no Aboriginal heritage sites or restrictions in the Capricorn Prospect area. This outcome allows Dundas to proceed with its planned drilling program, following the recent grant of government drilling approvals.
Strategic Drilling Across Three Key Projects
With the Capricorn heritage clearance secured, Dundas is poised to initiate drilling across its trio of advanced gold projects in the Kalgoorlie district: Capricorn, Rockland, and Baden-Powell. Capricorn, situated on Mining Lease ML 24/1004 granted earlier this year, hosts a JORC-compliant gold Mineral Resource and lies along a mineralised corridor that extends south to the Rockland discovery. The upcoming program aims to test extensions and continuity of known mineralisation, including infill drilling to better define the Capricorn deposit.
Rockland and Baden-Powell projects will also see follow-up and extension drilling targeting high-grade zones and mineralisation continuity, complementing the Capricorn efforts. This coordinated approach reflects Dundas’s strategy to leverage geological trends across its portfolio and maximise resource growth potential.
Drilling Contractor Selection Underway
The company is currently running a tender process to appoint a drilling contractor, with drilling expected to commence once the contract is awarded. Dundas has committed to implementing heritage management measures during drilling, including cultural monitors, limiting ground disturbance, and rehabilitating sites post-drilling. These steps aim to respect traditional owner interests while advancing exploration objectives.
Capricorn’s Role in Dundas’s Kalgoorlie Portfolio
Capricorn’s mining lease, held under an earn-in agreement with Maritana Minerals Ltd’s subsidiary Black Mountain Gold, represents a cornerstone asset within Dundas’s Kalgoorlie district holdings. The project’s location on a mineralised corridor alongside Rockland and Aquarius prospects offers a compelling target for resource expansion. Dundas’s Managing Director Jonathan Downes highlighted the positive heritage survey outcome as a key enabler for the company’s exploration plans.
While the final heritage report is pending, the preliminary clearance marks a crucial step toward unlocking the district’s gold potential. The market will be watching closely for updates once drilling begins and assay results start to flow, potentially reshaping the outlook for Dundas’s resource base and valuation.
Bottom Line?
Dundas’s heritage clearance at Capricorn clears a vital path to drilling, setting the stage for potential resource growth across its Kalgoorlie projects.
Questions in the middle?
- When will Dundas announce the drilling schedule following contractor appointment?
- How might initial drilling results at Capricorn influence resource estimates and market sentiment?
- What impact could coordinated drilling across Capricorn, Rockland, and Baden-Powell have on Dundas’s exploration strategy?
