Waratah Minerals Confirms Strong Shallow Gold Continuity at Spur Zone

Shallow High-Grade Gold Intercepts Confirm Continuity

Waratah Minerals (ASX:WTM) has delivered a fresh tranche of drilling results from the Spur Gold Zone in New South Wales, revealing multiple shallow, high-grade gold intersections that underscore the continuity and scale of mineralisation. All significant intercepts start within 60 metres of surface, with most falling between 60 and 100 metres, highlighting the potential for a shallow, economically attractive resource.

Notably, drill hole SPD067 connected high-grade mineralisation vertically over 350 metres on the northern Spur section, returning intervals such as 18m at 1.12 g/t Au from 61m and a standout 1m at 32.35 g/t Au from 160m. Similarly, SPD071 linked the main Spur zone with Spur East, delivering 38.3m at 1.09 g/t Au from 59.4m and multiple higher-grade sub-intervals.

Expanding the Mineralised Footprint with Step-Out Drilling

Step-out drilling continues to push the boundaries of the mineralised envelope. SPD078, drilled 125m northwest of previous holes, opened a new shallow zone with 52m at 0.84 g/t Au from 84m, including 41.6m at 1.03 g/t Au. This intercept introduces a new style of mineralisation hosted in granodiorite, distinct from earlier Spur results.

Further eastward extension was demonstrated by SPD072, which intersected 69m at 0.47 g/t Au from 230m, while SPD065 extended mineralisation 50m northwest towards the Cargo Intrusive Complex. The combined footprint of the Spur Zone now spans approximately 550m by 800m and remains open both along strike and at depth, supporting the notion of a large, predictable gold system.

Advancing Towards a Shallow Mineral Resource

Waratah’s Managing Director Peter Duerden emphasised the significance of these results, noting that the program is delivering exactly what was expected: consistent, repeatable, high-grade gold close to surface. He highlighted that the positions and thicknesses of these intersections materially improve the project’s potential economics by de-risking the shallow domain of the system.

With continuity confirmed over 300 metres strike and 350 metres down-dip, the company is poised to accelerate infill drilling aimed at converting these exploration successes into a mineral resource estimate. Concurrent metallurgical work is also advancing, with early results indicating gold recoveries exceeding 90% using gravity and conventional leaching methods.

Duerden also outlined plans to expand step-out drilling eastwards toward the Essex Fault, where Spur mineralisation appears to merge with the Consols Gold Zone, and westwards to extend shallow mineralisation northwest of Spur, further expanding the project’s footprint.

Technical Rigor and Exploration Context

The drilling program is part of an 80,000-metre growth and extensional campaign at the Spur Project, which includes multiple prospects such as Spur East, Consols, and the Cargo Intrusive Complex. The company employs state-of-the-art photon assay techniques for gold analysis, enhancing accuracy especially in the presence of coarse gold. Sampling and QAQC protocols adhere to industry best practice, with orientated diamond core and comprehensive geological logging supporting robust data quality.

These latest results build on Waratah’s ongoing efforts to define a district-scale gold system in the East Lachlan region, a premier Australian gold-copper porphyry district. The company’s strategic acquisitions, including recent tenure additions such as the Ironclad Mining Lease, complement its flagship Spur Project and position Waratah well for future resource announcements.