GoldArc Uncovers Two Extensive Gold Trends at Yttria in Maiden Aircore Program
GoldArc Resources has discovered two major gold mineralisation corridors exceeding 600 metres at its Yttria prospect, expanding beyond its existing rare earth element resource and setting the stage for follow-up drilling.
- Two gold trends over 600m identified outside existing resource
- Aircore drilling covers 11,000m over a 1.4km by 1.2km area
- Gold mineralisation linked to arsenic and tungsten pathfinder elements
- Follow-up RC drilling planned after Mt Stirling program
- Yttria’s gold potential distinct from its rare earth focus
New Gold Front Opens at Yttria
GoldArc Resources (ASX:GA8) has unveiled a fresh gold discovery at its Yttria prospect within the Leonora North project, revealing two mineralised corridors each stretching over 600 metres. This maiden 11,000-metre aircore drilling campaign has identified gold mineralisation well beyond Yttria’s established rare earth element (REE) resource, signalling a new growth avenue for the company in a largely untested area.
Previously pegged as a REE asset, Yttria had not been systematically evaluated for gold until now. The aircore program, designed as a reconnaissance effort with wide drill spacing, has traced gold mineralisation continuously across a 1.4 by 1.2 kilometre footprint, with both trends remaining open to the south. This discovery adds a new dimension to GoldArc’s district-scale landholding in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia.
Geochemical Signatures Link to Nearby Mt Stirling
The gold mineralisation at Yttria is accompanied by arsenic and tungsten anomalies; pathfinder elements that mirror those found at GoldArc’s nearby 137,000-ounce Mt Stirling deposit. This geochemical kinship suggests a genetically related mineral system, bolstering confidence that Yttria’s gold potential is significant and warrants further investigation.
GoldArc’s Managing Director, Paul Stephen, emphasised the shift in perspective: “Yttria has been sitting in our portfolio as a REE asset, but the geochemistry was telling a very different, gold story. We are encouraged by the scale of what we are seeing across the drilled area, and we will now test it with closer-spaced RC drilling.”
Drilling Details and Assay Highlights
The aircore program comprised 363 holes totalling 11,010 metres, drilled along 14 lines spaced between 80 and 200 metres apart. Holes were angled at 60 degrees and drilled to refusal, averaging 27.6 metres depth. Samples were assayed for gold using industry-standard aqua regia methods, with bottom samples analysed for a suite of 60 elements.
Notable gold intercepts from the program include 11 metres at 0.33 g/t Au from 32 metres (YAC172), 4 metres at 0.95 g/t Au from 16 metres (YAC341), and 4 metres at 0.61 g/t Au from 20 metres (YAC174). Although these grades are modest, they represent a significant breakthrough given the historical focus on rare earths rather than gold at Yttria.
Next Steps in Exploration Pipeline
GoldArc plans to follow up this discovery with reverse circulation (RC) drilling to test the gold corridors more intensively, targeting higher-grade zones at depth and along strike. This program will commence after the company’s ~5,500-metre RC drilling campaign at Mt Stirling, scheduled for early August 2026. The Mt Stirling program itself is advancing towards mine planning, with recent drilling results underpinning updated mining models and regulatory approvals underway.
The Yttria results open a new exploration front that could complement GoldArc’s existing 200,000-ounce JORC gold resource base across Leonora North and South. The company’s strategic pivot to unlock gold potential at a former REE asset highlights the evolving nature of exploration in the Eastern Goldfields and the value of reinterpreting existing data with fresh eyes.
Bottom Line?
GoldArc’s Yttria gold discovery extends its footprint beyond rare earths, with upcoming RC drilling set to clarify the size and grade of these new mineralised trends.
Questions in the middle?
- Will follow-up RC drilling at Yttria confirm economically viable gold grades?
- How might Yttria’s gold discovery influence GoldArc’s resource growth strategy in Leonora North?
- Could the arsenic and tungsten pathfinder signature help refine exploration targeting across the district?
