The expanded mineralisation boosts Waratah’s resource potential and could attract further investment, while confirming the Macquarie Arc as a premier gold province.
Waratah Minerals (ASX:WTM) continues to focus on the Spur project, a cornerstone of the Macquarie Arc in New South Wales, an area already known for high‑grade gold deposits such as the nearby Cadia and Boddington basins. The latest drilling campaign has delivered a series of thick, near‑surface intersections that extend the known strike length of both the Spur and Consols zones. By confirming a broader envelope of mineralisation, the company is positioning the project alongside other world‑class systems that have transitioned from exploration to development in the past decade.
The most striking assay comes from hole SPD019 in the Consols zone, where a 74‑metre interval returned 1.6 g/t Au, including a 27‑metre sub‑zone at 2.35 g/t and a narrow 1.65‑metre section grading an extraordinary 45.27 g/t. Similar high‑grade shoots were logged at Spur, notably an 11‑metre stretch at 3.02 g/t and an 8.26‑metre interval at 3.42 g/t. With five rigs now drilling step‑out holes at Consols and two at Spur, Waratah is rapidly expanding the resource base, a move likely to lift its market valuation and improve the economics of a potential underground mine.
These results reinforce the Macquarie Arc’s reputation as a prolific gold corridor and underscore the growing appetite for Australian exploration assets amid a bullish gold price environment. Investors are watching for a formal resource update, which could trigger a re‑rating of Waratah’s project from exploration to development stage. Moreover, the discovery of ultra‑high‑grade pockets, such as the 45 g/t hit, may attract joint‑venture partners seeking to de‑risk the project. In the near term, continued drilling and metallurgical testing will be critical to define a mine‑ready reserve and secure financing.
Comments
Want to join the conversation?
Loading comments...