Geophysics lifts KalGold discovery hopes in WA’s Eastern Goldfields

Kalgoorlie Gold Mining has used a cutting-edge geophysical survey to guide further drilling campaigns at its Pinjin gold project, 140 kilometres northeast of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia’s prospective Laverton Tectonic Zone.

The company ran a sub-audio magnetics (SAM) geophysical survey across 9.5 square kilometres, which revealed critical sub-surface features that will guide a major reverse circulation drilling program in mid-September. 

The survey is part of KalGold’s systematic approach to uncovering gold beneath the region’s challenging surface cover. The recently discovered Lighthorse corridor is already emerging as a promising target. 

The high-resolution surveys, used by major gold miners in WA’s Eastern Goldfields, mapped structural trends and conductivity zones linked to gold mineralisation across KalGold’s Lighthorse, Kirgella Gift, Providence and T12 and T15 targets. 

Kalgoorlie Gold Mining managing director Matt Painter said: “Kalgoorlie Gold’s recent SAM geophysical survey results over the Lighthorse, T12 and T15 prospects and Kirgella Gift and Providence gold deposits highlight extensive elevated conductivity zones that correlate with known gold distributions.” 

The 50-hole campaign will test 1.6km of strike at Lighthorse, probing gold anomalism identified in recent air core drilling, as well as run first-pass drilling at Wessex, a 2km-long zone of shallow gold intercepts near Hawthorn Resources’ Anglo Saxon mine, and at Providence South, where arsenic-rich zones signal potential mineralisation. 

KalGold is also preparing a diamond drilling program for Kirgella Gift and Providence, supported by a $130,000 grant from the state government’s Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS). 

The program, totalling four holes for 1070m, will probe a high-grade structural intersection at depth between the two deposits, which together host a combined inferred resource of 2.34 million tonnes at 1 gram per tonne for 76,400 ounces. 

Subject to rig availability, the proposed diamond drilling program will provide KalGold with critical structural insights to refine the company’s exploration model. 

The Pinjin project’s strategic location near Ramelius Resources’ Rebecca gold project underscores its potential in the extensive north-south trending Laverton Tectonic Zone, which is famous for its world-class gold deposits. 

SAM surveys can detect buried shear zones and alteration halos, which have revitalised exploration at T12 and T15 by offering fresh data and insights to guide KalGold’s efforts. The two targets are untested since work by Newmont Corporation 15 years ago.

Ongoing geophysical modelling will further sharpen drill targets in three dimensions, ensuring precision in the upcoming campaigns. KalGold’s innovative approach, which blends advanced geophysics with systematic drilling, neatly positions the company to unlock Pinjin’s untapped potential. 

While the Lighthorse corridor shows early promise, KalGold’s broader Pinjin project, including Wessex and Providence South, requires further work to confirm its potential scale. 

The company’s commitment to leveraging state-of-the-art technology and government support reflects a forward-thinking strategy to build on its existing resource base. 

As Lighthorse and other prospects take shape, the company looks well-placed to unearth significant gold resources, which could only further contribute to the storied legacy of the giant Laverton Tectonic Zone. 

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au