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Highlights
- Catalina has reported wide zones of gold mineralisation from its maiden RC drill program at the 100%-owned Laverton Project in WA.
- Earlier aircore drilling in the area also identified high-grade rare earth element (REE) mineralisation.
- The company has commenced preparations for immediate follow-up drilling, launching a second-phase RC and diamond drill program.
Australian diversified mineral exploration and mine development company Catalina Resources Ltd (ASX:CTN) has reported wide zones of gold mineralisation from its maiden reverse circulation (RC) drill program at the 100%-owned Laverton Project in Western Australia. The project sits within the Laverton Tectonic Zone, a proven gold province hosting more than 25Moz of historical production.
The maiden drill program targeted the Barnicoat Shear Zone, a regionally significant structure interpreted from geophysics that extends through the Company’s E38/3697 tenement.
Gold Extensions at Laverton
LVRC02 was drilled beneath last year’s aircore hole LVAC049, which intersected 28m @ 1.09 g/t Au from 57m, including 1m @ 9.69 g/t Au.
- The new RC drilling has now confirmed that gold mineralisation extends below this shallow intercept into fresh rock, returning 21m @ 1.04 g/t Au from 127m, including 5m @ 2.3 g/t Au.
- Mineralisation is hosted in bleached quartz–feldspar volcanic rocks containing networks of fine sericite–pyrite–chlorite ± quartz veining.
- The best grades occur within a steeply east-dipping, tabular envelope of more intense veining and brecciation.
- Quartz–albite–hematite veining is also common in this zone.
- This hydrothermal mineralisation remains open in all directions and is interpreted to represent the upper levels of an intrusion-hosted gold system – the style that underpins several major Laverton deposits.
REE Potential: Earlier aircore drilling in the area also identified high-grade rare earth element (REE) mineralisation, with standout results such as 4m @ 13,406ppm TREO in hole LVAC037. To further investigate this potential, RC holes LVRC04 and LVRC05 were drilled targeting the same zone.
Assay results from these holes are currently pending and, if positive, could significantly enhance the project's overall prospectivity by introducing a valuable REE component alongside its gold potential.
Reflecting on the development, Catalina’s Executive Director, Ross Cotton, commented, “This is an exciting early result. To intersect this grade and width in such a strongly altered intrusive rock is a textbook indicator of a larger mineralised system. With regional infrastructure, access to mills, and a highly prospective geological setting, we’re fast-tracking follow-up drilling.”
Next Steps: Advancing Exploration at Laverton
Catalina has commenced preparations for immediate follow-up drilling, launching a second-phase RC and diamond drill program aimed at testing strike extensions of the LVRC02 intercept and evaluating the depth potential of the mineralisation.
In parallel, petrology and multi-element geochemistry studies are underway to further characterise the mineral system. All geological, geochemical, and structural data will be integrated into a 3D geological model, which will play a key role in guiding future resource targeting efforts.
CTN shares traded at AUD 0.0040 at the time of writing on 31 July 2025.
