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Key Points:
- KalGold has begun aircore drilling at two new target areas within its Pinjin Gold Project, focusing on untapped gold potential in the southern Laverton Tectonic Zone (LTZ).
- The company’s first systematic exploration of the area aims to uncover gold deposits comparable to the major mines located in the northern LTZ.
- KalGold follows a multi-phase exploration approach, from first-pass aircore drilling to resource definition and JORC Code-compliant Mineral Resource calculations.
Kalgoorlie Gold Mining (ASX:KAL), commonly known as KalGold, has commenced an aircore drilling program on two new exploration target areas within its Pinjin Gold Project. This drilling initiative, which began on 9 October 2024, is part of the company's broader strategy to explore untapped gold resources in the southern portion of the Laverton Tectonic Zone (LTZ). The current focus is on the Kirgella West and Kirgella East target areas, which are situated near the previously identified deposits of Kirgella Gift and Providence, where KalGold has already defined a JORC-compliant Inferred Mineral Resource.
KalGold's recent exploration success includes defining a JORC (2012) Inferred Mineral Resource of 2.34 million tonnes at 1.0 g/t gold, amounting to 76,400 ounces of gold, at the Kirgella Gift and Providence deposits. This ongoing aircore drill program will mark the first time these two new target areas have been drill-tested, and the company hopes to make significant gold discoveries through this effort. The program will run for two weeks and aims to drill up to 4,500 meters, with drilling spread across key target areas prioritized by geological potential.
KalGold’s Push into the Southern Laverton Tectonic Zone (LTZ)
KalGold’s current exploration program represents its first systematic effort to assess the gold potential of the broader Pinjin Gold Project area. Historically, the company’s activities have been focused on areas such as Kirgella Gift, Providence, and the Wessex prospect, located near the Anglo Saxon gold mine. However, KalGold believes that the southern part of the LTZ, an underexplored region, holds significant potential for large gold deposits, comparable to the northern end of the LTZ, which hosts major gold mines like Sunrise Dam, Granny Smith, Wallaby, and the Laverton Goldfield.
The southern LTZ has remained underexplored due to poor surface exposure and a lack of extensive historical exploration efforts. Recent discoveries in the adjacent Celia Tectonic Zone, such as Rebecca and Breaker/Lake Roe, have demonstrated the area's gold-bearing potential. KalGold aims to uncover similar deposits on its Pinjin Gold Project by focusing on geological, geophysical, and geochemical features indicative of gold mineralization.
A Strategic, Data-Driven Exploration Approach
Given the significant transported cover over much of the LTZ, KalGold believes that drilling is the most effective method to explore the area’s gold potential. The company acknowledges that early-stage drilling often results in misses, but remains confident in the long-term potential for major discoveries. KalGold has applied a scientifically rigorous approach to its exploration, prioritizing key target areas that display strong geological characteristics for gold mineralization.
The company is also actively working to secure heritage clearance for unexplored areas, particularly focusing on tenement E28/3134. These eastern zones, believed to contain high-grade metamorphic rocks from the Rebecca sequence, are considered important for on-ground exploration. Heritage clearance is crucial for the company’s investigation of shallow targets in known palaeochannels, which can be over 100 meters deep. If shallow exploration yields promising results, KalGold plans to pursue deeper targets in subsequent drilling campaigns.
Advancing Exploration at Pinjin: A Phased Approach
KalGold's exploration process at Pinjin follows a structured, multi-phase approach that begins with aircore drilling and progresses to resource definition. The steps include:
- First-Pass Aircore Drilling – This phase involves initial detection and discovery of gold mineralization.
- Follow-up Drilling – If promising results are found, the company will conduct extensional and infill aircore drilling to define near-surface gold mineralization.
- Reverse Circulation (RC) Drilling – This stage will confirm discoveries at depth and track primary gold mineralization.
- Resource Definition – RC drilling, supplemented by diamond drilling, will map the full distribution and extent of gold mineralization.
- JORC Resource Calculation – Finally, KalGold will develop geological models and calculate a JORC Code-compliant Mineral Resource, similar to its current stage at Kirgella Gift and Providence.
As this exploration unfolds, KalGold will continue to adjust its strategy based on results and logistics. The company is optimistic that its systematic and scientific approach will lead to further discoveries and help unlock the gold potential of the southern LTZ.
