Drilling Success: Solstice Minerals Expands Gold Discovery at Edjudina Range
Solstice Minerals (ASX: SLS) has completed a strategic 20-hole aircore drilling program at its emerging Edjudina Range gold discovery in Western Australia, positioning the company to advance three significant gold prospects along the same geological trend.
Edjudina Range Shows Strong Gold Potential in Untested Territory
The latest drilling program, totaling 1,520 meters, targets a gold mineralisation zone extending over 1 kilometer in length. This promising discovery exemplifies the exploration opportunities in previously untested "under-cover" areas within Solstice's extensive Yarri Project landholdings.
Recent one-meter resampling from earlier drilling has confirmed several significant gold intercepts:
- 16m @ 1.13g/t Au in the first-ever Reverse Circulation (RC) hole EDRRC001
- 2m @ 5.16g/t Au in EDRAC030
- 2m @ 3.17g/t Au to end of hole in EDRAC027
- 4m @ 1.81g/t Au in EDRAC051
- 4m @ 1.54g/t Au in EDRAC038
"We're continuing to build our knowledge of this new gold system through the use of fast and low-cost aircore drilling, with the results to help guide our next round of RC drilling following the very successful initial RC test last month," said Solstice Minerals' CEO and Managing Director Nick Castleden.
Three Active Gold Prospects Under Development
Solstice now has three significant gold prospects advancing along the same geological trend:
| Prospect | Location | Recent Results | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edjudina Range | Central location | 16m @ 1.13g/t Au | Newly discovered system with >1km strike length |
| Bluetooth | 24km NW of Edjudina | 20m @ 2.18g/t Au, 20m @ 2.01g/t Au | Advanced prospect ready for RC drilling |
| Statesman Well | 9km SE of Edjudina | 8m @ 7.94g/t Au, 12m @ 1.44g/t Au | Advanced prospect ready for RC drilling |
Understanding Gold Exploration Drilling Techniques
For investors new to gold exploration, the progression from aircore to RC drilling represents an important advancement in a project's development.
Aircore Drilling: A cost-effective early-stage exploration method that quickly tests large areas by drilling through soft material to reach the weathered bedrock. This technique helps identify potential mineralised zones worth further investigation.
Reverse Circulation (RC) Drilling: A more advanced drilling method that uses compressed air to bring rock samples to the surface. RC drilling provides higher-quality samples and can reach greater depths than aircore, making it ideal for follow-up testing of promising discoveries.
The transition from aircore to RC drilling signals increasing confidence in a discovery's potential and represents a significant step toward resource definition.
Geological Setting of the Edjudina Range
The Edjudina Range is situated within Solstice's Yarri Project, which lies in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields, one of the world's most prolific gold provinces. The area is influenced by the regionally significant Mt Celia Fault and Pinjin Fault Systems, which run northwest-southeast through the licence area.
The geology of Edjudina Range consists of:
- Archaean rocks outcropping as sedimentary and banded iron formations (BIF)
- Quartzofeldspathic schists and metamafic intrusions typically striking at approximately 140° and dipping east
- Tightly folded BIF units with fold axes plunging south
- Parallel quartz veins striking alongside the BIF units
Most gold deposits in the region are hosted by granitoids, intermediate volcanics, or sediments, often with a direct or spatial association with granitoids and northwest-southeast to north-south trending shears commonly localised along contact zones. Northeast-southwest trending shears and faults can also control gold mineralisation.
Strong Financial Position to Advance Multiple Projects
Solstice Minerals is well-capitalised to advance its exploration portfolio, with $13.6 million in cash as of March 31, 2025, plus an additional $2.13 million recently received via a strategic placement to Paradice Investment Management.
This strong financial position enables Solstice to simultaneously progress all three gold prospects along the Edjudina trend, as well as other projects in its portfolio, including the Nanadie Copper-Gold Project with an established Inferred Mineral Resource of 40.4Mt @ 0.4% copper and 0.1g/t gold (162kt copper and 130koz gold).
"Solstice now has three 'live' gold prospects under evaluation in the same patch of geology, and the financial capacity to progress all its key prospects toward Mineral Resources. All three prospects offer significant opportunities to define commercial Resource ounces at shallow depths," noted Mr. Castleden.
Upcoming Catalysts and Investment Opportunity
Investors can expect significant news flow in the coming months as Solstice Minerals gold discovery at Edjudina continues to develop through:
- Receiving assay results from the current Edjudina Range aircore program (expected in coming weeks)
- Commencing follow-up RC drilling at Edjudina Range
- Advancing RC drilling at the Bluetooth and Statesman Well prospects
- Progressing work at the Nanadie Copper-Gold Project
With a belt-scale landholding in Western Australia's most prolific gold province, near-surface mineralisation, and excellent infrastructure access, Solstice Minerals offers investors exposure to multiple gold discovery opportunities within a single company.
The company's strategic position in the Eastern Goldfields is enhanced by the excellent infrastructure in the region, with existing mining operations, dedicated haul roads, and ore processing facilities typically within 50-100km. This infrastructure-rich environment means that even modest-scale gold mineralisation has potential to be commercialised, as demonstrated by the company's recent $10 million sale of its Hobbes tenement in 2024.
As exploration continues, Solstice's methodical approach of using cost-effective aircore drilling to identify targets before following up with more advanced RC drilling provides a disciplined pathway to potential resource definition at all three of its active gold prospects.
Want to Invest in Solstice's Growing Gold Discoveries?
For investors seeking exposure to multiple promising gold opportunities in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields, Solstice Minerals (ASX: SLS) presents a compelling investment case. With three active gold prospects along the Edjudina trend, a strong cash position of $13.6 million, and significant upcoming catalysts, now is the time to investigate this emerging gold story. Visit Solstice Minerals' website to learn more about their expanding gold discoveries and consider adding this well-capitalised explorer to your investment watchlist.
