Solstice Minerals Expands Yarri Gold Footprint with High-Grade Historical Drill Targets
Solstice Minerals (ASX: SLS) has strategically expanded its Yarri Gold Project by securing exploration licenses over three advanced gold prospects with impressive historical drill results. This expansion reinforces the company's position in a premier Western Australian gold region and adds promising targets to its exploration pipeline.
Significant Historical Gold Hits Secured Through Strategic Applications
Solstice has significantly strengthened its exploration portfolio by applying for exploration licenses covering three advanced gold prospects, each with compelling historical drill intercepts:
- Webb Find: Historical shallow RC drilling returned impressive results including 12m @ 3.80g/t Au, 8m @ 2.74g/t Au, and 6m @ 3.85g/t Au
- Wallbrook West: Previous drilling identified a significant intercept of 23m @ 2.80g/t Au, which remains open down-dip
- Stewart Well: Encountered wide anomalous gold zones with results up to 13m @ 1.06g/t Au within a broader 53m @ 0.50g/t Au envelope
These strategic acquisitions complement Solstice's existing advanced targets, which include Bluetooth (recent RC results up to 32m @ 1.68g/t Au), Edjudina Range (RC results up to 8m @ 3.40g/t Au), and Statesman Well (recent RC results up to 8m @ 7.94g/t Au).
"This has been another great effort by the team to secure several really interesting new gold prospects through opportunistic pegging. We have a bit of compilation work ahead of us, but we're certain that these targets add value and further demonstrate the opportunities emerging in our wider tenement holding." – Nick Castleden, CEO and Managing Director, Solstice Minerals
Detailed Look at the New Acquisition Targets
Webb Find: Multiple High-Grade Zones
Located 20km northwest of Northern Star's Porphyry mining hub, Webb Find features partially excavated quartz veining in sedimentary rocks. Historical drilling identified what appears to be a west-dipping zone of gold mineralisation that remains open at depth.
Solstice has secured priority in the application process, having been drawn first in the ballot by the Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration. Data compilation and interpretation is already underway to advance this prospect.
Wallbrook West: Significant Open Intercept
Positioned just 3km south of Northern Star's Wallbrook open pit operations, Wallbrook West delivered an impressive 23m @ 2.80g/t Au from 17m in historical drilling. The mineralisation is interpreted to be hosted by a west-dipping felsic intrusive body and remains untested down-dip.
The prospect sits on a structural corridor that trends through established mining centres, providing excellent geological context for potential discovery extensions.
Stewart Well: Extensive Anomalous Gold System
Stewart Well presents an extensive anomalous gold system with a strike length of at least 700 metres. Historical drilling identified wide zones of gold mineralisation, including 13m @ 1.06g/t Au within a 53m @ 0.50g/t Au envelope. The anomalous zones were tested at wide 320m spacing, suggesting significant opportunity for infill drilling to better define the mineralisation.
Understanding Structural Controls in Archean Gold Deposits
The Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia host numerous world-class gold deposits primarily controlled by structural features. In this region, gold mineralisation typically occurs along major shear zones or at the intersection of different structural trends.
The new acquisitions at Yarri showcase classic Archean gold characteristics:
- Structural controls: Mineralisation often occurs along NNW-SSE trending shear zones
- Lithological contacts: Gold frequently concentrates at contacts between different rock types
- Intrusive associations: Many deposits display direct spatial association with granitoids or porphyries
Understanding these structural controls is critical for effective exploration targeting, particularly in areas with historical drilling that may have tested only part of the mineralised system.
The Yarri Gold Project area sits within the Eastern Goldfields of the Yilgarn Craton, where country rocks comprise the Murrin Domain and Laverton Domain greenstone suites. These consist of metasediments (including BIF and chert), felsic volcaniclastics, volcanics, basalt, dolerite, and minor ultramafic units. Several regionally significant faults cut through the area, including the Claypan Fault, Yilgangi Fault, Mt Celia Fault, and Pinjin Fault, which are generally oriented NNW-SSE.
Most gold deposits in the region are hosted by granitoids, intermediate volcanics, or sediments, with many displaying direct spatial association with granitoids and NNW-SSE to N-S trending shears commonly localised along contact zones. NE-SW trending shears/faults can also exert control on gold mineralisation.
Advancing the Yarri Project: Upcoming Activities and Timeline
Solstice is maintaining an active exploration program at Yarri while working to advance the new application areas through the approvals process. Current activities include:
- Ongoing aircore drilling at Edjudina Range
- Expected results from 1m resampling of recent RC drilling at Edjudina Range
- Anticipated results from the RC drill-out at the Bluetooth prospect
These results will inform follow-up RC drilling programs in the coming months, while compilation work continues on the newly acquired targets.
| Prospect | Historical Best Result | Current Status | Next Steps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webb Find | 12m @ 3.80g/t Au | Application (priority secured) | Data compilation and interpretation |
| Wallbrook West | 23m @ 2.80g/t Au | Application | Data compilation and interpretation |
| Stewart Well | 13m @ 1.06g/t Au (within 53m @ 0.50g/t Au) | Application | Data compilation and interpretation |
| Bluetooth | 32m @ 1.68g/t Au | Results pending from 1m resampling | Follow-up RC drilling |
| Edjudina Range | 8m @ 3.40g/t Au | Ongoing aircore drilling | Results assessment and follow-up drilling |
| Statesman Well | 8m @ 7.94g/t Au | Advanced target | Follow-up drilling planning |
The Investment Case for Solstice Minerals
Solstice's Yarri Gold Project represents a strategic land position in a premier gold region with established infrastructure. The company has carefully assembled over 1,600km² of tenure with multiple advanced drill targets showing significant gold intercepts.
The investment case for Solstice is built on several compelling elements:
- Multiple advanced targets: With six significant drill-confirmed gold targets, the company has diversified discovery potential
- Infrastructure advantage: Located close to existing mining operations with dedicated haul roads and processing facilities typically within 50-100km
- Proven commercialisation path: Even modest-scale gold mineralisation has commercial potential in this region, as demonstrated by the $10M sale of Solstice's Hobbes tenement in 2024
- Active exploration program: Ongoing drilling programs with regular news flow expected from multiple projects
- Experienced team: Management with proven capabilities in target generation and strategic land acquisition
Why Investors Should Follow Solstice Minerals
Solstice offers investors exposure to a well-positioned gold exploration company with multiple advanced targets in a tier-one mining jurisdiction. The company's strategic approach to expanding its gold footprint through opportunistic tenement applications demonstrates management's ability to identify value-adding opportunities.
With ongoing drilling activities and results expected from several prospects, Solstice is positioned to deliver regular news flow in the coming months. The company's location in an infrastructure-rich area means that even modest gold discoveries have potential commercialisation pathways, lowering the threshold for economic success.
The combination of advanced exploration targets, active drilling programs, and proximity to existing mining operations positions Solstice as a compelling opportunity for investors seeking exposure to gold discovery potential in Western Australia.
Ready to Invest in Solstice's Gold Discovery Journey?
Discover how Solstice Minerals is strategically expanding its gold footprint with high-grade historical targets at the Yarri Gold Project. With six significant drill-confirmed prospects, ongoing exploration programs, and a proven team skilled at identifying value-adding opportunities in Western Australia's premier gold region, Solstice presents a compelling investment case. For more information about Solstice Minerals' projects and investment opportunities, visit their website today.
