Gold Discoveries Extend Cactus-Comet Trend: Hawk Resources Identifies 1.1km Anomaly
Hawk Resources Limited (ASX: HWK) has announced significant soil sampling results that highlight a previously unidentified gold trend extending over 1.1 kilometers from its historical Cactus copper-gold mine in Utah, USA. The gold anomaly, which remains open to the northwest, presents a compelling new target zone alongside the company's established copper assets. This Hawk Resources gold discovery adds to the growing list of promising mineral finds in the region.
Major Gold Trend Identified with Exceptional Grades
Soil samples collected across the Cactus-Comet trend have revealed gold values up to 1.24g/t at the Cactus mine and 0.16g/t at the Comet mine – representing 200x and 26x the background gold grade respectively.
The gold anomaly aligns with a southeast-northwest trending structure passing through both historical mining areas, with strong associations to silver, antimony and arsenic mineralisation. Notably, the metal associations suggest the gold mineralisation may represent a separate mineralising event from the previously documented Cactus copper mineralisation.
"The first ever analysis of soil samples collected along the Cactus-Comet historical mine trend highlights gold mineralisation over 1.1km which is open to the northwest," said Scott Caithness, Managing Director of Hawk Resources. "The SE-NW trend coincides with an interpreted structure that passes through the Cactus and Comet deposits and is offset by north-northwest trending structures."
Historical Drilling Confirms Shallow High-Grade Gold Potential
The soil sampling program was designed to determine the extent of gold mineralisation previously identified in historical drilling and surface sampling at the Comet mine, which included impressive intersections:
- Hole PCT04-1: 16.8m @ 1.15g/t gold from 1.5m downhole
- Hole PCT04-1A: 25.9m @ 1.53g/t gold from surface
- Hole PCT04-3: 18.3m @ 0.88g/t gold from surface
- Rock sampling traverses: 32.0m @ 2.15g/t gold and 16.7m@ 2.6g/t gold
These historical results demonstrate significant near-surface gold mineralisation that could potentially be amenable to open-pit mining methods, similar to nearby gold projects that have attracted major producers.
Understanding Epithermal Gold Systems: Why Pathfinder Elements Matter
The soil sampling revealed that gold has a remarkably strong correlation with silver, antimony, and arsenic, with correlation coefficients of 0.97, 0.97, and 0.96 respectively (where 1.00 represents perfect correlation). This association is particularly significant for exploration purposes.
In epithermal gold systems, these pathfinder elements often form a geochemical halo that can be more extensive than the gold mineralisation itself. The strong correlations observed at Cactus suggest that Hawk Resources can now use its existing soil pXRF data for silver, antimony, and arsenic to identify additional gold targets across its broader soil grid without immediately requiring additional gold assays.
Epithermal gold deposits typically form relatively near the surface (within 1-2 kilometres) when mineral-rich hot fluids circulate through rock fractures. As these fluids cool and interact with surrounding rocks, they deposit various minerals including precious metals. The association of gold with specific elements like silver, antimony and arsenic creates distinctive chemical signatures that help geologists identify potentially mineralised zones.
Interestingly, the correlation between gold and copper is only moderate at 0.50, indicating that the gold-silver-antimony-arsenic mineralisation likely represents a separate mineralising event from the copper-rich system that formed the Cactus mine.
Verification of Exploration Methods Adds Confidence
The announcement also confirmed the reliability of Hawk's portable XRF (pXRF) copper assays, with laboratory analysis showing a strong correlation coefficient of 0.96 between pXRF and laboratory results. On average, the pXRF readings reported at 88% of laboratory copper values, giving the company confidence in its exploration methodology and the anomalies previously identified.
Next Steps for Hawk Resources
Hawk has outlined a clear plan to advance exploration at the Cactus project:
- Review soil pXRF assays for silver, antimony, and arsenic over the entire Cactus soil grid to identify potential gold targets (Q3 2025)
- Analyse soil samples over silver, antimony, and arsenic-rich areas for gold (Q3 2025)
- Locate and permit drill sites to test geophysical and geochemical targets (Q3 2025)
Furthermore, this multi-project drilling campaign approach has proven successful for other explorers across Australia and could provide a template for Hawk's future exploration strategy.
Investment Thesis: Multi-Metal Exploration Story Gaining Momentum
Hawk Resources presents a compelling investment case for investors seeking exposure to critical and precious metals exploration. The company has strategically positioned itself with projects in mining-friendly jurisdictions, focusing on copper and gold in Utah, USA, as well as lithium projects in Brazil.
The latest Hawk Resources gold discovery adds a valuable dimension to what was previously considered primarily a copper play. With both metals commanding strong prices in global markets, the potential for a multi-metal resource significantly enhances the economic prospects of the project.
The shallow nature of the historical gold intersections at Comet is particularly encouraging, as near-surface mineralisation typically translates to lower mining costs and faster potential development timelines compared to deeper resources.
Why Investors Should Follow Hawk Resources
Hawk Resources offers investors exposure to:
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Diversified Critical and Precious Metal Portfolio: With copper and gold assets in Utah and lithium projects in Brazil, the company provides exposure to both traditional precious metals and battery metals markets.
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New Discovery Potential: The identification of a previously unrecognised gold trend demonstrates the exploration upside still available at the Cactus project, despite its long history of previous exploration.
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Clear Near-Term Catalysts: With planned activities for Q3 2025 including further target generation and drill site permitting, investors can anticipate a steady flow of news and potential value-creating milestones.
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Experienced Technical Team: The company's exploration approach demonstrates a methodical and cost-effective strategy, using pathfinder elements and verification of exploration techniques before committing to more expensive drilling programs.
As Hawk Resources advances its exploration efforts across its portfolio, the next 6-12 months could prove pivotal in determining the scale and economic potential of both the newly identified gold trend and the broader Cactus copper-gold project. This approach mirrors the success of companies like Lithium Energy who have also secured promising gold-copper opportunities in historic mining districts.
The company's methodical approach to exploration has already identified 27 new gold targets which significantly expands the discovery potential across their project portfolio.
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