High-Grade Gold Discoveries at Koolyanobbing Take Centre Stage
Australian Silica Quartz Group (ASX: ASQ) has revealed promising gold exploration results at its Koolyanobbing Metals Project (KMP) in its June 2025 quarterly report, with significant intercepts including 2m at 14.2 g/t gold from shallow depths. The company is now actively seeking joint venture partners to advance exploration across its 408km² granted tenure that overlies the prospective Koolyanobbing Shear Zone and Greenstone Belt.
Recent drilling at the Golden Wishbone target has extended the mineralised zone to dimensions of 260m north-south by 130m east-west that remains completely open to the southeast along strike and to the northeast down dip. Meanwhile, historic drilling compilation at Golden Wishbone SE has uncovered multiple significant gold intersections including 4m at 1.4g/t Au with sections reaching up to 3.6g/t Au.
Adding further evidence of the project's potential, metal detecting at the EMU target recovered 20.8 grams of gold nuggets from surface to shallow depths, highlighting the presence of coarse gold in the system. The compilation of historic exploration data and recent discoveries suggests KMP hosts a significant gold system that has been underexplored to date.
Strategic Pivot on Queensland Quartz Projects
In a significant development, ASQ announced the termination of its Heads of Agreement with Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners for the Quartz Hill MGSi Project. Following completion of a Scoping Study, Quinbrook determined that the quartz grades from Quartz Hill (17.3Mt at 99.04% SiO2) would not meet 100% of their polysilicon manufacturing facility's feedstock requirements, though the material may be suitable for blending with other sources.
The company is now shifting focus to other high-priority MGSi quartz targets within its extensive Queensland portfolio, including the 1,500m long Mount Surprise Quartz Ridge where rock chip samples have returned impressive grades of up to 99.98% SiO2.
Understanding Metallurgical Grade Silicon (MGSi) Quartz
Metallurgical grade silicon quartz (MGSi) is the primary raw material used in producing silicon metal, which serves as a foundational material for the solar, electronics, and aluminium industries. The quality of MGSi quartz is determined by its purity, with higher SiO2 content and lower impurities (particularly iron, aluminium, and titanium) commanding premium prices.
For investors, MGSi quartz projects represent potential exposure to the growing renewable energy supply chain, as high-grade silicon is essential for solar panel production. The global silicon metal market is projected to grow substantially as solar energy deployment accelerates worldwide.
While ASQ's Quartz Hill project didn't meet Quinbrook's specific requirements, the company's broader portfolio of quartz assets—some with purities reaching 99.99% SiO2—positions it to potentially serve various segments of the silicon market, from metallurgical grade to ultra-high purity applications.
| Quartz Hill Resource | Tonnage (Mt) | SiO2 (%) | Al2O3 (%) | Fe2O3 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indicated | 7.6 | 99.09 | 0.67 | 0.16 |
| Inferred | 9.7 | 99.00 | 0.73 | 0.17 |
| Total | 17.3 | 99.04 | 0.70 | 0.17 |
Diversified Asset Portfolio Provides Optionality
Beyond gold and quartz exploration, ASQ maintains a diversified portfolio of assets:
- The Albany White Hill Silica Sand Project, with an inferred resource of 11.6Mt of high-grade silica sand containing >99.9% SiO2 and <50ppm Fe2O3, suitable for specialty glass applications
- South Stirling Nickel-Copper Project with promising initial drill results showing 12m at 0.70% Ni and 0.06% Cu
- A joint venture with HD Mining focused on bauxite exploration with a current resource inventory of 71.3Mt
The company closed the quarter with $837,000 in cash and holds two unencumbered rural properties independently valued at $3.25 million that have been listed for sale, providing additional financial flexibility.
"ASQ has positioned itself with multiple shots on goal across different commodities and jurisdictions. The standout gold results at Koolyanobbing and continued advancement of high-purity quartz and silica projects provide significant potential upside as these materials grow in importance for renewable energy and high-tech applications."
Why Investors Should Watch ASQ
Australian Silica Quartz Group gold exploration results present a compelling investment case based on its multi-commodity approach and near-term catalysts:
- Promising gold exploration with high-grade intercepts and visible gold discoveries
- Diversified mineral portfolio spanning gold, silica, quartz, nickel, copper, and bauxite
- Strong financial position with no debt and valuable property assets
- Exposure to high-tech materials through its high-purity quartz and silica projects
- Multiple partnership opportunities being explored to accelerate project development
The company's strategy of seeking partners for its gold projects while advancing its high-purity quartz research demonstrates a pragmatic approach to maximising shareholder value across its diverse asset base. With significant exploration upside and multiple pathways to commercialisation, Australian Silica Quartz Group gold exploration results offer investors exposure to both precious metals and industrial minerals with growing technological applications.
Gold Exploration Focus Drives Future Potential
The Australian Silica Quartz Group gold exploration results at the KMP are particularly noteworthy when considering the project's geological setting. The tenements overlay portions of the Koolyanobbing Shear Zone and Koolyanobbing Greenstone Belt, geological formations known to host significant gold deposits in Western Australia.
The Golden Wishbone trend, which extends over 7km, has been highlighted by soil sampling conducted from 2022 to 2024. This area of strong gold anomalism includes the historic Golden Wishbone Shaft, where small-scale gold mining in the late 1930s produced 204 ounces at an impressive average grade of 18g/t gold.
Follow-up drilling programs, including 29 Aircore holes totalling 1,814m and additional Reverse Circulation drilling, have helped define the extent of mineralisation. The discovery of gold nuggets through metal detecting at the EMU target further validates the company's exploration model and suggests potential for additional discoveries across the broader tenement package.
The Australian Silica Quartz Group gold exploration results demonstrate the company's ability to identify and advance new targets simultaneously, potentially providing investors with exposure to diverse market cycles and commodity price movements.
Want to Identify the Next Major ASX Mineral Discovery?
Discovery Alert's proprietary Discovery IQ model instantly identifies significant mineral discoveries on the ASX, turning complex data into actionable investment opportunities before the wider market catches on. Visit the Discovery Alert discoveries page to see how major mineral finds have historically generated exceptional returns for early investors.
