High-Grade Gold Strike Extended to 1 Kilometer at Augustus Minerals' Music Well Project
Key Sampling Results Reveal Impressive Gold Values
Augustus Minerals (ASX: AUG) has announced a significant expansion of the high-grade gold strike at Music Well at its Clifton East prospect within the Music Well Gold Project near Leonora, Western Australia. Recent rock chip sampling has successfully extended the previously identified gold-bearing zone by an additional 250 metres, bringing the total strike length to approximately 1 kilometre.
The latest round of sampling at Clifton East has delivered compelling results, with 12 out of 20 samples returning gold values exceeding 0.2 g/t. The standout assays include:
- 7.99 g/t gold (sample ARK000855)
- 5.32 g/t gold (sample ARK000853)
- 3.37 g/t gold (sample ARK000844)
These findings build upon previously reported high-grade gold samples from the area, which included exceptional values of 50.3 g/t and 21.3 g/t gold, confirming the significant gold potential of the prospect.
Andrew Ford, GM Exploration at Augustus Minerals, commented: "Clifton East continues to expand its footprint, growing to almost a kilometre of strike from the original 300m when the project was acquired in November 2024. Exploration along strike continues to reward with new mineralised veins. It is quite amazing that such a large area of outcropping gold bearing quartz veins has never been tested with even a single drill hole."
Perhaps most remarkably, despite the extensive surface gold mineralisation identified, the Clifton East prospect has never been tested by drilling, providing Augustus Minerals with a virgin exploration opportunity.
| Prospect Area | Samples Collected | Maximum Gold Grade | Average Gold Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clifton East | 20 | 7.99 g/t | 1.42 g/t |
Geological Significance: Multiple Vein Clusters Identified
The recent field work has revealed important geological insights about the Clifton East prospect. New mapping has defined clusters of multiple quartz veins with various orientations, suggesting potential for sheeted to stockwork style mineralised quartz veins within altered granite.
The highest grades came from crystalline quartz veins containing trace to 1% pyrite or gossanous veinlets. Importantly, the mineralisation exhibits an Au-Ag-Mo-Te-Bi-W association, indicative of an intrusive fluid source that supports the company's exploration model.
Outcrop of bedrock in the area is uncommon, with exposure limited by a thin veneer of quartz vein scree. Where observable, the veins are vertically dipping, 10-40cm wide with finer thin stockworks seen in hematite altered granite between the larger veins.
Strategic Location in a Gold-Rich Region
The Music Well Gold Project covers a substantial 1,345 km² area, making it one of the large geological potential areas in the highly prospective Leonora-Laverton Greenstone Belt, which boasts a gold endowment exceeding 28 million ounces.
The project is strategically positioned near several operating gold mines, including:
- Darlot Gold Mine (~12km north)
- King of the Hills Mine (~20km west)
- Leonora Gold Camp (~30km southwest)
- Thunderbox Gold Mine (~20km west)
This proximity to established mining operations provides potential development advantages should the high-grade gold strike at Augustus Minerals progress to a mining scenario.
Understanding Structural Controls: The Key to Gold Mineralisation
One crucial aspect of the Music Well Project is the presence of significant regional structures that appear to control gold mineralisation. The company's exploration has highlighted the importance of west-northwest and east-northeast trending regional structures that pass through the project area.
These structural corridors link the Leonora-King of the Hills-Thunderbox greenstone belts to the eastern Mertondale-Mt Redcliffe belt (host of the Genesis Minerals Hub deposit), creating favourable conditions for gold deposition.
Clifton East and Midway prospects appear associated with a prominent east-northeast trending structure, while the St Patrick's Well and St Pat's North prospects are located near west-northwest/north-northeast structural intersections. Similar structural trends connect established gold mines in the region to the Music Well Project.
What Are Stockwork Veins?
Stockwork veins represent an important mineralisation style that can indicate significant deposit potential. A stockwork is a network of structurally controlled veins occurring in multiple orientations within a host rock. These intersecting veins can create zones of concentrated mineralisation where the veins cross.
Stockwork systems are particularly important for gold exploration because they can form substantial ore bodies with consistent grades across wide zones, making them amenable to bulk mining methods. The identification of stockwork-style mineralisation at Clifton East suggests potential for a large-scale gold system rather than just isolated high-grade veins.
This style of mineralisation is especially relevant to the high-grade gold strike at Augustus Minerals' Music Well Project, as it could indicate a more extensive mineralised system than suggested by surface sampling alone.
Next Steps: Preparing for Maiden Drilling
Augustus Minerals is maintaining exploration momentum with several key activities planned:
- Continued geological mapping and sampling across the tenure
- Heritage surveys over Clifton East and St Patrick's Well in preparation for RC/AC drilling
- Additional heritage surveys of other prospects to follow
The company's methodical approach to exploration is designed to maximise the potential of the high-grade gold strike at Augustus Minerals' Music Well Project ahead of the first drilling program.
Investment Thesis: Why Augustus Minerals Warrants Attention
Augustus Minerals presents a compelling investment case based on several key factors:
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Extensive Land Position: With 1,345 km² of tenements in one of Australia's most gold-rich regions, the company controls a significant exploration footprint with multiple target areas.
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High-Grade Surface Gold: The consistent identification of high-grade gold discoveries at surface across a kilometre-long strike at Clifton East indicates substantial exploration upside.
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Strategic Location: The project's proximity to multiple operating gold mines and processing facilities provides potential development advantages.
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Untested Targets: Despite the impressive surface results, many of the high-grade gold targets have never been drilled, providing significant discovery potential.
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Systematic Exploration Approach: The company is employing modern exploration techniques, including AI targeting (which has identified 18 new gold targets), to maximise discovery opportunities.
Why Follow Augustus Minerals?
Augustus Minerals represents a unique exploration opportunity at an early stage of value creation. The company has established a kilometre-long strike of high-grade gold mineralisation at surface that remains completely untested by drilling.
With multiple high-priority targets across its expansive land package, a methodical exploration approach, and proximity to established mining operations, Augustus is well-positioned to deliver exploration success. The upcoming drilling programs will be critical catalysts that could substantially revalue the company upon success.
As the company progresses toward its maiden drilling program at Clifton East, investors have an opportunity to participate in the potential discovery phase of what could develop into a significant gold project in one of Australia's premier gold districts.
The continued expansion of the high-grade gold strike at Augustus Minerals' Music Well Project suggests that this area may host a substantial gold system, with the Clifton East prospect representing just the first of potentially multiple VTEM nickel-copper discoveries across the company's extensive tenement package.
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