Iceni Gold Strikes New Gold at 14 Mile Well Project
Iceni Gold (ASX: ICL) has announced compelling results from its aircore (AC) drilling program at the 14 Mile Well Gold Project in Western Australia, with the discovery of three new gold anomalies along a previously unexplored corridor adjacent to the Danjo Granite.
Major Gold Discovery Along Western Danjo Contact
The 351-hole, 17,001-meter aircore drilling campaign has successfully identified a new 2,000-meter-long gold trend – dubbed "Wild West" – along the western margin of the Danjo Granite, approximately 6km west of the company's existing Guyer Trend.
This systematic exploration has outlined three distinct bedrock gold anomalies, each extending over 500 meters in strike length:
- Rio Bravo: The northernmost anomaly covering a 600m x 300m area over an interpreted fold hinge in a dolerite unit
- Sundance: A central linear trend approximately 500m in strike length
- High Noon: The southernmost and largest anomaly spanning 750m x 400m across the granite-greenstone contact
These discoveries significantly enhance the prospectivity of the western Danjo Granite contact, complementing the company's existing gold discoveries on the eastern margin.
"The discovery of an additional gold trend within the 14 Mile Well Gold Project is a great achievement for the Iceni team. We are very encouraged by the results from the AC drilling, particularly given that the area was selected based on its geophysical characteristics and proximity to the western margin of the Danjo Granite," said Iceni Managing Director Wade Johnson.
Significant Drill Results Confirm Potential
The program delivered multiple encouraging gold intersections, including:
- 3m @ 1.10 g/t Au from 20m (including 1m @ 1.52 g/t Au) in FMAC1402
- 3m @ 0.55 g/t Au from 72m in FMAC1411
- 8m @ 0.39 g/t Au from 32m in FMAC1473
- 4m @ 0.57 g/t Au from 64m in FMAC1505
- 1m @ 1.76 g/t Au from 58m in FMAC1288
- 4m @ 0.53 g/t Au from 24m in FMAC1310
Notably, the gold mineralisation is associated with quartz veining in a fractionated dolerite unit adjacent to the granite contact, and at High Noon, it straddles the granite-greenstone boundary.
Understanding Aircore Drilling: A Stepping Stone to Larger Discoveries
Aircore drilling is a reconnaissance technique that provides a cost-effective method for testing large areas where bedrock is hidden beneath cover. Unlike more expensive reverse circulation (RC) or diamond drilling, aircore drilling is designed to identify potential mineralised areas for follow-up with more comprehensive drilling.
The technique involves drilling through weathered rock until blade refusal at harder material, providing samples of the upper portion of the bedrock. This helps identify geochemical signatures that may indicate proximity to gold systems, even if the drilling itself doesn't intersect the main mineralisation.
Aircore drilling uses a blade bit that collects samples through an inner tube to minimise contamination and improve penetration through challenging materials like paleochannel clays and fine sands. When the drill encounters harder rock, such as quartz veining, a hammer bit may be used for greater penetration.
In the case of Iceni's Wild West discovery, the aircore drilling has successfully identified a significant corridor of gold anomalism that warrants follow-up with deeper, more targeted drilling.
Strategic Position Between Major Gold Camps
Iceni's 14 Mile Well Project occupies a strategic position midway between the gold mining towns of Leonora and Laverton, adjacent to Genesis Minerals' recently recommenced Laverton Gold Operation. The project area has received minimal systematic exploration historically, particularly in areas of transported cover like the Wild West trend.
The company has positioned itself as a major landholder in the Leonora-Laverton district, with approximately 850 square kilometers of tenements. This area is known for its significant gold endowment, with multiple million-ounce deposits located nearby, including:
- Mount Morgan
- Granny Smith
- Sunrise Dam
- Wallaby
Most of the company's tenements have never been subjected to systematic geological investigation, creating substantial opportunity for new discoveries.
"Following our success at Guyer where AC drilling generated gold in AC anomalies along an 11km corridor on the eastern margin of the Danjo Granite, our renewed focus on the western margin has delivered immediate results. Together with the historical gold workings at Yundamindera and Pennyweight, along the southern margins of the Danjo Granite, the area is proving to have high potential, and we consider the Wild West to be a favourable position for gold mineralisation and a high priority target area," noted Wade Johnson.
Geological Significance of the Danjo Granite
The results provide further evidence that the Danjo Granite and its contact zones represent a major control on gold mineralisation at 14 Mile Well. With gold anomalies now identified on both the eastern (Guyer Trend) and western (Wild West) margins, as well as historical workings along the southern margin at Yundamindera and Pennyweight, the intrusion appears to be a key driver of gold mineralisation throughout the project area.
This pattern is consistent with many world-class Archean gold deposits, where granite intrusions provide the heat source and structural complexity necessary for gold deposition.
The geological setting of the 14 Mile Well Project is within the Murrin Greenstone Belt of the Kurnalpi Terrane in the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane. The project area lies between two major regional structures: the Keith-Kilkenny Tectonic Zone to the west and the Celia Tectonic Zone to the east. This position between major structural corridors enhances the prospectivity for significant gold mineralisation.
The area is largely obscured by alluvial, colluvial, and lacustrine cover, with only sparse outcrop. Underlying geology comprises mafic volcanic sequences, mafic intrusives, felsic-intermediate intrusives, and sedimentary sequences. The gold mineralisation is interpreted to be orogenic in style, associated with shearing, quartz veining, and lithological contacts.
Characteristics of the Three New Gold Anomalies
Each of the three newly discovered gold anomalies along the Wild West trend displays unique characteristics:
Rio Bravo (Northern Anomaly)
- Covers a 600m x 300m area
- Positioned over an interpreted fold hinge in the dolerite unit
- Minimal transported cover with a stripped regolith profile
- Limited oxide profile for development of a broad supergene gold footprint
- Key intercept: 3m @ 1.10 g/t Au from 20m in FMAC1402
Sundance (Central Anomaly)
- Linear trend approximately 500m in strike length
- Hosted by foliated dolerite with cross-cutting quartz veins
- Contains chlorite-quartz-sericite breccia in FMAC1500
- Moderate transported cover depth
- Key intercept: 8m @ 0.39 g/t Au from 32m in FMAC1473
High Noon (Southern Anomaly)
- Largest anomaly covering 750m x 400m
- Straddles the granite-greenstone contact
- Transported cover reaches up to 50m thick
- Thick saprolite profile producing a broader gold-in-regolith anomaly
- Hosted by both dolerite and granite
- Quartz veining, foliation, and gold mineralisation at a major structural intersection
- Key intercept: 4m @ 0.57 g/t Au from 64m in FMAC1505
Next Steps: RC Drilling to Test Targets
With these encouraging aircore results in hand, Iceni is planning a follow-up RC (Reverse Circulation) drill program to further evaluate the three newly discovered anomalies. The company will also continue analysing multi-element data to enhance its geological model and target high-grade quartz-veined zones within the dolerite host rock.
Additional focused aircore drilling is also planned to extend the limits of each anomaly, particularly at High Noon, which remains open to the north and south. Furthermore, approximately 1,000m northeast of Sundance, wide-spaced AC drilling has defined a broad gold anomaly within a granite host. Further infill AC drilling is planned to determine the significance of this anomaly and its relationship to the granite host.
Why Investors Should Follow Iceni Gold
Iceni Gold has positioned itself as a major landholder in the highly prospective Leonora-Laverton district, with approximately 850 square kilometers of tenements. The company's systematic approach to exploration has now yielded multiple significant gold trends across its 14 Mile Well Project.
The identification of the Wild West trend, following on from earlier success at the Guyer Trend (subject to a Farm-In Agreement with Gold Road Resources), demonstrates the company's ability to generate and test quality targets in an area with proven large-scale gold endowment.
Key investment considerations include:
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Strategic Land Position: The company holds a substantial land package in one of Australia's premier gold districts, midway between established mining centers.
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Multiple Discovery Opportunities: Most of the tenement package has received limited historical exploration, particularly under areas of cover, creating significant opportunity for new discoveries.
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Systematic Exploration Approach: Iceni's methodical exploration strategy has already delivered multiple gold anomalies across the project area.
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Proven Gold System Controls: The company has identified that the Danjo Granite and its contact zones represent a major control on gold mineralisation, with anomalies now identified on eastern, western, and southern margins.
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Active Exploration Program: With multiple drill-ready targets and ongoing exploration, the company maintains a strong news flow potential.
"The gold results along the Wild West trend, particularly those associated with the dolerite unit, are very positive, especially for a first-pass exploration program in an area with significant transported cover. We will continue the ongoing assessment of the data to advance the planning of RC drill targets," said Wade Johnson.
With multiple drill-ready targets, ongoing exploration programs, and a strategic position in one of Australia's premier gold districts, Iceni offers investors exposure to significant discovery potential as it advances these newly identified gold trends.
Ready to Uncover Iceni Gold's Next Discovery?
Find out how Iceni Gold's strategic exploration is revealing multiple gold trends in the heart of Western Australia's premier gold district. With three new gold anomalies discovered along the 'Wild West' trend and continued success at the Guyer Trend, Iceni is systematically unlocking the potential of its expansive 14 Mile Well Project. For more information about this promising ASX-listed gold explorer and to stay updated on upcoming drill results, visit Iceni Gold's website today.
