Lewis Ponds Gold Project Delivers Exceptional High-Grade Drill Results
Godolphin Resources (ASX: GRL) has unveiled outstanding new drill results at its flagship Lewis Ponds Gold, Silver, and Base Metals Project in New South Wales, potentially expanding the already impressive resource base that contains 398,000 ounces of gold and 15.9 million ounces of silver.
The latest drilling campaign has delivered multiple high-grade intercepts that consistently exceed the current block model, suggesting significant resource expansion potential:
- Hole GLPDD008: 31.25m at 3.13g/t gold equivalent from 122.25m, including 16.40m at 4.90g/t gold equivalent
- Hole GLPDD007: 39.9m at 3.59g/t gold equivalent from 135.3m, including 7.10m at 7.08g/t gold equivalent
- Hole GLPDD006: 49.6m at 3.53g/t gold equivalent from 210m, including 28.2m at 5.76g/t gold equivalent
These results are particularly significant as they demonstrate that the mineralised zones are both higher grade and thicker than previously modelled, with multiple drill holes ending in mineralisation.
| Drill Hole | Interval (m) | Gold Equivalent (g/t) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLPDD005 | 14.3m from 2.1m | 2.06 | Hole ended in mineralisation |
| GLPDD006 | 49.6m from 210m | 3.53 | Including 28.2m at 5.76g/t |
| GLPDD007 | 39.9m from 135.3m | 3.59 | Including 7.1m at 7.08g/t |
| GLPDD008 | 31.25m from 122.25m | 3.13 | Including 16.4m at 4.90g/t |
| GLPDD009 | 42.7m from 225.0m | 1.60 | Including 5.5m at 5.50g/t |
Significant Resource Expansion Potential Revealed by Geophysics
Beyond the drilling success, Godolphin has identified substantial expansion potential at Lewis Ponds through advanced geophysical methods. The company's reprocessing of historical Induced Polarisation (IP) data has revealed:
- A 1.6km southern extension of the IP chargeability anomaly directly related to the existing high-grade resource
- Additional 550m northern extension of the anomaly
- These anomalies coincide with gold and multi-element geochemical signatures similar to the nearby McPhillamys Gold Deposit (2.02 million ounces)
3D reprocessing of downhole electromagnetic (DHEM) data has identified six significant off-hole conductor plates outside the existing mineral resource, clustered in three distinct areas:
- Northern Footwall Conductors extending up to 200m west of the current resource
- Tom's Zone Deep representing a large conductive body down-dip of the existing Tom's Lode
- Southern Conductor Extension representing potential resource growth to the south
These findings collectively suggest Lewis Ponds could be significantly larger than currently defined, with the company now planning a modern deep-penetration IP program to refine drilling targets.
Understanding Gold Equivalents: What Investors Should Know
When examining polymetallic deposits like Lewis Ponds, companies often report results in terms of "gold equivalent" grades, which convert the economic value of all metals present into a single comparable gold grade.
Gold equivalents allow investors to more easily compare drill results across different types of deposits. At Lewis Ponds, the gold equivalent calculation includes contributions from gold, silver, copper, zinc, and lead, with each metal's contribution weighted by both its price and expected recovery rate.
The formula takes into account current metal prices (gold at US$2,637.20/oz, silver at US$30.5/oz, copper at US$8,871/t, zinc at US$3,085/t, and lead at US$2,040/t) and metallurgical recovery rates determined from previous test work (gold at 60%, silver at 79%, zinc at 92%, lead at 75%, and copper at 69%).
This approach provides a more comprehensive view of the deposit's economic potential, though investors should understand that actual returns will depend on future metal prices and confirmed recovery rates through further metallurgical studies.
Rare Earth Element Play Provides Strategic Optionality
While Lewis Ponds represents Godolphin's immediate focus, the company's Narraburra Rare Earth Elements (REE) project provides exceptional strategic optionality with exposure to critical minerals essential for the clean energy transition.
Narraburra boasts a substantial maiden JORC 2012 resource of 94.9Mt @ 739ppm TREO (Total Rare Earth Oxides), including a high-grade core of 20Mt @ 1,079ppm TREO. Importantly, 24% of the rare earth distribution consists of the most valuable magnet rare earths (Nd, Pr, Tb, Dy) used in electric vehicles and wind turbines.
Recent metallurgical testing has delivered exceptional results:
- 80-95% extraction of key magnet REEs (Nd, Pr, Tb, Dy)
- Successful production of Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate (MREC) with 57.6% TREO content
- High proportion (26.9%) of valuable heavy rare earth oxides in the final product
- MREC specifications suitable for potential offtake discussions
"The production of our first MREC product represents a significant milestone for Godolphin. The high concentration of critical heavy rare earths in our product positions Narraburra as a potentially strategic asset in the global rare earth supply chain," stated Jeneta Owens, Managing Director of Godolphin Resources.
Corporate Strategy: Focused Development with Partner-Funded Exploration
Godolphin's dual-asset strategy allows it to focus development resources on Lewis Ponds while maintaining exposure to copper-gold exploration through a strategic joint venture.
The company has entered an earn-in JV with Great Plains Metals Corporation, which will spend a minimum of $1 million in exploration expenditure in the first 12 months to earn a 51% interest in Godolphin's Yeoval and Goodrich copper-gold projects. Great Plains can subsequently increase its interest to 70% by providing an additional $1 million in exploration expenditure.
This arrangement allows Godolphin to maintain exposure to potential copper-gold discoveries while focusing its own resources on advancing Lewis Ponds and Narraburra.
Investment Thesis: Multi-Commodity Exposure with Near-Term Catalysts
Godolphin Resources offers investors exposure to multiple in-demand commodities through established resources with significant growth potential. The company's key investment attributes include:
- Resource Base: Current inventory of 519,000 oz gold across four JORC 2012 resources
- Near-Term Growth: Ongoing drilling and geophysics at Lewis Ponds likely to expand the existing resource
- Strategic Metals: Exposure to rare earth elements critical to the clean energy transition
- Jurisdiction Quality: All projects located in NSW's Lachlan Fold Belt, a premier mining district with excellent infrastructure
- Well-Funded: Recent $1 million placement provides funding for near-term exploration activities
| Project | Commodity | JORC Resource | Key Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis Ponds | Au, Ag, Zn, Pb, Cu | 6.2Mt @ 2.0g/t Au, 80g/t Ag, 2.7% Zn, 1.6% Pb, 0.2% Cu | Resource expansion drilling, geophysics |
| Narraburra | Rare Earths | 94.9Mt @ 739ppm TREO | Metallurgical optimisation, offtake discussions |
| Yeoval/Goodrich | Cu, Au | Partner-funded exploration | JV partner funded exploration |
| Other Projects | Various | Multiple exploration targets | Pipeline opportunities |
Why Investors Should Follow Godolphin
Godolphin Resources represents a compelling investment opportunity in the junior resources space with several key differentiators:
- Dual Asset Strategy: The company offers both near-term development potential at Lewis Ponds and strategic exposure to rare earth elements at Narraburra
- Resource Growth Potential: Recent drilling and geophysical results suggest significant resource expansion opportunities at Lewis Ponds
- Critical Minerals Exposure: The Narraburra project provides exposure to rare earth elements essential for the clean energy transition
- Strong Technical Team: Management has demonstrated the ability to advance both projects technically with high-quality drilling and metallurgical programs
- Tightly Held Capital Structure: With a market capitalisation of just $4.9 million, success at either project could deliver significant shareholder returns
With multiple near-term catalysts including resource expansion at Lewis Ponds and advancing rare earth element processing at Narraburra, Godolphin offers investors a unique opportunity to gain exposure to both precious metals and critical minerals in one of Australia's premier mining jurisdictions.
Want to Explore Godolphin's Impressive Growth Potential?
Discover why Godolphin Resources (ASX: GRL) represents a compelling investment opportunity with exceptional high-grade drill results at Lewis Ponds and strategic rare earth elements exposure at Narraburra. With a current resource base of 519,000 oz gold and significant expansion potential identified through recent drilling and geophysics, now is the time to take a closer look at this undervalued multi-commodity player. Click here to learn more about Godolphin's projects and investment potential.
