Red Mountain Mining Strikes Gold: Promising Drill Results and New Nugget Discovery at Kiabye
Red Mountain Mining Ltd (ASX: RMX) has announced significant gold findings at its 100%-owned Kiabye Gold Project in Western Australia's Murchison Province, with initial assays confirming structurally controlled gold mineralization and the discovery of additional gold nuggets.
Drilling Success Confirms Gold-Bearing Structures at Kiabye South
Recent RC drilling at the Kiabye Gold Project has delivered highly encouraging results, confirming the presence of gold mineralization along a targeted magnetic linear feature. The nine-hole slimline RC drilling program, totaling 993 meters, returned promising gold assays, particularly at the Kiabye South prospect.
The most significant intercepts include:
- 2.92 g/t Au over 1m from 19m in hole KSRC007
- 1.15 g/t Au over 1m from 51m within a broader 4m zone grading 0.45 g/t Au in hole KSRC002
- 0.71 g/t Au over 1m from 15m in hole KSRC001
These results validate Red Mountain's exploration model, targeting north-south trending magnetic linear features with elevated gold in soils, which had previously been identified as potential structural controls for gold mineralization.
New Gold Nugget Discovery Expands Project Potential
Adding to the excitement, Red Mountain's geology team has discovered six alluvial gold nuggets in the Prospectors Patch area in the southeast of the project. The largest nugget weighs an impressive 10 grams, with the total haul weighing 13.1 grams.
This discovery follows the company's previous find of eleven gold nuggets in the Reef 1 area in the northern part of the project (announced June 2024), further demonstrating the prospectivity of the Kiabye Project for gold mineralization.
The newly discovered nuggets were found in an area featuring multiple outcrops of ferruginous and gossanous quartz breccia near a major NW-SE thrust fault within the basal units of the Narndee Igneous Complex layered intrusion. While the rounded nature of the nuggets indicates they are alluvial, their source has yet to be confirmed, presenting an exciting target for future exploration.
Understanding Magnetite Association: The Key to Gold Mineralization
The drilling program targeted two distinct areas of the Kiabye Project – North and South. At Kiabye North, drilling intercepted multiple magnetite-bearing zones with associated quartz-epidote veining, though gold values were low.
In contrast, Kiabye South drilling successfully targeted a north-south magnetic linear feature with several discrete gold-in-soil anomalies. This area had previously returned a historical RAB drilling result of 1m @ 3.45 g/t Au, which has now been validated by Red Mountain's new drilling.
The correlation between the magnetic features, quartz veining, and gold mineralization suggests a structural control for gold that can be effectively targeted in future drilling programs.
Exploring Magnetic Lineaments: A Pathway to Gold Discovery
The drilling results at Kiabye South are particularly significant as they validate the company's exploration model targeting magnetic lineaments as potential conduits for gold mineralization. The magnetic features appear to represent demagnetized zones associated with shear or fault structures, with gold anomalies representing "leakage points" along these structures.
The success of this approach provides Red Mountain with a clear exploration pathway to identify additional gold targets along the 2,500m long north-south magnetic linear feature at Kiabye South.
What Makes Quartz Breccias Important for Gold Exploration?
Quartz breccias, like those found at the Prospectors Patch area, are often associated with gold mineralization in the Murchison Province. These structures can form through hydrothermal activity along fault zones, creating ideal traps for gold-bearing fluids.
The gossanous nature of the quartz breccias at Kiabye suggests weathering of sulfide minerals, which are commonly associated with gold deposition. The proximity of these breccias to the alluvial gold nuggets makes them high-priority targets for locating the primary source of the gold.
Quartz breccias form when rock is fractured and the resulting spaces are filled with quartz and other minerals. This process typically occurs during hydrothermal activity, where hot, mineral-rich fluids move through existing rocks along fault or fracture zones. The spaces between the broken rock fragments become filled with precipitated minerals, primarily quartz, creating a network of veins.
In gold exploration, quartz breccias are particularly significant because they often indicate ancient pathways of hydrothermal fluids that may have carried and deposited gold and other valuable minerals. When these breccias contain iron oxides (ferruginous) or display gossan textures (resulting from the weathering of sulfide minerals), they become even more promising targets, as these characteristics frequently correlate with gold mineralization in many geological settings.
Next Steps: Following the Gold Trail
Red Mountain has outlined a clear path forward at the Kiabye Project:
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Review of drilling results and compilation of further drill targets along the gold-bearing magnetic lineament at Kiabye South, with priority given to the areas identified by the successful drill holes KSRC001/002 and KSRC007.
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Systematic sampling of outcropping quartz veins and breccias spatially associated with the gold nuggets at Prospectors Patch to trace the primary sources of the alluvial gold.
Why Investors Should Track Red Mountain Mining
Red Mountain Mining's recent exploration success at Kiabye demonstrates the company's ability to effectively target and discover gold mineralization in a historically productive gold region. The dual approach of drilling known structural targets while also conducting field prospecting has already yielded significant results.
With a 100%-owned project spanning approximately 111km² in the prospective Murchison Province, Red Mountain is well-positioned to build on these early successes. The combination of high-grade drill intercepts and visible gold nuggets provides compelling evidence of the project's potential.
The company's focus on understanding the structural controls of gold mineralization through magnetic features provides a scalable exploration model that could lead to larger discoveries as work progresses. With multiple targets already identified and a clear plan for follow-up work, Red Mountain offers investors exposure to an active exploration program with significant news flow potential.
As the company advances the Kiabye Project alongside its portfolio of other critical minerals projects in Australia, Canada, and the USA, investors should watch closely for updates on this emerging gold discovery.
Ready to Capitalise on Red Mountain's Gold Success?
Discover how Red Mountain Mining's promising drill results and exciting gold nugget discoveries at the Kiabye Project could present a compelling investment opportunity. With validated exploration models targeting magnetic lineaments and multiple gold-bearing zones identified, RMX is strategically positioned in Western Australia's prosperous Murchison Province. For comprehensive information about Red Mountain Mining and to stay updated on their exploration progress, visit their Investor Hub today.
