Shallow High-Grade Gold Strikes Boost Solstice's Eastern Goldfields Potential
Solstice Minerals (ASX: SLS) has announced significant high-grade gold intercepts from its first-stage Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling program at the Statesman Well Gold Prospect in Western Australia, highlighting a promising mineralised trend spanning approximately one kilometre.
High-Grade Gold Results Strengthen Project Potential
The company's initial RC drilling campaign has delivered impressive shallow gold intercepts, with standout results including:
- 8m @ 7.94g/t Au from just 12m depth in STWRC003, including extraordinary high-grade zones of 1m @ 39.75g/t Au from 13m and 1m @ 16.10g/t Au from 19m
- 12m @ 1.44g/t Au from 88m in STWRC002
- 4m @ 2.54g/t Au from 52m in STWRC013
- 12m @ 0.76g/t Au from 16m in STWRC022
These new results build upon historical drilling successes at the prospect, which included significant intercepts such as 22m @ 1.14g/t Au, 24m @ 0.81g/t Au, and 10m @ 2.04g/t Au.
Strategic Position in Infrastructure-Rich Eastern Goldfields
Solstice's Statesman Well Prospect forms part of the company's broader Yarri Gold Project, which encompasses over 1,600km² of highly prospective geology in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields region. The prospect is strategically positioned close to existing haul roads and infrastructure, potentially providing development advantages.
This latest drilling success adds to Solstice's recent gold discoveries at the Bluetooth and Edjudina Range prospects, located 9km and 32km northwest of Statesman Well respectively, forming part of an emerging gold trend.
"It's great to see some high-grade gold emerging at the lightly drilled Statesman Well mineralised trend – these shallow RC results provide impetus for continued work, particularly on extension and down-plunge aspects of the Prospect," said Solstice Minerals' Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Nick Castleden.
Understanding the Mineralisation
The gold mineralisation at Statesman Well is hosted within a strike-extensive chert with quartz stockwork horizon that dips steeply to the east. This mineralised structure widens in several locations and shows evidence of a southerly plunge orientation, providing clear targets for follow-up drilling campaigns.
Fresh rock gold mineralisation is associated with quartz veining and minor pyrite alteration, with a series of small historical gold diggings extending along the host horizon, further validating the prospect's potential.
What Makes Quartz Stockwork Mineralisation Important for Investors?
Quartz stockwork mineralisation refers to a network of quartz veins that intersect host rocks in multiple orientations. This geological feature is significant for gold investors because:
- Potential for Scale: Stockwork zones can extend over significant areas and depths, potentially hosting substantial gold resources
- Higher-Grade Potential: The intersection of multiple veins often creates zones of concentrated mineralisation
- Mining Advantages: These systems can sometimes be amenable to bulk mining methods, potentially improving economic viability
The presence of this style of mineralisation at Statesman Well, combined with the high-grade results, suggests the potential for a substantial gold system.
Clear Path Forward
Solstice has outlined plans for continued work at Statesman Well alongside high-priority follow-up RC drilling at its Bluetooth and Edjudina Range discoveries. The company is currently preparing for immediate further drilling at Bluetooth and combined follow-up aircore and RC drilling at Edjudina Range.
The team is also awaiting results from a large batch of 1m resamples at both Bluetooth and Edjudina Range, which will help vector toward grade and dip targets at those key prospects.
Expanding Portfolio Provides Multiple Opportunities
Beyond the Yarri Project, Solstice has assembled a strong portfolio of 100% owned projects elsewhere in WA's Goldfields, including the advanced Nanadie Copper-Gold Project. This project already hosts a robust Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 40.4Mt @ 0.4% copper and 0.1g/t gold for 162kt of contained copper and 130koz gold, with extension opportunities already identified.
Why Investors Should Track Solstice Minerals
Solstice Minerals presents a compelling investment case for several key reasons:
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Multiple Discovery Opportunities: The company is actively drilling several promising gold prospects simultaneously, increasing the chances of significant discovery success
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Infrastructure Advantage: All three key prospects (Statesman Well, Bluetooth, and Edjudina Range) are located close to existing haul roads and processing infrastructure, potentially reducing development costs and timelines
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Shallow High-Grade Gold: The discovery of high-grade gold at shallow depths enhances economic potential and reduces mining costs
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Diversified Portfolio: Beyond gold, the company's Nanadie Copper-Gold Project provides exposure to copper, an essential metal for the global energy transition
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Experienced Management: The technical team has demonstrated the ability to identify and advance multiple prospective targets effectively
With an aggressive exploration program underway across multiple fronts, Solstice is well-positioned to deliver continued news flow throughout 2025, with numerous potential value catalysts on the horizon.
Want to Capitalise on Solstice's High-Grade Gold Success?
To learn more about Solstice Minerals' impressive shallow gold intercepts at Statesman Well and their expanding portfolio of gold and copper-gold projects in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields, visit their website. With multiple discovery opportunities, infrastructure advantages, and a clear development pathway, Solstice Minerals (ASX: SLS) offers investors exposure to an emerging gold trend with significant growth potential.
