Maiden Tungsten Resource of 13,200 Tonnes Creates Dual-Commodity Opportunity
Rumble Resources (ASX: RTR) has announced a significant maiden tungsten resource at its Western Queen Project, establishing the site as a potential dual-commodity producer with strategic mineral value alongside its established gold resource.
The maiden tungsten Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) stands at 4.31 million tonnes at 0.31% WO3 for 13,200 tonnes of tungsten trioxide at a 0.1% WO3 cut-off. Notably, the resource includes high-grade cores totalling 1.44 million tonnes at 0.51% WO3 for 7,400 tonnes of WO3 at a 0.3% WO3 cut-off.
This tungsten discovery complements the recently upgraded gold resource at Western Queen of 3.72 million tonnes at 3.1g/t gold for 370,000 ounces, positioning the project as a dual-commodity asset with near-term production potential.
"This is a fantastic outcome. To have reported a maiden tungsten resource of over 13,000 tonnes of tungsten trioxide demonstrates that Western Queen is more than just a high-grade gold project. Given the potential to grow the tungsten resources, we could be sitting on a major tungsten project in addition to the near-term high-grade gold production we are progressing," said Peter Harold, Managing Director and CEO.
Extensive Mineralisation with Growth Potential
The tungsten mineralisation at Western Queen occurs as a series of lodes running parallel to the high-grade gold resource and has been identified over a 1,500-metre strike length between the Western Queen South and Central open pits. The resource remains open along strike and at depth within the granted mining leases.
Importantly, the company has identified the tungsten as scheelite-clinopyroxene bearing endoskarn mineralisation that predates the gold mineralisation. Up to 18 individual tungsten skarn lodes have been identified, presenting a substantial exploration opportunity.
What makes this discovery particularly significant is that the tungsten resource was defined entirely from previously completed exploration drilling that was targeting gold mineralisation – no dedicated tungsten drilling has been undertaken. This suggests considerable potential for resource expansion through focused tungsten exploration.
Western Queen August 2025 Tungsten Mineral Resource (0.1% WO3 Cut-off)
| Prospect | Tonnage (kt) | WO3 (%) | WO3 (t) |
|---|---|---|---|
| WQC | 790 | 0.27 | 2,200 |
| Princess | 810 | 0.22 | 1,800 |
| WQS | 2,710 | 0.34 | 9,200 |
| Total | 4,310 | 0.31 | 13,200 |
Strategic Metal with Growing Global Demand
Tungsten is classified as a critical mineral due to its unique properties including high melting point, hardness, and density, making it essential for aerospace, defence, and electronics applications. Currently, China produces over 85% of the world's tungsten ore, creating significant supply chain concerns for Western economies.
The development of domestic tungsten resources has become a strategic priority for many countries seeking to reduce reliance on Chinese supply. This geopolitical context adds significant value to Rumble's discovery beyond the raw commodity value.
"I would like to congratulate the geological team for their vision and diligence in identifying and completing this maiden resource, in under 12 months from first identifying the mineralisation, at a time when tungsten is such a sought-after mineral given its strategic importance. Tungsten is a critical mineral due to its unique properties such as high melting point, hardness, and density, which make it vital in the aerospace, defence and electronics application," commented Peter Harold.
Metallurgical Testing Underway to Quantify Economic Potential
Preliminary metallurgical testwork has already indicated that a meaningful revenue stream could potentially be generated from the tungsten-bearing material. The company is preparing a bulk sample of scheelite material for further metallurgical testing by Mineral Technologies, specialists in mineral separation solutions.
This testing aims to develop grade versus recovery curves that will help determine the potential revenue contribution from tungsten production. Given that the majority of the tungsten resource is situated at the Western Queen South Deposit, where mining approvals for gold extraction have already been submitted, there's potential for rapid development.
Understanding Tungsten Skarn Deposits
Tungsten skarn deposits like Western Queen typically form at the contact between intrusive rocks and carbonate-rich host rocks. The process involves high-temperature fluids introducing tungsten and other metals into the reactive environment, creating zones of mineralisation.
Skarns often occur in predictable geological settings, which helps exploration teams target extensions and parallel systems. At Western Queen, the company's geological work suggests the observed mineralisation represents a distal skarn environment, indicating potential for higher-grade mineralisation elsewhere in the system.
What makes the Western Queen deposit particularly valuable is the parallel occurrence of both tungsten and gold mineralisation, albeit from separate mineralising events. The tungsten mineralisation represents an early prograde endoskarn event that predates the orogenic gold mineralisation, creating a geologically unique dual-commodity opportunity.
Geological Context of the Western Queen Project
The Western Queen tenements lie within the Archaean Warda Warra Greenstone Belt, a north-trending enclave within the Murchison Province of the Yilgarn Craton in Western Australia. The belt extends approximately 35km in length, varying from 2km wide at the southern end near the Western Queen deposit to 7km wide at the northern end.
The local geology consists of steep westerly dipping, intercalated sheared amphibolites of mafic to ultramafic composition with thin iron formation horizons, komatiitic basalt, dolerite sills, and talc chlorite schists. Later dolerite and pegmatitic felsic intrusives cut across the amphibolites and gold mineralisation.
The tungsten mineralisation is hosted within both mafic amphibolites and ultramafic lithofacies. Depth of complete oxidation is approximately 30m to 60m with depth to fresh rock approximately 45 to 80m.
Exploration Upside Across 5km by 2.5km Target Area
Company geologists have completed a comprehensive technical review and targeting exercise that has identified multiple high-priority targets prospective for tungsten skarn mineralisation. These targets extend over a 5km by 2.5km area at the Western Queen Project.
The targets are defined by tungsten and coincident pathfinder element anomalism (barium and tin) in geochemical and rock chip sampling completed earlier this year. Rumble has already commenced a field program to assess these targets, which will inform future exploration activities.
Why Investors Should Watch Rumble Resources
Rumble Resources has positioned itself at the intersection of two valuable mineral opportunities – a near-term gold production project and a potentially significant tungsten resource with strategic importance.
Several factors make this company particularly compelling:
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Dual-commodity exposure – High-grade gold resources (370,000 oz at 3.1g/t) provide near-term production potential, while the newly defined tungsten resource (13,200 tonnes WO3) offers additional value and potential revenue streams.
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Strategic mineral significance – Tungsten's classification as a critical mineral, combined with current supply chain concerns regarding Chinese dominance, enhances the strategic value of the resource.
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Exploration upside – The tungsten discovery was made without dedicated tungsten drilling, suggesting significant potential for resource growth through targeted exploration.
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Infrastructure advantage – The project benefits from existing mining infrastructure including waste dumps and haul roads from previous gold mining operations.
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Regulatory progress – Mining approvals for the Western Queen South gold deposit have already been submitted, potentially enabling faster development of both resources.
As the company advances metallurgical testing and exploration of additional tungsten targets, Rumble Resources offers investors exposure to both precious metals and critical minerals markets, with multiple potential catalysts for value creation in the near term.
Want to Learn More About This Exciting Dual-Commodity Opportunity?
Discover how Rumble Resources is advancing both its strategic tungsten resource and high-grade gold project at Western Queen. With 13,200 tonnes of tungsten trioxide complementing 370,000 ounces of gold, this dual-commodity opportunity presents significant potential for investors. To explore the full details of this compelling investment case and stay updated on Rumble's progress, visit their website today.
