Golden Dragon Identifies 2.2km Gold Anomaly at Stella Range Project
New auger drilling reveals significant gold-in-soil footprint near Laverton in Western Australia.
1Discovery at Stella Range
Golden Dragon Mining has identified a 2.2-kilometre-long gold-in-soil anomaly at its Stella Range project near Laverton, Western Australia. This discovery follows recent auger drilling efforts in a region historically explored for nickel. The anomaly remains untested by previous drilling, marking a significant milestone for the company's regional exploration strategy.
2Geological Context and Parallels
The anomaly sits 12 kilometres along strike from Brightstar Resources’ Lord Byron deposit, which contains 267,000 ounces of gold. Geological analysis suggests the Stella Range site shares a similar magnetic low setting and northwest-trending corridor as the Lord Byron deposit, indicating potential for a comparable gold-bearing system beneath the surface.
3Pathfinder Element Support
The coherent, northwest-trending anomaly is reinforced by the presence of key pathfinder elements, specifically copper and tellurium. These geochemical indicators provide additional confidence in the prospectivity of the site. By utilizing these elements, the company has successfully defined a compelling target that warrants further investigation through deeper, more invasive drilling techniques.
4Historical Exploration Shift
The Stella Range ground was previously targeted by BHP, which focused on komatiite-style nickel sulphide deposits. Golden Dragon Mining has re-evaluated this historical data through a gold-focused lens, leading to the identification of this new anomaly. This strategic pivot demonstrates the value of applying modern geological perspectives to previously explored tenements.
5Management Perspective on Potential
Managing director Simon Buswell-Smith described the results as a highlight for the company’s exploration potential. The identification of a 2.2-kilometre strike length provides a clear focal point for upcoming work. Management believes that proper testing at depth could confirm the existence of a substantial new discovery in the Eastern Goldfields.
6Concurrent Project Activity
While advancing Stella Range, Golden Dragon remains active at its flagship Cue gold project in the Murchison province. The company is currently awaiting results from a 2,833-metre reverse circulation drilling program at the Behring Bore and Coodardy prospects, which aim to extend previously identified high-grade mineralisation zones found in earlier campaigns.
7Previous Success at Cue
The Cue project has previously delivered high-grade results, including intercepts of four metres at 17.6g/t and 21.37g/t gold. These historical successes provide a strong operational baseline for the company as it balances development across multiple projects. The firm continues to leverage these findings to refine its broader exploration and resource expansion strategy.
8Future Exploration Roadmap
Golden Dragon plans to conduct infill and extensional auger sampling to further refine drill targets for a maiden drilling campaign at Stella Range. If future drilling confirms the soil anomalies, it could represent a significant new chapter for the company, validating the effectiveness of their current exploration methodology and geological interpretation.