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New Age Exploration (ASX: NAE) (NAE or the Company) is pleased to announce the successful completion of additional geophysical surveys at its highly prospective Wagyu Gold Project in the Pilbara, WA. The Passive Seismic (Tromino) and Ground Gravity surveys were conducted across the dry Yule River bed, facilitating a deeper understanding of the geological structures and linking data from both sides of the project area.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Completion of Passive Seismic and Ground Gravity surveys across the dry Yule River bed at the Wagyu Gold Project in Pilbara, WA
- Several new gravity anomalies have now been identified, which may indicate the presence of more gold-mineralised intrusions, similar to those intersected in 2024 aircore drilling
- Enhanced geological connectivity established by linking data from the east and west sides of the tenement
- Both geophysics surveys were completed with “zero impact” on this culturally sensitive area
- This is the third ground gravity survey and the second passive seismic survey to take place at the Wagyu Project, with previous surveys outside the river completed in April and May 2024
- Additional targets 8 and 10 confirmed on east side of the project from gravity survey
- 3000m of Reverse Circulation Drilling to commence imminently
- The Wagyu Project is located in the Central Pilbara’s fast-emerging gold region, adjoining De Grey Mining (ASX:DEG) tenure containing its ~11.2Moz1 Hemi Gold deposit
The Wagyu Gold Project, located within a fast-emerging gold mineralised corridor, represents a highly prospective Gold opportunity ~9km within the same mineralised trend as De Grey Mining’s (ASX:DEG) Hemi Gold Deposit containing ~11.2 Moz1 (refer to Figure 1) in the Central Pilbara.
Figure 1: Location Map showing NAE’s Wagyu Gold Project (E47/2974) in the Gold Mineralisation Corridor shared with De Grey’s significant gold Mineral Resources, including Hemi, Mt Berghaus and Calvert.
The Hemi Gold Mineral Resource was last updated by De Grey Mining on 14 November 20241. The estimate is for 264Mt @ 1.3g/t Au for 11.2Moz, which can be broken down into 13Mt @ 1.4g/t for 0.6Moz, 149Mt @ 1.3g/t Au Indicated for 6.3 Moz, and 103Mt @ 1.3g/t Au for 4.3 Moz Inferred.
NAE confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in De Grey’s reported Mineral Resources referenced in this market announcement. To NAE’s full knowledge, all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the relevant market announcements continue to apply and have not materially changed.
NAE Executive Director Joshua Wellisch commented:
"The completion of these Geophysical Surveys and identification of new targets marks a pivotal step in our exploration efforts and stakeholder relations at Wagyu. With the support of the Kariyarra People, we have gathered data that links structures and anomalies across the tenement, providing a foundation of our geological understanding. We look forward to using these insights to unlock further potential at Wagyu in the lead up to the imminent 3000m RC Drill Programme.”
Geophysical Surveys and Geological Continuity
The Passive Seismic (Tromino) and Ground Gravity surveys at Wagyu have provided valuable data across the Yule River bed, enhancing the geological connectivity between the east and west portions of the tenement. The Passive Seismic survey, conducted at 200-meter intervals across nine lines, offers insights into bedrock continuity, while the Ground Gravity survey (Figure 4), with spacings of 200m x 200m and infill at 50m x 50m over specific targets, reveals density contrasts associated with mineralisation.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from New Age Exploration Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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New Age Exploration
Investor Insight
As it advances its portfolio of gold assets in Western Australia’s prolific Pilbara gold province and New Zealand’s Otago Schist Belt, New Age Exploration presents a compelling investor value proposition, supported by a lean, discovery-driven strategy and an experienced technical team.
Overview
New Age Exploration (ASX:NAE) is building a pure-play gold exploration story centered on high-quality assets in tier-one jurisdictions in Western Australia and New Zealand. The company’s clear strategy is to operate in geological corridors already proven by major discoveries, while applying modern, cost-effective exploration techniques to define new zones of mineralization.
In Western Australia, the company’s Wagyu gold project is directly along strike from De Grey Mining’s Hemi discovery – now owned by Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST). In New Zealand, its projects - Lammerlaw and Otago Pioneer Quartz – lie within the same regional structure that hosts OceanaGold’s (TSE:OGC) 5 Moz Macraes deposit and Santana Minerals’ (ASX:SMI) rapidly growing Rise & Shine system.
With gold prices hovering at all-time highs, NAE’s approach favours technology-led targeting, rather than brute-force drilling campaigns, by using geophysics, geochemistry and passive seismic to zero in on structurally controlled gold systems with potential for scale.
All its projects are supported by local technical teams and seasoned exploration leadership, allowing concurrent progress and capital-efficient deployment. Recent programs at Wagyu and Lammerlaw have confirmed early-stage discoveries, and both assets are advancing through their next stages of drilling and target definition.
Company Highlights
- Pilbara and Otago Exposure: Strategic landholdings in two world-class gold regions – Pilbara (WA) and Otago (NZ) – offering dual discovery potential.
- Hemi-style Intrusion Targets: The Wagyu Gold Project shares geological features and proximity with De Grey Mining’s 11.7 Moz Hemi discovery, increasing the likelihood of a major find.
- High-grade Intercepts: Recent drilling at Wagyu returned standout intercepts including 11.2 g/t gold and 1m @ 15.6 g/t gold.
- Emerging New Zealand Gold Revival: Positioned at the forefront of a regional exploration resurgence in New Zealand’s South Island, supported by rising gold prices and favorable regulatory conditions.
- Strong Cash Position: Recently raised AU$1.96 million to fund ongoing drilling, with multiple near-term catalysts expected.
Key Projects
Wagyu Gold Project
The Wagyu gold project is New Age Exploration’s flagship asset located in the highly prospective Central Pilbara region of Western Australia. The project is strategically situated between two major gold systems – Northern Star’s Hemi Gold Deposit (11.7 Moz gold resource) and the Withnell deposit – within the Mallina Basin, which hosts a similar intrusive-style orogenic gold mineralizing system. NAE holds exploration license E47/2974, which covers 136 sq km. Since acquiring the project, NAE has conducted extensive early-stage exploration, beginning with the reinterpretation of geophysical datasets, including airborne magnetics, radiometrics and satellite imagery, to delineate potential Hemi-style intrusions and structurally hosted gold targets.
Wagyu gold project location map
The company-initiated fieldwork in April 2024, completing soil sampling, gravity surveys and passive seismic geophysical surveys to refine drill targets. These efforts culminated in an extensive aircore drilling campaign (257 holes, over 7,000 m drilled), which identified a broad, crescent-shaped gold anomaly approximately 1.5 km in strike length. Notable results included intercepts such as 5.3 grams per ton (g/t) gold over 4 m (including 15.6 g/t gold over 1 m) and 2.7 g/t gold over 2 m. Encouraged by these results, the company completed its maiden RC program in March-April 2025, drilling 3,023 m across 33 holes targeting two high-priority gravity anomalies. Assays released in May 2025 confirmed a shallow oxide gold system and evidence of underlying mineralized structures, including 1.26 g/t gold over 5 m from 31 m (WRC029), 1.32 g/t gold over 3 m from 43 m (WRC031), and 1.44 g/t gold over 2 m from 83 m (WRC009). Numerous other holes returned mineralized intervals of 0.5 to 0.8 g/t over broad zones.
Importantly, geological logging and geophysical modeling support the presence of vertical feeder structures, interpreted as potential gold-bearing intrusions and fault-hosted "pipes," similar to Hemi’s discovery model. The Wagyu system remains open in all directions, with multiple untested gravity targets and deeper feeder zones yet to be explored. A follow-up RC campaign is planned for Q3/2025, focused on extending mineralization and chasing those deeper pipe-like structures beneath the supergene blanket.
Lammerlaw Gold and Antimony Project
Lammerlaw permit occurs in the southern limb of a regional fold feature characterised by a change in metamorphic grade from upper greenschist (purple) to lower greenschist (green).
The Lammerlaw gold and antimony project is located in the Otago Schist Belt, a prolific gold-bearing region in the South Island of New Zealand. The project spans 265 sq km and is held under Exploration Permit EP60807. The area is renowned for its historic gold production and geological similarity to OceanaGold’s Macraes Mine, New Zealand’s largest active gold mine with more than 5 Moz in resources. NAE acquired the project through a competitive acreage release and has since completed desktop studies, field mapping and geochemical sampling, which identified multiple 2 to 4 km-long gold-antimony soil anomalies aligned with historical workings.
During 2023-2024, the company identified nine high-priority drill targets based on soil geochemistry (gold, antimony, arsenic, tungsten), historic production data and structural mapping. NAE mobilized a Phase 1 RC drill program in early 2025, designed to test structurally hosted vein systems within both brittle and ductile deformation zones. This work confirmed the presence of gold and antimony mineralization in several targets, though results are still under review. Access to some targets is subject to Department of Conservation approvals, which the company is pursuing concurrently. A Phase 2 drill campaign is planned for Q1/2026, pending access approvals and final interpretation of current results.
Otago Pioneer Quartz Project
Overview of prospects locations within the OPQ Gold Exploration Project.
The Otago Pioneer Quartz (OPQ) project is in Central Otago within the historic Gabriel’s Gully gold district, the epicenter of the 1860s Otago gold rush. The project lies within the same regional schist belt that hosts OceanaGold’s Macraes operation. NAE acquired the OPQ tenement to secure additional exposure to high-grade shear-hosted and orogenic gold systems in the Otago region. The area is characterized by low-sulphide gold quartz veins associated with greenschist facies metamorphic rocks and late-stage brittle faulting.
While still early-stage, the company has conducted preliminary soil sampling and mapping across the tenement to delineate mineralized structures. Historical records suggest significant past production from alluvial and hard-rock sources, though modern exploration has been minimal. Given its proximity to known gold-bearing shear zones and favourable host rocks, OPQ remains a high-priority, low-cost exploration asset for future campaigns.
Going forward, NAE intends to conduct detailed geochemical and structural mapping, followed by scout drilling at known historical workings. The project remains a capital-light optionality play with future drill programs dependent on results from Lammerlaw and Wagyu.
Management Team
Alan Broome – Chairman
Alan Broome is a highly respected figure in the Australian mining industry with more than 40 years of experience across mining, metals and mining technology. A metallurgist by training, Broome has served as chairman and director of numerous ASX-listed and private companies, contributing to significant exploration and development successes. His leadership brings deep strategic insight and a proven track record in guiding discovery-stage companies through to project advancement.
Joshua Wellisch – Executive Director
A capital markets executive with deep ASX and venture experience, Joshua Wellisch leads strategic and operational execution for NAE’s projects. Wellisch is also currently a director of NRG Capital, specialising in capital raisings, corporate structuring and the facilitation of ASX listings and was formerly managing director of Kairos Minerals Limited.
Peter Thompson – Chief Geologist
Appointed in 2025, Peter Thompson brings 35+ years of exploration leadership including stints at Western Mining, Anaconda Nickel, and as CEO of St Barbara. He led redevelopment of Beaconsfield Gold Mine, spearheaded the acquisition, listing and development of the Karlawinda gold deposit and was instrumental in the discovery and advancement of large volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits in Mongolia.
James Pope – Consulting Geologist (NZ)
James Pope is a highly experienced minerals sector professional with nearly 30 years in exploration, consulting and research across a broad range of commodities including gold, PGE, diamonds, base metals, coal and coal seam gas. He currently leads Strata Geoscience, a specialised geoscience consultancy based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Throughout his career, Pope has progressed from hands-on geological mapping and drill site supervision to leading multidisciplinary teams of up to 50 professionals delivering exploration, resource assessment, engineering and environmental services.
Kerry Gordon – Consulting Geologist (NZ)
Kerry Gordon is a seasoned minerals sector professional with nearly 25 years of experience spanning exploration, resource development and operations. He is currently a principal at Strata Geoscience, and has worked across New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam and Mongolia on projects involving gold, critical metals (antimony, tungsten), coal, coal seam gas, and conventional petroleum. Gordon is an expert at managing exploration programs in remote and technically demanding environments, with a strong focus on field-based geological techniques, complex drilling and downhole logging operations, and logistical coordination.
High potential for large-scale discovery in prolific gold regions in Western Australia and New Zealand
OPINION — Goldenomics 101: Follow the Money
By Darren Brady Nelson
As an economist, I, perhaps somewhat sadly, have many economist friends. One of them recently alerted me to a post on X that was even a shock to me in the toxic 2020s. That being: “Almost all political donations by Fed employees go to one party. The Fed is already politicized.”
The post had a link to the data supporting this assertion, which was published at OpenSecrets. They are a “501(c)3” devoted to: “tracking money in US politics and its effect on elections and public policy.” Their theme is appropriately “Follow the Money,” as it is for this story.
Political money contributions, since 2016, from those at the Fed, range between 92 to 93 percent for Democrats and 8 to 9 percent for Republicans. As Public Choice economics teaches, it is crucial to “Follow the Money” in politics. Austrian and Chicago schools of economics teach the same for gold.
Gold pricing 101
Gold pricing is often characterized as being driven by “fear and uncertainty,” at least in the short run, including geopolitical fears like war and economic uncertainties such as recession. It is also typically recognized to be an “inflation hedge,” in the long run anyway.
Gold is an asset with a price determined in a 24/7/365 global auction, most often quoted per troy ounce, in the world’s reserve currency of US dollars. New supply plays an unusually small role compared to almost all other commodities, goods or services. Thus, highest bid wins.
Perhaps none of these things about gold, and its price, are new nor surprising. But what might be, despite the end of the gold standard in 1971 and legalization of gold investment in 1974, is that gold is still a shadow currency to fiat ones, especially US dollar, in the "always run."
The annual gold price from 1960 to 2024 is displayed below, as sourced from the World Bank. Rises include: late 1970s; late 2000s; and mid 2020s. Slides include: early 1980s; late 1990s; and early 2010s. Overall growth was: Sum 555 percent; Ave 8.7 percent; Max 98 percent; Min -24 percent; and CAGR 6.8 percent.
Money supply 101
Gold is the inflation hedge, precisely because it is shadow currency. Money supply is the inflation source, precisely because it is fiat currency. As Chicago economist Milton Friedman wrote in Money Mischief (1994): “In the modern world, inflation is a printing-press phenomenon.”
There are multiple money supply measures, such as M0, M1, M2 and M3. M1 includes paper and coin currency held by the general public as well as liquid bank deposits (e.g. checking accounts). M3 includes M1, plus less liquid bank deposits (e.g. savings accounts) as well as “repos.”
Austrian economist Robert Murphy details in Understanding Money Mechanics (2021) just how the Fed’s printing, Treasury bonds and bank loans create US money supply, through open market operations. Since 2008 and 2020, the Fed has expanded to buying and selling just about anything.
Speaking on behalf of the Fed, and all major central banks, the Bank of England wrote in Money Creation in the Modern Economy (2014): “(B)ank lending creates deposits. At that moment, new money is created. (This is) ‘fountain pen money,’ created at the stroke of bankers’ pens(.)”
Annual M1 and M3 money supply from 1960 to 2024 are displayed below, as sourced from the OECD. M3 starts to take off from the mid 1990s. Both blast off in the early 2020s, M1 in part due to redefinition. Combined growth was: Sum 533 percent; Ave 8.3 percent; Max 126 percent; Min -6.4 percent; and CAGR 7.4 percent.
Gold inflation 101
Christian economist Gary North points out in Honest Money (2011) that businesses have three choices in the face of money inflation: A) profit deflation; B) price inflation; C) quality shrinkflation. Investors have a fourth: D) gold inflation. A, B, and C are all bad options. D is good.
The chart below shows cumulative annual growth of gold versus M1 and M3. Gold performs and protects against both M1 and M3 from 1974 to 2019, even in 2001, but not against M1 from 2020 to 2024. In 2019, gold had a 150 percent lead on M1 and 92 percent on M3. By 2022, it shrunk to -110 percent and 80 percent.
Cumulative yearly growth (percent).
Sources: OECD and World Bank.
A 2020 regression study found: “When the Federal Reserve increases money supply by 1%, gold prices increase by 0.94%.” A 2023 academic paper: “Confirms a long-term relationship between gold price and US M2.” Note that M1’s 2021 redefinition has now made it nearly identical to M1.
Period yearly change (percent).
Sources: OECD and World Bank.
However, the authors of Austrian School for Investors (2015) wrote: “Gold does not correlate with the rate of inflation as such, but with the rate of change of the inflation rate. In order to buttress this hypothesis, we calculated the regression depicted in (the chart below).”
Source: Austrian School for Investors: Austrian Investing between Inflation and Deflation.
In conclusion, as per my Wokenomics 101 (2023) ghost blog, money inflation by: “increasing demand puts upward pressure on price and quantity and downward pressure on quality.” That puts upward pressure on: nominal CPI and GDP statistics; as well as real gold investment and price.
Inflation doesn’t harm all. It helps some. They are the “Bootleggers and Baptists,” as Public Choice economist Bruce Yandle dubbed them in 1983. Bootleggers are crony capitalists, politicians and bureaucrats whose inflated revenue outpaces costs. Baptists are the “useful idiots.”
Thus, “Follow the Money” back to the “inflationistas” of: Big Business; Big Government; and Big Banks. All gain supernormal profits from easy money: one, making more money; two, collecting more money; and three, creating more money. Also, “Follow the Money” when it comes to gold.
And, sadly, there is one policy that is always bipartisan; print more money. But, gladly, gold will always win.
About Darren Brady Nelson
Darren Brady Nelson is chief economist with Fisher Liberty Gold and policy advisor to The Heartland Institute. He previously was economic advisor to Australian Senator Malcolm Roberts. He authored the Ten Principles of Regulation and Reform, and the CPI-X approach to budget cuts.
Pacgold: Advancing the Alice River Gold Project in Northern Queensland with Tier 1 Discovery Potential
Pacgold (ASX:PGO) is an Australian gold exploration company advancing the high-potential Alice River Gold Project in Northern Queensland. Led by a technically driven and experienced team with proven success across exploration, resource development, and capital markets, Pacgold is applying a systematic, discovery-focused approach to unlock the project’s value.
The company holds a dominant 377 sq km land package, including eight mining leases, along the highly prospective Alice River Fault Zone (ARFZ) — a major structural corridor interpreted to host an intrusion-related gold system analogous to globally significant deposits such as Fort Knox (USA) and Hemi (WA).
The Alice River Gold Project is a large-scale, greenstone-hosted gold system located in Northern Queensland, centered along the regionally significant Alice River Fault Zone (ARFZ). The project covers 377 sq km of contiguous tenure, including eight granted mining leases.
Pacgold controls over 30 km of strike length along the ARFZ — a major crustal-scale structure that has only recently been the focus of systematic exploration using modern techniques, offering significant untapped discovery potential.
Company Highlights
- District-scale Discovery Potential: Pacgold controls more than 377 sq km of tenure and more than 30 km of strike length across the Alice River Fault Zone (ARFZ), a fertile, underexplored structural corridor in Northern Queensland.
- Maiden Resource: In May 2025, the company published a 474,000 oz gold mineral resource estimate (MRE), covering just five percent of the total strike, confirming high-grade mineralization and strong potential for expansion.
- Aggressive Exploration Strategy: More than 10,000 metres of RC drilling campaign is underway, complemented by air-core and diamond programs, aimed at growing the Central Zone resource and testing multiple regional targets.
- Attractive Valuation Entry: With a market capitalization of just ~AU$10 million and an EV of AU$8.5 million (as of Q1 2025), Pacgold provides a low-cost entry into a potentially Tier 1 gold system.
- Experienced Leadership: The board includes proven mine developers and discovery geologists with prior success at Chalice, AngloGold Ashanti, BHP and Sibanye-Stillwater.
This Pacgold profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*
Click here to connect with Pacgold (ASX:PGO) to receive an Investor Presentation
High-Grade Gold Discovery in First 8 Mile Drill Hole
- First RC hole at 8 Mile discovers high-grade gold and ends in mineralisation
- 8 Mile gold mineralisation extends 75m north of tenement boundary
The 8 Mile target is located within the Gidji JV Project (“Gidji” or “the Project”), approximately 15 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie and surrounded by multiple gold mining and processing operations, including Northern Star Resources Limited’s (“NST”) Kalgoorlie gold operations (Figure 1).
The 8 Mile Target is located immediately adjacent to NST’s “8-Mile Dam” gold deposit which, according to the most recent publicly available data, contains an estimated 7Mt @ 1.4g/t Au for 313,977 ounces1.
A limited number of fast-tracked results from the first RC hole, GJRC029, show a wide zone of gold mineralisation with a similar tenor to 8 Mile Dam (18m @ 0.94g/t Au from 480m including 1m @ 6.04g/t Au), approximately 75m north of the tenement boundary, and ended in mineralisation (3m @ 0.52g/t Au).
The Company is awaiting assay results from the remainder of the hole which are expected in 2-3 weeks.
Miramar’s Executive Chairman, Mr Allan Kelly, said the Company was excited to see gold mineralisation continuing onto Miramar’s ground for a significant distance.
“This is the first time we have discovered significant gold mineralisation on our side of the fence, even though the drill hole didn’t end up exactly where we planned it to. The flip side of this is that we have extended the strike of gold mineralisation for over 100m on to our tenements,” he said.
“We’ve also demonstrated a relationship between the IP anomalism and gold mineralisation, which makes the other IP anomalies we have outlined at Gidji even more prospective,” he said.
Figure 1. The Gidji JV Project and 8-Mile Dam in relation to Kalgoorlie and surrounding deposits.
GJRC029 aimed to test an Induced Polarisation (IP) anomaly on the tenement boundary interpreted to represent the sulphide-rich gold mineralisation seen at the neighbouring 8 Mile Dam Deposit.
GJRC029 was collared approximately 10m north of the tenement boundary and mirrored MPGD008, a diamond hole drilled down-dip approximately 40m south of the tenement boundary by KCGM in 2013 and which intersected significant gold mineralisation related to the 8 Mile mafic unit.
Unfortunately, GJRC029 deviated significantly from the planned azimuth and, as a result, by the time the hole was terminated at the target depth of 504m, the drill trace ended up approximately 75m north of the tenement boundary (Figure 2). Despite this, the hole intersected a thick section of the steep westerly- dipping and highly altered 8 Mile mafic unit with widespread sulphide mineralisation, including disseminated magnetite and coarse-grained arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite, similar to the 8 Mile Dam Deposit (Figure 3).
Based on visual logging of RC drill chips, handheld portable XRF results and magnetic susceptibility measurements, samples from the bottom 56m of the hole were sent for priority analysis by fire assay at Bureau Veritas in Kalgoorlie.
The results from these initial samples confirm the relationship between the gold mineralisation and sulphides, and a relationship between the best gold mineralisation and coincident magnetic anomalism and elevated Arsenic as measured by handheld portable XRF. The first results also confirm that the IP anomaly is associated with potentially significant gold mineralisation, whilst the significant deviation of GJRC029 away from the planned target increases the potential strike length of gold mineralisation on Miramar’s ground.
Significant results are listed in Table 1, with assay results from the remainder of the hole expected in coming weeks.
The initial RC drilling programme, which also tested two other IP targets, is nearing completion and results will be reported once received and compiled.
Once all assays are received, the Company will plan further RC and/or diamond drill holes including to test the dip and strike extent of the mineralisation intersected in GJRC029.
The Company advises that the WA Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration (DMPE) has extended the main Gidji JV tenement, E26/214, for a further five years, and will now expire in March 2030.
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This article includes content from Miramar Resources Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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