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WA-focused gold explorer, Kalgoorlie Gold Mining (ASX:KAL) (‘KalGold’ or ‘the Company’), is pleased to announce the first JORC (2012) Mineral Resource at the La Mascotte gold deposit within the Bulong Taurus project, 35km to the east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
Highlights
- La Mascotte is one of the few outcropping gold deposits in the Eastern Goldfields
- First ever La Mascotte JORC (2012) Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of:
- 3.61 Mt @ 1.19 g/t Au for 138,000 oz (0.6 g/t cut-off)
- Resource is estimated above the 220 mRL, or to a depth of ~140 m below surface on a granted mining lease
- Modelled resource footprint measures 700 m north-south by 500 m east-west, with multiple stacked mineralised horizons demonstrating a total sectional thickness of up to ~175 m
- Mineralisation remains open below 220 mRL at several target areas
- Potential for significant resource growth and upgrade with additional drilling
- KalGold direct expenditure cost of only ~A$5 per gold ounce (including drilling and assays)
The JORC (2012) Mineral Resource Estimate at La Mascotte has been estimated at:
3.61 Mt @ 1.19 g/t Au for 138,000 oz at a 0.6 g/t cut-off (Inferred).
This includes a higher-grade component of 1.35 Mt @ 1.92 g/t Au for 83,000 oz at a 1.0 g/t cut-off.
KalGold Managing Director and CEO Matt Painter said:
“The definition of 138,000 oz of gold from surface only 35km east of Kalgoorlie Boulder is a major milestone in KalGold’s short history. It reinforces our objective of discovering and defining gold resources in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia.
“La Mascotte is one of the few remaining outcropping gold deposits in the Eastern Goldfields. This initial JORC (2012) Mineral Resource Estimate highlights our cost-efficient approach to building a mineral resource base and strengthens KalGold’s credentials as a highly effective gold discovery company. For example, the incorporation of historic drill data into this JORC (2012) Mineral Resource Estimate has saved the Company $1.6 million in drilling-related costs, delivering a realised discovery cost of only $5/oz.
“With gold mineralisation remaining open at depth, KalGold will progress the La Mascotte mineral resource with additional work. We look forward to updating investors on our progress throughout CY2023.”
The La Mascotte Gold Deposit
The La Mascotte gold deposit is one of the few remaining outcropping gold deposits near Kalgoorlie- Boulder in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Located less than 35km east of the city on the sealed Bulong Road, the deposit can be accessed within 30 minutes’ drive from Kalgoorlie.
Figure 1 – Location map, showing the La Mascotte deposit 35km east of Kalgoorlie and gold plants nearby. Projection GDA94 MGA Zone 51.
La Mascotte is located within the (historic gold rush era) Taurus Goldfield, immediately to the east of the Bulong Goldfield. Geologically, the deposit is hosted by a deformed, metamorphosed, felsic-intermediate volcanosedimentary sequence locally intruded by ultramafic to felsic porphyry pods and dykes. This sequence is juxtaposed against a nickel-mineralised ultramafic sequence to the west and north. Separating these sequences is the regionally extensive, deformed Goddard Fault. KalGold believes this fault to be the controlling structure for gold mineralisation throughout the Taurus Goldfield. Further south along strike, this hosts the high-grade Daisy Milano gold mine operations in the Mt Monger Goldfield.
Although outcrop at La Mascotte is poor, gold-mineralised quartz veining and altered felsic-intermediate volcaniclastic rocks are evident as subcrop and float over several hundred metres (Figure 3). Gold nuggets have also been recovered by our prospector partners over the area (Figure 4). Furthermore, shallow excavations in these areas exhibit a prevailing shallow westerly dip of strata, foliation, and veining.
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This article includes content from Kalgoorlie Gold Mining 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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Kalgoorlie Gold Mining
Investor Insight
Kalgoorlie Gold Mining offers investors a compelling proposition through its strategic focus on low-cost gold exploration in Western Australia's prolific Eastern Goldfields, highlighted by its Lighthorse high-grade gold discovery at the Pinjin project.
Overview
Kalgoorlie Gold Mining (ASX:KAL) is a technically driven explorer targeting multi-million-ounce gold systems in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. Through rigorous geophysical interpretation, structural targeting, and systematic drilling, the company is applying modern techniques to historically overlooked terranes. Its focus is on discovering concealed gold deposits beneath shallow cover by leveraging a proven methodology that includes geophysical analysis, geochemistry, aircore reconnaissance and RC follow-up drilling.
At the heart of this strategy is the flagship Pinjin project, located along the underexplored southern extension of the Laverton Tectonic Zone, a prolific gold-bearing structure responsible for over 30 Moz of historical production from mines such as Sunrise Dam, Granny Smith and Wallaby. Positioned just 20 km north of Ramelius Resources’ Rebecca gold project, Pinjin is ideally situated in a district that has seen limited modern exploration. Kalgoorlie Gold has already delivered a maiden JORC 2012 inferred resource of 76,400 oz (2.34 Mt @ 1.0 g/t gold) at the Kirgella Gift and Providence prospects. These results confirm the presence of shallow mineralization and validate the company’s targeting model. Numerous structural targets have been identified throughout the project area, the majority of which remain untested.
Within Pinjin, the Light Horse Discovery is the company's highest-impact target, where RC drilling has confirmed thick, high-grade mineralization in altered mafic volcanics. The discovery validates Kalgoorlie Gold’s undercover targeting model and is being advanced toward a maiden resource.
Complementing this is the Bulong Taurus project, 35 km east of Kalgoorlie, which hosts the La Mascotte deposit with a JORC inferred resource of 138,000 oz gold (3.61 Mt @ 1.19 g/t). The project includes historic workings and satellite prospects within a structurally favorable corridor. While a secondary focus, heritage approvals are underway to enable follow-up drilling and assess near-term development potential.
To date, Kalgoorlie Gold has tested only around 10 percent of its known targets but has already encountered mineralization in roughly half of them – an exceptional hit rate that underscores the strength of its approach. As the company ramps up its exploration programs, it is positioning itself as one of the most compelling early-stage gold discovery stories in the Australian market.
Company Highlights
- District-scale Positioning: Kalgoorlie Gold controls an expansive, underexplored land package in the Laverton Tectonic Zone, south of major operations like Sunrise Dam and Wallaby and just 20 km north of the planned Rebecca gold mine.
- Lighthorse Discovery: Thick, high-grade gold intercepts under shallow cover confirm a significant greenfields discovery, with potential for resource definition and scale.
- JORC Resource Established at Pinjin: An initial 76,400 oz gold resource at Kirgella Gift and Providence validates the company’s targeting strategy.
- Systematic Exploration Success: >10 targets tested, ~50 percent hit rate with anomalous high-grade gold. Over 90 percent of the company’s target inventory remains untested.
- Experienced Leadership: Matt Painter, managing director, brings deep structural geology expertise and a strong history of generating successful exploration targets globally.
- Favorable Market Tailwinds: With gold trading near all-time highs, Kalgoorlie Gold offers leveraged upside through discovery-driven valuation re-rates.
Key Projects
Pinjin Project
The Pinjin project covers more than 350 sq km and is situated within the southern extension of the Laverton Tectonic Zone, a crustal-scale shear corridor accounting for >30 Moz of historical production. Despite its proximity to major mines, this southern area has seen minimal modern exploration.
Kalgoorlie Gold’s initial focus has been the Kirgella Gift and Providence prospects, where the company defined a JORC 2012 inferred resource of 2.34 Mt @ 1.0 g/t Au for 76,400oz. This estimate was derived from near-surface RC drilling down to ~100 metres, with mineralization remaining open at depth and along strike.
The company has also acquired geophysical datasets and conducted interpretation work to identify additional structural corridors and dilation zones likely to host mineralization. These were validated by soil sampling, structural mapping and aircore drilling. Work completed to date includes more than 16,000 metres of drilling, extensive geological mapping, and data reinterpretation, while upcoming plans involve deeper drilling, geophysics to enhance target definition, and continued aircore programs to expand the exploration footprint.
Lighthorse Discovery
The Lighthorse prospect, situated within the greater Pinjin project area, represents Kalgoorlie Gold’s most promising greenfields discovery to date. Discovered beneath shallow cover using the company's rigorous targeting methodology, Light Horse has yielded multiple thick, high-grade intercepts, confirming the presence of a significant mineralized system. RC drilling has returned standout results such as 2.2 g/t gold over 23 metres, 3.1 g/t gold over 14 metres, and 6.5 g/t gold over 7 metres. These intercepts occur in altered mafic volcanics and are interpreted to represent a robust gold system with potential for lateral and vertical continuity. The discovery validates Kalgoorlie Gold’s structural targeting model and supports the thesis that the region may host not just a single deposit, but a larger gold field. Currently, Lighthorse is the highest-priority drill target in the company’s pipeline. Near-term plans include further RC step-out and infill drilling to define mineralized zones, downhole geophysics to guide targeting of high-grade shoots, and eventual metallurgical sampling. A maiden resource is anticipated following the next phase of drilling, with the potential to rapidly advance toward scoping studies in 2026.
Bulong Taurus Project
Located just 35 kilometres east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, the Bulong Taurus project offers near-term optionality and brownfields upside. The project hosts the La Mascotte deposit, which contains a JORC 2012 inferred mineral resource of 138,000 oz at 1.19 g/t gold. This outcropping resource is located within the historical Taurus Goldfield and is surrounded by a suite of satellite targets, historical workings and underexplored geophysical anomalies. The geology is characterized by a mix of felsic and mafic volcaniclastic units, cut by northeast-trending structures favorable for gold deposition. Kalgoorlie Gold has undertaken mapping, sampling and historical data reprocessing to refine targeting, and is currently working with Traditional Owners to secure heritage clearances for further exploration. Planned future activities at Bulong Taurus include RC drilling to test extensions of La Mascotte, soil and geophysical surveys across adjacent prospects, and evaluation of development or joint venture options depending on resource scale and continuity. While not the company’s primary focus, Bulong Taurus offers strategic exposure to additional ounces near existing infrastructure.
Management Team
Dr. Matt Painter – Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Matt Painter is a geologist with over 25 years of experience in mineral exploration and project development. He holds a BSc (Hons) and a PhD in geology. Before joining Kalgoorlie Gold Mining, Painter served as general manager of exploration at Ardea Resources Limited, where he played a pivotal role in advancing the company's gold and nickel projects. His expertise lies in structural geology and the discovery of concealed mineral systems, which is instrumental in driving Kalgoorlie Gold Mining's exploration strategy.
Graeme Smith – Chief Financial Officer & Company Secretary
Graeme Smith brings more than 30 years of financial and corporate governance experience to Kalgoorlie Gold Mining. He holds a Bachelor of Economics and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries, a Fellow of CPA Australia, and a Fellow of the Chartered Secretaries Australia. Smith has held senior financial roles across various ASX-listed companies, providing strategic financial oversight and ensuring compliance with corporate regulations.
Pauline Gately – Non-executive Chair
Pauline Gately is an accomplished non-executive director with over a decade of board experience across the mining, financial technology and consumer goods sectors. Her board contributions are underpinned by 20 years in investment banking, encompassing senior roles in investment strategy, economics and funds management. Gately is a graduate and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds a BA (Hons) in Economics and a Graduate Diploma in Accounting. She also serves as a non-executive director of Ardiden Limited.
Andrew Penkethman – Non-executive Director
Andrew Penkethman is a geologist with more than 25 years of technical and corporate experience in the resources sector. He has worked across exploration, feasibility studies, and operations within Australia and internationally. Penkethman is currently the managing director and CEO of Ardea Resources, bringing valuable insights into project development and strategic planning to the board of Kalgoorlie Gold Mining.
Scott Herrmann – Exploration Manager
Scott Herrmann oversees Kalgoorlie Gold’s exploration programs across its project portfolio. With a strong background in geology and mineral exploration, Herrmann plays a critical role in target generation and drill program execution, contributing to the company's discovery success.
Unlocking gold deposits hidden under shallow cover in the heart of Western Australia’s Eastern Goldfields
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