
July 01, 2024
Multiple Thick Gold Zones in Major New Intrusive Intercept
Tesoro Gold Limited (Tesoro or the Company) (ASX:TSO, OTCQB:TSORF) is pleased to report significant assay results from first-pass drilling of the Ternera East target, which has intercepted a newly identified, thick (+200m), well-mineralised El Zorro Tonalite (EZT) intrusive.
This new discovery (refer Figure 1) is located approximately 300m east of the 1.3Moz Ternera Gold Deposit (Ternera) within Tesoro’s broader El Zorro Gold Project (El Zorro) in Chile.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Hole ZDDH0341 intercepted a newly identified, +200m thick intrusive of EZT, the primary gold host at Ternera.
- The new intrusive body is a potential major fault offset or Ternera ‘repeat’ (Ternera East).
- Two substantial, well-mineralised zones were intercepted in ZDDH0341 including;
- 49.50m @ 0.55g/t Au from 179.00 m, including;
- 15.40m @ 1.21g/t Au from 182.00m; and
- 5.40m @ 2.21g/t Au from 182.0m and;
- 36.00m @ 1.00g/t Au from 281.50m including;
- 17.50m @ 1.91g/t Au from 282.00m
- 7.70m @ 3.64g/t Au from 283.30m
- 2.30m @ 9.50g/t Au from 288.30m
- 49.50m @ 0.55g/t Au from 179.00 m, including;
- Accelerated drilling program in progress to rapidly define the Ternera East target.
Tesoro Managing Director, Zeff Reeves, commented:
“This discovery at Ternera East is one of the most significant results from El Zorro and has the potential to materially change its scale. The identification of this well-mineralised EZT represents a potential uplifted extension or offset of the main Ternera Deposit, which could rapidly add substantial ounces to our existing 1.3Moz Mineral Resource.
“It is an exciting outcome that further validates the targeting model being employed by the Tesoro team at El Zorro. We are now focused on completing additional drilling of the area as quickly as possible to better understand what we have identified at Ternera East.”
Figure 1: El Zorro Gold Project – Ternera area drill locations in current program, location of hole ZDDH0341 within the Ternera East target, and significant results showing areas of open gold mineralisation close to Ternera (refer ASX Announcements 23 March 2021, 25 June 2021, 3 November 2021, 8 November 2022, 18 September 2023, and 13 June 2024). Section location for Figure 2 shown at A-A’ - Datum PSAD56 19S
El Zorro Diamond Drilling Program Delivers Significant New Discovery at Ternera East
An initial diamond drilling program at key target areas within a 1.5 km radius of the existing 1.3 Moz Ternera Deposit is ongoing (refer Figure 1). The program is designed as a first-pass drill assessment of high-priority targets proximate to Ternera, providing the potential for future rapid and shallow additions to the existing Mineral Resource at El Zorro.
These areas include Drone Hill, Buzzard, Ternera East and a direct extension to Ternera. To date, ten holes have been completed in the current program for 2,305m. Hole details are presented in Appendix 1.
At Ternera East, assay results have been returned for hole ZDDH0341(refer Figure 2), which was fast-tracked through the laboratory due to the wide zone of prospective EZT observed in drill core. Significant intercepts for hole ZDDH0341 are presented in Table 1, with full drill hole details in Appendix 1.
Figure 2: El Zorro Gold Project – Ternera East drilling, ZDDH0341 showing significant mineralised zones and location relative to the Ternea Gold Deposit MRE Block Model and USD1800 optimised Pit Shell., looking north. Hole ZDDH0341 was drilled toward 000 and is projected onto section. Previous drilling shown as pale grey drill traces. Refer ASX announcement 6 December 2021 for hole ZDDH0223 results.
ZDDH0341 was drilled to a final downhole depth of 400.15m and intercepted several small EZT dykes from near surface to 178.70m downhole. These dykes returned zones of sporadic gold mineralisation. Between 178.70m to 390.85m downhole, a thick body of EZT was intercepted containing two main zones of gold mineralisation.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Tesoro Gold Ltd, 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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Despite its rich mining legacy, New Zealand remains one of the most underexplored frontiers for gold in the developed world. Now, with advanced exploration tools and a new generation of explorers, the country is emerging as a hotbed of untapped investment opportunity.
Modern exploration activities and promising geologies across the country may offer indications of where New Zealand’s next big gold discovery could be.
Golden legacy
New Zealand's gold-mining history dates back to the 19th century, with historic rushes in Otago and the Coromandel regions. Two standout deposits have cemented the country's credentials — the Martha mine near OceanaGold's (TSX:OGC,OTCQX:OCAND) Waihi operations, and the Macraes mine in Otago, also operated by OceanaGold. Macraes is the country’s largest active gold mine, producing more than 5 million ounces since 1990. Meanwhile, the Martha underground mine continues to yield ore from epithermal gold-silver veins that were first mined in the 1880s.
These cornerstone projects reflect two dominant geological settings in New Zealand: orogenic gold systems in Otago and epithermal deposits in the North Island. Yet despite this foundation, much of the country's gold-rich terrain remains untouched by modern exploration.
Leveraging underexplored regions
New Zealand’s reputation as a politically stable, low-risk jurisdiction makes it a compelling place for mineral exploration. But it is the vast areas of underexplored ground that are drawing fresh interest.
In particular, Southland and Central Otago have emerged as areas of growing excitement. These southern regions are underlain by the same prospective terranes as the Macraes deposit but have seen limited drilling and modern geophysical work. Sparse population, favorable land access and existing infrastructure further bolster their potential.
These multiple factors — geology, infrastructure and technology — make a compelling proposition for these regions as the likely location for the next generation of new gold discoveries.
Today’s explorers in New Zealand are armed with advanced geophysical surveys, structural modeling and machine learning algorithms that help refine drill targeting and reduce risk.
Companies like Rua Gold (CSE:RUA,OTCQB:NZAUF), Santana Minerals (ASX:SMI) and New Age Exploration (ASX:NAE) are leading the charge. Rua is targeting high-grade epithermal systems in the North Island.
Santana has seen encouraging drill results at its Rise and Shine project in Otago. Meanwhile, NAE is focused on Central Otago and is applying new tools to revisit overlooked terrain.
Investment spotlight: New Age Exploration
NAE is strategically building a district-scale gold exploration presence in New Zealand, underpinned by advanced technical execution and an experienced board. Its focus spans two highly prospective regions: the Otago South gold project and the Marlborough project — both located within historically mineral-rich but underdrilled terrains.
The Otago project lies within the Otago Schist Belt — home to the Macraes mine — a region widely regarded as one of New Zealand’s most underexplored playgrounds for orogenic gold. NAE holds a substantial tenement package exceeding 1,000 square kilometers, covering a contiguous stretch that incorporates priority targets such as Lammerlaw, Otago Pioneer Quartz (OPQ) and Manorburn. These areas were selected based on historic workings, strong soil and rock-chip geochemistry, as well as structural/geophysical anomalies indicative of Macraes-style mineralization.
At Lammerlaw, the company completed five reverse circulation holes (totaling 458 meters) in its maiden drilling program. The campaign successfully intersected sulfide-mineralized shear zones and quartz veining typical of high-grade schist-hosted systems. These results align with regional structural trends, and NAE has prudently secured EP 61110 (Waipori) to expand control along the same structural corridor. Results from this first-phase drilling are pending, with a planned Phase 2 drilling campaign slated for early 2026 — targeting newly defined or previously inaccessible zones.
The broader Otago package also includes the OPQ project, which hosts a 6 kilometer gold-bearing shear zone with surface rock-chip grades exceeding 1.4 grams per tonne gold, and the recent addition of the Manorburn permit (approximately 222 square kilometers) adjacent to Santana Minerals’ Bendigo-Ophir discovery, further expanding NAE’s control to approximately 558 square kilometers in the Otago schist belt.
To complement Otago’s high-grade potential, NAE also secured the Marlborough project, encompassing 499 square kilometers within the Marlborough Schist Belt, considered a structural analogue to Otago but previously underexplored. This project diversifies NAE’s exposure and supports a multi-pronged gold discovery strategy.
Driving NAE’s strategy is chairman Alan Broome AM, a highly regarded figure in the Australian mining industry with more than four decades of experience across mining, technology and government advisory roles. A former director of multiple ASX-listed resource companies, Broome brings deep insight into project development and strategic leadership.
Complementing this is a superb local technical team led by Kerry Gordon, a New Zealand-based geologist with extensive experience in Otago-style gold systems, and James Pope, a structural geologist with a deep understanding of the region’s mineralization controls.
Investor takeaway
With New Zealand on the verge of new and significant gold discoveries, investors looking to evaluate early-stage success in the country’s exploration sector should watch for:
- High-resolution geophysical anomalies aligned with shear zones or known fault systems.
- Soil or rock chip assays that detect gold pathfinders like arsenic, antimony or tungsten.
- Drill intercepts with visible sulfide mineralization or quartz vein textures.
- Permit expansion and land consolidation, which point to long-term development strategy.
- Teams with clear communication and technical expertise — an area where NAE stands out.
With favorable geology, strong project economics and world-class leadership teams, New Zealand is quickly becoming a global focus for orogenic and epithermal gold exploration. For investors seeking discovery-stage exposure with substantial upside, early mover explorers may be writing the next great chapter in the country's gold story.
This INNSpired article is sponsored by New Age Exploration (ASX:NAE). This INNSpired article provides information which was sourced by the Investing News Network (INN) and approved by New Age Exploration in order to help investors learn more about the company. New Age Exploration is a client of INN. The company’s campaign fees pay for INN to create and update this INNSpired article.
This INNSpired article was written according to INN editorial standards to educate investors.
INN does not provide investment advice and the information on this profile should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. INN does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company profiled.
The information contained here is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of securities. Readers should conduct their own research for all information publicly available concerning the company. Prior to making any investment decision, it is recommended that readers consult directly with New Age Exploration and seek advice from a qualified investment advisor.
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