Panther Metals has announced its maiden high-grade gold resource at the Burtville East project within Western Australia’s Laverton gold belt.
The company revealed a near-surface JORC mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 62,000 tonnes at 4.24 grams per tonne gold for 8400 ounces (oz), split between 6500oz in the indicated category and 1900oz in inferred.
A scoping study is already underway to test the potential of a low-cost, high-grade open pit operation. Panther said preliminary reviews suggest Burtville East could become starter operation with additional upside at depth.
Recent drilling has delivered some promising hits, including 6m at 11.99 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 28m (with 3m at 22.35g/t from 38m) and 11m at 7.72g/t from 27m, with one standout interval grading 35.9g/t gold.
“Exploration across our Laverton gold project continues to deliver, this time with a maiden high-grade resource at Burtville East,” Panther Metals managing director and chief executive officer Daniel Tuffin said.
“This new shallow MRE, within trucking distance of multiple gold processing plants, highlights the quality of the mineralisation and the strong growth potential of Burtville East and the greater LGP (Laverton gold project) area.”
Metallurgical testwork is also in motion, with results from drilling and historical stockpiles due next quarter to guide development plans.
Meanwhile, Panther is expanding its footprint. At the nearby Rainier target, shallow drilling returned 2m at 2.16g/t gold from 12m and 10m at 0.89g/t from 23m, confirming the potential for a second gold-mineralised ultramafic system.
Tuffin said the regional picture adds further weight to Panther’s ambitions.
“Genesis Minerals’ acquisition of nearby Focus Minerals further underscores the strategic value of this substantial 35km-long gold belt,” he said. “With historic and active operations existing to the north and south, our Laverton gold project sits in the middle of an increasingly active and very prospective high-grade gold corridor.”
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