Westgold Resources has revealed significant developments in the Fletcher zone, part of its Beta Hunt gold mine in Western Australia.
The company has defined a new exploration target at the zone, estimating a potential of 1.6–2.1 million ounces (Moz) of gold.
An initial Stage 1 exploration target in the Southern Zone is set at 12–16Mt, with an estimated 0.8–1.2Moz of gold.
The Fletcher zone is situated about 300m from the existing Western Flanks deposit, a known gold-rich area with similar mineralisation patterns.
To speed up resource definition drilling at Fletcher, Westgold has committed three drill rigs to the project.
The first of two company-owned rigs have already arrived at the Beta Hunt site, with regular updates expected during the second and third quarters of the 2025 fiscal year.
“Westgold has moved quickly post-merger to advance opportunities to increase production at Beta Hunt,” Westgold managing director and chief executive officer Wayne Bramwell said.
“Through the release of the Fletcher zone exploration target, Westgold can now articulate what we believe to be the size of the prize, demonstrating both the potential scale and the importance of the Fletcher discovery to the Beta Hunt operation.”
Bramwell said that resource definition will be accelerated at Fletcher.
“The first of two Westgold owned underground drill rigs has arrived on site to complement the existing contract rig with a three-rig program key to enhancing the potential to deliver a maiden resource from the southern zone,” he said.
The Beta Hunt mine, acquired as part of Westgold’s August 2024 merger with Karora Resources Inc., has been a key focus for exploration.
The company also just released its 2024 mineral resource estimate, reporting a 60 per cent increase in group mineral resource estimate from the 2022–23 financial year (FY23) until now at 13.2Moz post-merger and mining depletion.
As of June 30, the company’s total gold mineral resource estimate was at 179Mt at 2.29 grams per tonne of gold for 13.2Moz of gold.
Bramwell said the company is growing both organically and inorganically.
“Drilling investment over FY23 and FY24 has delivered the first increase in Murchison ore reserves since 2017,” he said. “On an inorganic basis the integration of the Southern Goldfields assets has lifted our mineral resource base to 13.2Moz and ore reserves to 3.3Moz.”
Bramwell said Westgold’s resource conversion across the portfolio is their focus and opportunities are abundant.
“The Starlight mine continues to grow in stature, the Bluebird-South Junction complex continues to grow in scale, and through drilling, the emerging Fletcher zone at Beta Hunt will reveal its true potential,” he said.
“On an exploration front, the Higginsville area has seen limited attention for over a decade and is wide open for exploration success.
“Westgold today has 19 drill rigs operating across our portfolio and this investment will continue to unlock value from our 3,200km squared of tenure across two of Western Australia’s most productive goldfields.”
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