Standout intercepts include 1m at 235 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, determined from bulk leach extractable gold (BLEG) testing which has confirmed and often upgraded earlier fire assays, alongside other and broader zones such as 4m at 70g/t gold.
Metallurgical results also underscore the deposit’s appeal, with column leach tests yielding up to 93% gold recoveries on weathered ore at coarse crush sizes, which Marmota believes will support its concept of efficient heap leach gold extraction without complex infrastructure.
The Aurora Tank deposit is complemented by four more currently-known gold deposits in the adjacent Golden Moon JV deposits, which are 90% held by Marmota’s subsidiary Half Moon Pty Ltd, with Coombedown Resources retaining a 10% interest and free-carry to a mining decision.
Marmota manages exploration and development across the Golden Moon JV tenements, enabling coordinated strategies across its areas of interest.
Recent maiden drilling at its adjacent Greenewood and Mainwood deposits has delivered impressive near-surface high-grade gold results which include 24m at 12g/t gold from 20m, 28m at 5.6g/t from 24m and 28m at 6.4g/t from 44m.
Campfire Bore recently added further excitement, also turning out near-surface bonanza gold results with 1m at 107g/t gold from 57m, alongside multiple hits over 20g/t and 13 new intercepts over 10 g/t gold which including 5m at 12g/t, 3m assaying 11g/t and 3m at 10g/t gold.
The Golf Bore prospect comprises the final element of the four known Golden Moon JV mineralised zones. It sits about 12km northwest of Aurora Tank and remains underexplored but aligns with the arcuate mineralised trend across the northern part of the company’s extensive licence holdings.
Further afield, Marmota also holds 100% gold rights at the West Gawler Craton JV’s Monsoon and Typhoon prospects, rounding out a spectacular portfolio that appears to be primed for synergies in logistics and scale.
In a related and very timely move, Marmota appointed senior metallurgist Paul Richardson as Gawler Gold Project manager on 17 October.
With 36 years in mining and processing—including general manager roles at Mount Gibson Gold and Pacmin Mining and expertise in heap leach and feasibility studies, Richardson will drive Aurora Tank and the broader arc towards production.
Marmota’s mine planning milestone is already building a new level of momentum for the company’s Gawler Craton assets.
The venture will capitalise on the projects’ consistently high-grades, sweetened by numerous bonanza gold hits, strong metallurgical recoveries and close proximities between multiple deposits.
As resource definition wraps up, successful optimisations and sharp planning could fast-track scoping and feasibility work and further enhance the project’s development profile in the prevailing high gold price climate and Marmota might just find itself making that leap from explorer to developer…..and soon.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au
