GoldArc Confirms Blind Gold Vein System at Depth Beneath Whistler Zone 2
Key Takeaways
- GoldArc's second-round RC program confirmed a genuinely blind gold system at Whistler Zone 2, with lead intercept NIC121 returning 2m @ 4.12g/t Au from 70m, including 1m @ 5.22g/t Au — ground that had never been drill-tested before this program.
- The mineralisation carries pathfinder geochemical signatures — silver, arsenic, bismuth, cerium, tungsten, and strong europium enrichment — pointing to an active mineralising system beneath the surface, not an isolated anomaly.
- Zones 1 and 4 at Whistler remain completely untested by RC drilling, meaning the discovery announced today represents only a fraction of the total target inventory at Leonora South.
- GoldArc's total JORC resource base stands at 200,014oz Au across 3.44Mt @ 1.82g/t, and Whistler adds genuine discovery optionality on top of that defined base rather than replacing it.
- Follow-up tighter-spaced RC drilling around Zone 2 is the immediate next catalyst, with the company also running a 6,600m RC program at Mt Stirling and follow-up drilling at Yttria's two newly defined gold corridors simultaneously.
GoldArc confirms blind gold vein system beneath Whistler Zone 2
GoldArc Resources has confirmed a blind, previously untested gold system at depth beneath Whistler Zone 2, part of the Leonora South Gold Project. This mineralisation has no surface expression and no history of drill testing before this second round reverse circulation (RC) program.
The lead intercept: NIC121 returned 2m @ 4.12g/t Au from 70m, including 1m @ 5.22g/t Au from 70m. A genuine blind discovery expands the target inventory at Leonora South without disturbing GoldArc’s existing 200,000oz resource base.
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The standout intercepts from round two
The best vein-hosted results (nominal 0.5 g/t Au cut-off, no internal dilution) returned from the ten-hole, 894m program include:
| Hole ID | Intercept | Included High-Grade | Zone | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NIC121 | 2m @ 4.12g/t Au from 70m | 1m @ 5.22g/t Au from 70m | Zone 2 | Plus 2m @ 0.80g/t from 75m; 1m @ 2.27g/t from 82m |
| NIC120 | 2m @ 2.66g/t Au from 63m | 1m @ 4.79g/t Au from 63m | Zone 2 | Plus 1m @ 0.5g/t from 67m; 2m @ 1.61g/t from 70m |
| NIC116 | 1m @ 1.17g/t Au from 31m | — | Zone 3 | Plus 1m @ 0.77g/t from 34m |
| NIC122 | 1m @ 0.84g/t Au from 73m | — | Zone 2 area | — |
| NIC123 | 1m @ 0.97g/t Au from 44m | — | Zone 2 area | Terminated early (bogging) |
What the drilling tested
The program targeted gold anomalies identified in GoldArc’s first round of aircore drilling, within an area of limited historical work and no prior drill testing. Key facts:
- Ten RC holes (NIC118–NIC125) for 894m total.
- All holes drilled at -60° dip toward 289°.
- Most holes re-tested first-round aircore anomalies.
- NIC123 and NIC125 terminated short due to bogging in swelling clays.
Holes NIC117–119 and NIC124 did not return significant gold anomalism.
Why a “blind” gold system matters to investors
A blind gold system is mineralisation with no surface expression. It is invisible to traditional surface sampling and only found by drilling anomalies at depth. The significance of pathfinder elements — silver, arsenic, bismuth, cerium, tungsten — and strong europium enrichment in NIC120 and NIC121 is that these act as geochemical “fingerprints” pointing to a mineralising system.
Blind systems are how genuinely new discoveries are made in mature districts. GoldArc is testing ground others have walked over. This supports the company’s stated discovery-led strategy.
Paul Stephen, Managing Director
“Gold mineralisation intersected in NIC120 and NIC121 confirms a genuinely blind gold system at Whistler, with no surface expression and no history of drill testing before this program. Results like these are exactly why we continue to test our first-round aircore anomalies at depth across Leonora South, and we look forward to tightening the drill spacing around Zone 2 to define its extent.”
How Whistler fits the wider Leonora South story
The four zones identified in the first-round aircore program (reported 10 March 2026) were: Zone 1 (east), Zone 2, Zone 3, Zone 4 (west). Round two followed up Zones 2 and 3. Zones 1 and 4 remain untested by RC.
GoldArc’s total JORC resource base sits at 200,014oz Au across 3.44Mt @ 1.82 g/t (Leonora North & South projects). Whistler adds a fresh discovery target alongside existing resources — optionality on top of a defined base.
Active exploration fronts and next steps include:
- Progress mine planning and updated mining models at Mt Stirling with BML Ventures.
- A 6,600m RC program continuing around the Mt Stirling deposits.
- Follow-up RC drilling at Yttria’s two newly defined gold corridors, testing higher-grade zones at depth and along the open southern strike.
- Tighter-spaced follow-up drilling around Zone 2 at Whistler (E40/415) to define the discovery’s extent.
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What comes next at Whistler
GoldArc will drill Zone 2 on a tighter drill spacing to define the extent of the discovery. Results provide a strong indicator of potentially unrecognised, significant gold mineralisation at Whistler. A growing pipeline of drill-ready targets across an active multi-front program, anchored by a 200,000oz resource base.
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