Cosmo Metals Confirms Gold Zone 100m Below Previous Hit at Kanowna Shear System
Cosmo confirms broad mineralised zone at Adder, extending Kanowna gold system at depth
Cosmo Metals has confirmed a substantial gold-bearing system at its Adder prospect, with drilling returning 15.1m at 0.35g/t Au from 189.9m and 12m at 0.35g/t Au from 209m within a broader 31.1m at 0.33g/t Au from 189.9m black shale-hosted zone in hole ADRD003. These results confirm mineralisation continuity approximately 100m down dip of previous hole 24KGRC001, which returned 29m at 0.48g/t Au from 87m in 2024. The Kanowna Gold Project sits 13km northeast of Kalgoorlie, adjacent to Northern Star’s +7Moz Kanowna Belle gold mine, with the drilling testing a sparsely explored 2km section of the Kanowna Shear.
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Inside the drilling results along the Kanowna Shear
The Adder program comprised three wide-spaced holes: one standalone RC hole (ADRC001, 192m) and two RC holes with diamond tails (ADRD002 and ADRD003). The standout feature is the scale of the untested strike — negligible drilling exists below 100m vertical across approximately 1.5km of shear between ADRD002 and ADRD003, signalling a large mineralised system with significant exploration upside.
ADRD002, drilled approximately 1.5km northwest of ADRD003, returned no significant intersections in the diamond tail but showed encouraging alteration, veining, and sulphide mineralisation throughout. The RC pre-collar component intersected a mineralised shear zone, returning 2m at 0.31g/t Au from 75m. The diamond tail extended to 228.2m, encountering interbedded black shales with up to 5% pyrite and zones of increased quartz veining associated with shearing, indicating a prospective structural corridor that remains largely untested at depth.
Significant intercepts snapshot
| Hole ID | From (m) | Length (m) | Au (g/t) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADRD003 | 189.9 | 15.1 | 0.35 | Within 31.1m broad zone |
| ADRD003 | 209 | 12 | 0.35 | — |
| ADRD003 | 232.5 | 1 | 0.51 | Basal contact |
| ADRD002 | 75 | 2 | 0.31 | Pre-collar shear zone |
| 24KGRC001 (2024) | 87 | 29 | 0.48 | Prior hole, up-dip |
Intervals calculated using 0.3g/t Au lower cut-off with up to 2m internal dilution. No top-cut applied. Widths are downhole; true widths are not known.
Why down-dip continuity matters for gold explorers
A shear zone is a geological “plumbing system” — a band of intensely fractured and deformed rock that acts as a conduit for gold-bearing fluids moving toward the surface. When explorers talk about “down dip,” they mean following the angle of the structure deeper into the Earth. Confirming mineralisation approximately 100m below a previous intersection signals the system has vertical extent, not just a shallow isolated pocket.
The Adder system sits within the Panglo Basin, where black shales and felsic porphyries create chemical and physical contrasts that trap gold as fluids cool and deposit their metal load. Key ingredients driving the system include:
- Heat source: Scotia-Kanowna Dome granite provides the thermal engine
- Fluid pathway: Kanowna Shear and associated splays channel mineralised fluids
- Trap rocks: Black shales and porphyries create deposition sites where gold precipitates
From an investment perspective, demonstrating scale and continuity is the precursor to targeting higher-grade zones. It de-risks the exploration thesis by confirming the structural architecture exists — the next phase focuses on identifying where grade concentrates within that framework. This progression is typical for early-stage gold exploration in major shear systems.
Management’s read on the discovery
Ian Prentice, Managing Director
“The drilling at the southern end of the Adder prospect adjacent to Kanowna Shear has identified a large mineralised system, confirming the concept that the Kanowna Shear and associated splays are conduits for gold mineralised fluids. Having confirmed the scale potential of the mineralised system, the next steps are to hone in on the structural and lithological traps within this sparsely tested section of the shear with scope to host higher grade mineralisation.”
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What’s next for Cosmo across Kanowna and beyond
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Kanowna drilling review: The company is evaluating recent results to define follow-up drill targets across the greater KGP tenement package, which hosts +8km strike of the Kanowna Shear. Approximately 5.5km has been sparsely tested below 100m vertical, while approximately 2.5km remains effectively untested.
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Bingara soil geochemistry and mapping: Work is commencing in the coming weeks at the Plunkett & Cassidy prospect (Antimony Gully) within the 484.1km² Bingara Gold, Antimony & Copper Project in New South Wales. This program follows up prior surface sampling and aims to define orogenic gold-antimony targets for drill testing.
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Mona prospect drill preparation: Approvals are progressing for the first ever drilling within the 20km long Bingara VMS belt. Historic mullock samples from Mona have returned up to 4.93% Cu, 11.65g/t Au, and 204g/t Ag, with substantial evidence of historic mining activity marking the prospect.
Cosmo is advancing exploration across multiple fronts in Western Australia and New South Wales, with drilling programs at Kanowna targeting depth extensions of known mineralisation whilst Bingara projects advance toward maiden drill testing of gold, antimony, and base metal systems.
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