Iceni Gold Hits 54m Gold Zone at Goose Well Pointing to Fault Margin Targets
Key Takeaways
- The maiden diamond drillhole FMDD0058 at Goose Well intersected a headline interval of 20.62m @ 0.45 g/t Au from 208.47m, including a high-grade sub-interval of 0.32m @ 5.97 g/t Au, within a broader ~54m mineralised envelope.
- Results identified a new style of gold mineralisation at Goose Well — quartz veining and silica-carbonate alteration associated with deformed lamprophyres proximal to the Gander Fault, a signature shared by significant Laverton belt deposits including Wallaby and Jupiter.
- The geological model has been refined to focus exploration on the western margin of the Gander Fault, targeting second- and third-order splays and intrusive contacts rather than the fault core itself, giving Iceni clear vectors for its next drill programme.
- Wide-spaced east-west RC transects are in preliminary planning to test continuity and scale along 1.8km of Gander Fault strike within 100% ICL tenure, with multi-element analysis expected mid-September 2026 to further refine targets.
- The Gold Fields Australia Everleigh Farm-In, announced 27 August 2026, is advancing simultaneously and tests the same broader geological system, adding a strategic partner dimension to Iceni's exploration at 14 Mile Well.
Broad gold mineralisation zone intersected at Goose Well
Iceni Gold‘s maiden diamond drillhole at the Goose Well target has returned a broad zone of gold mineralisation with multiple higher-grade intervals, advancing the company’s understanding of one of its priority gold targets. The hole, FMDD0058, was a 362m angled diamond hole targeting the Gander Fault within host monzogranite at the 14 Mile Well Gold Project, located between Leonora and Laverton within the company’s 100% ICL-held ~535km² tenement package.
The headline intercept was 20.62m @ 0.45 g/t Au from 208.47m, including high-grade inclusions of 0.32m @ 5.97 g/t Au from 216.96m, 0.50m @ 2.03 g/t Au from 222m, and 0.46m @ 1.33 g/t Au from 225m. The hole also intersected a broader ~54m low-grade mineralised envelope within altered monzogranite, with multiple high-grade quartz veins associated with lamprophyres immediately west of the Gander Fault.
When big ASX news breaks, our subscribers know first
Key results from FMDD0058
FMDD0058 returned the following significant intercepts (all results are reported as downhole metres; true width has not yet been determined):
- 20.62m @ 0.45 g/t Au from 208.47m (incl. 0.32m @ 5.97 g/t Au; 0.50m @ 2.03 g/t Au; 0.46m @ 1.33 g/t Au)
- 6.97m @ 0.25 g/t Au from 1m (incl. 0.73m @ 1.54 g/t Au from 2.77m)
- 2.00m @ 0.65 g/t Au from 109m (incl. 1m @ 1.09 g/t Au from 109m)
- 32.67m @ 0.15 g/t Au from 28m
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Interval (m) | Au Grade (g/t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FMDD0058 | 1 | 7.97 | 6.97 | 0.25 |
| incl. | 2.77 | 3.50 | 0.73 | 1.54 |
| FMDD0058 | 28 | 60.67 | 32.67 | 0.15 |
| FMDD0058 | 109 | 111 | 2.00 | 0.65 |
| incl. | 109 | 110 | 1.00 | 1.09 |
| FMDD0058 | 208.47 | 229.09 | 20.62 | 0.45 |
| incl. | 216.96 | 217.28 | 0.32 | 5.97 |
| incl. | 222.00 | 222.50 | 0.50 | 2.03 |
| incl. | 225.00 | 225.46 | 0.46 | 1.33 |
The results support two distinct styles of gold mineralisation within the Goose Well Intrusive Complex (GWIC). The first is broad, low-grade stockwork mineralisation hosting higher-grade quartz veins. The second is quartz veining and silica-carbonate alteration developed along north-south trending lamprophyres proximal to the Gander Fault corridor, which the company describes as a new style of mineralisation at Goose Well.
What the Gander Fault model means for Iceni’s exploration strategy
The Gander Fault is a major north-south structural feature that Iceni’s geologists interpret as a primary fluid pathway: essentially a conduit through which gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids moved through the rock system and deposited gold in surrounding host rocks. Understanding where gold settles along that pathway is the key to targeting the next drill holes efficiently.
Previous north-south oriented RC drilling at Goose Well showed gold mineralisation increasing eastwards towards this interpreted structure. That pattern prompted Iceni to make a significant change to its approach, rotating the drill orientation approximately 90 degrees to directly test the Gander Fault and its relationship with the mineralised system. FMDD0058 was the result of that strategic pivot.
The model that has now emerged is an important refinement. Rather than targeting the main fault itself, the results indicate gold was preferentially deposited on the western side of the Gander Fault, within favourable intrusive rocks and second- and third-order splays (smaller branching structures that splay off the main fault). That shifts the exploration focus toward the fault’s margins and associated structures rather than the fault core itself.
Lamprophyres (dark-coloured igneous dykes that intrude existing rock) play an important role in this model. In the Laverton greenstone belt, syenite-hosted gold systems associated with lamprophyres are well documented at deposits including Wallaby, Heffernans, Cameron Well, and Jupiter. The presence of multiple lamprophyre generations at Goose Well, and their association with higher-grade gold veins, reinforces the view that this system shares characteristics with those significant deposits.
Wade Johnson, Managing Director
“The results from FMDD0058 have delivered what we set out to achieve with this diamond hole, being a much better understanding of the geology, structure and distribution of gold mineralisation within the Goose Well Intrusive Complex.
“Importantly, the combined intercepts in the hole intersected a large ~54m mineralised envelope immediately west of the Gander fault, including multiple higher-grade quartz veins associated with deformed and altered lamprophyres. When combined with the structural information from the core, these results have significantly improved our understanding of the relationship between the Gander fault, the intrusive complex, lamprophyres and gold mineralisation.
“What is particularly encouraging is that we now have clearer geological vectors for targeting the system. The Gander Fault is interpreted as an important fluid pathway, with gold mineralisation developed within favourable intrusive rocks and structures which seem to be constrained to the western margin of the fault. This shifts our exploration focus away from simply targeting the main fault and towards the second and third order structures, intrusive contacts and vein systems associated with it. Iceni now has a clear exploration target for our next round of drilling.
“With this new understanding, we can approach the next phase of drilling with greater confidence and a much more targeted strategy along 1.8kms of the Gander Fault within our 100% tenure. Field reconnaissance and planning is underway for east-west oriented drilling to test the continuity and geometry of the gold system and build scale to the mineralisation identified to date.”
The next major ASX story will hit our subscribers first
Next steps: east-west RC drilling to test scale and continuity
Iceni has outlined three key next steps following the FMDD0058 result:
- Multi-element analysis, expected in mid-September 2026, will be integrated with geological, structural, and petrophysical data to further characterise alteration patterns and identify vectors pointing towards gold mineralisation.
- Future targeting will focus on second- and third-order structures (splays) branching off the Gander Fault, particularly where they intersect favourable intrusive contacts, lamprophyres, and zones of increased alteration and quartz veining.
- Wide-spaced east-west oriented RC transects are in preliminary planning to test the continuity, geometry, and scale of gold mineralisation along the Gander Fault corridor. Further diamond drilling is also being considered to support the structural interpretation.
The exploration corridor spans 1.8km of strike length along the Gander Fault within 100% ICL tenure, providing a well-defined area for the next phase of drilling.
Complementing this work is the Gold Fields Australia Everleigh Farm-In announced on 27 August 2026. The Area 1 Everleigh target tests a northeast-trending structural offset of the Bellbird dolerite that trends into the Goose Well intrusion, meaning both programs are advancing the understanding of the same broader geological system simultaneously.
The combination of a defined geological model, clear structural targets along a 1.8km fault corridor, and a complementary strategic programme with Gold Fields positions Iceni for an active next phase of exploration at the 14 Mile Well Gold Project.
Ready to Learn More About Iceni Gold’s 14 Mile Well Gold Project?
The maiden diamond drillhole at the Goose Well target has delivered a refined geological model, identifying gold mineralisation along a 1.8km Gander Fault corridor and pointing to clear structural targets for the next phase of east-west RC drilling.
Explore the full details of Iceni Gold’s exploration strategy and upcoming drill programme by visiting the Iceni Gold (ASX: ICL) investor profile on Discovery Alert.