Overview
Warriedar Resources (ASX:WA8) is an advanced gold and copper exploration company backed by a highly skilled team of experts, Warriedar maintains an incredibly strong and stable portfolio of gold assets in both Western Australia and Nevada. Between its three projects – Golden Range, Fields Find and Big Springs – it currently holds more than 2 million ounces of high-grade gold resources with blue-sky potential for growth, and a robust pipeline of high-quality drill targets. Warriedar is well-funded for its planned 2024 drill programs focused on rapidly building its gold resources.
Two of its brownfield projects – Golden Range and Fields Find – are located in Western Australia’s Murchison Province, widely known as an active mining and exploration region. Both projects are situated on previously mined and underexplored land, and surrounded by successful, operating gold and base metal mines. Golden Range hosts approximately 950,000 oz gold resource and an existing 800 ktpa processing plant and associated infrastructure (placed on care and maintenance during 2019 by its previous owner). To the east of Golden Range is the Fields Find project, which contains significant levels of gold, copper and nickel.
Warriedar’s Big Springs gold project in Nevada, USA, is adjacent to First Majestic Silver’s Jerritt Canyon gold mine complex, an operating mine with a production history of over 10 Moz gold. Big Springs has an existing resource base of approximately 1 Moz gold within a granted mining licence, surrounded by approximately 93 square kilometers of prime exploration ground prospective for Carlin-style gold.
Warriedar also prides itself on the expertise and experience of its leadership team, driving the company towards successfully achieving its goals and increasing shareholder value. Geophysicist Dr. Amanda Buckingham serves on Warriedar’s board of directors, bringing three decades of experience to her role. Mark Connelly, Warriedar’s non-executive chairman, is a financial and commercial executive with extensive experience in the resource industry. Dianmin Chen, a seasoned mining engineer, completes the complementary skill set of the board.
Company Highlights
Warriedar Resources is an advanced gold and copper exploration company with a portfolio of assets well-positioned to take advantage of the positive gold market.Two of the company’s three projects are located in the Murchison Province of Western Australia.Golden Range, a 945,000-oz gold project with on-site infrastructure that includes an 800-ktpa plant. Fields Find, which hosts the historic Warriedar copper mine.The company also maintains a 1.01-million-ounce gold project in Nevada, USA, known as Big Springs.All three projects are underexplored, with significant resource potential.Warriedar is backed by a highly skilled team with decades of experience and leadership in mining and exploration.The company is expected to have a steady newsflow through 2024, with a well-funded drilling plan aimed at rapidly expanding its gold resource.
Key Projects
Golden Range
Situated in the middle of Western Australia’s highly active Murchison exploration and mining province, the Golden Range project is strategically positioned between several major operating mines and advanced exploration projects. Together with the nearby Fields Find project, it represents a belt-scale opportunity, covering a combined area of 813 square kilometres.
A brownfields project with considerable past exploration and development, Golden Range hosts a gold resource of 945,000 ounces along a dominant central shear corridor. Existing on-site infrastructure includes an 800-ktpa oxide processing plant, which was placed on care and maintenance by the project’s previous owner in 2019. This provides Warriedar with an accelerated, low-capital-intensity pathway to future gold production pending the success of an ongoing exploration program.
Project Highlights:
Untapped Potential: Historical drilling at Golden Range was largely focused on shallow oxide gold in proximity to the existing mill, with an average drill depth of 42 metres. Historical pits on-site range in depth from 20 to 80 metres, with an average depth of 60 metres. This leaves substantial exploration upside for primary gold discoveries both below and along strike from existing shallow open pits.Exploration Results: Warriedar undertook an aggressive exploration program in 2023, which included drilling as well as airborne and ground electromagnetic (EM) surveying at both Golden Range and Fields Find. A total of ~ 36,000m of Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling was completed, resulting in the extension of 5 of the 5 gold Resources drilled (all in Mining Leases) and the advancement of several key Prospects. Importantly, the 2023 work highlighted where the 2024 focus should be – along the main mineralized shear within a 25 km long trend called the Golden Corridor. This trend already hosts 736 koz Au across 6 deposits and 16 historic pits. Results from 2023 and early 2024 included:Ricciardo (RDRC019): 32 m @ 3.59 g/t gold from 148 m (ended in mineralization)Ricciardo (RDRC020): 6 m @ 4.69 g/t gold from 142 mRicciardo (RDRC002): 7 m @ 4.48 g/t from 251 mRicciardo (RDRC031): 11 m @ 3.43 g/t gold from 149 m Windinne Well (WORC056): 4 m @ 5.17 g/t from 52 mAustin (AURC086): 20 m @ 1.98 g/t gold, 7.2 g/t silver, 844 ppm lead from 160 mRothschild (BRRC083): 18 m @ 2.43 g/t gold from 191 mMugs Luck (MLRC209): 8 m @ 2.28 g/t gold from 72 m
The Ricciardo deposit, an existing 476-koz resource in the middle of the Golden Corridor along the main shear. Assay results from drilling undertaken at the Ricciardo deposit confirmed the presence of high-grade shoots below existing oxide open pits and demonstrated the excellent exploration potential for further discoveries at Ricciardo
Current MRE: The current mineral resource estimate for Golden Range is 945 koz contained within 19,429 kt at 1.5 g/t gold:20 koz contained within 282 kt at 2.2 g/t gold measured.441 koz contained within 8,887 kt at 1.5 g/t gold indicated.485 koz contained within 10,080 kt at 1.5 g/t gold inferred. Exploration Roadmap: Warriedar has a clear line of sight on pursuing substantial resource growth and exploration success for its Western Australia projects. The focus during 2024 will be drilling for quality gold ounces to grow existing resources along the Golden Corridor, and drilling for new discoveries along the 70 km shear (ground all held by Warriedar).
Fields Find
The Fields Find Project and the location of key prospects.
Located just to the east of Golden Range, Fields Find is most notable for its highly irregular geology. Due to an intrusive complex within the greenstone sequence, the area is known to contain elevated levels of nickel, copper and gold. Although the brownfields project has been the site of previous exploration, the focus was exclusively on gold with one notable exception.
At Fields Find’s southwest corner stands the historic Warriedar copper mine, which is located at the end of Warriedar’s target zone, known as the Warriedar Corridor. It is also worth noting that the Murchison Province is generally known to be rich in copper with both the Golden Grove and Deflector copper mines in geological proximity.
Project Highlights:
Copper Region: The Murchison province is known for its rich copper resource. Fields Find also encompasses the Warriedar Corridor.Exploration Results: Warriedar carried out a decent exploration program during 2023 which included drilling, airborne and ground-based EM surveying, at Fields Find. Results include:At the Rothschild gold deposit: the main gold lode along the entire strike length of the deposit was extended at depth by 150 m. Assay results included: 18 m @ 2.43 g/t gold from 191 m (BRRC083), 11 m @ 3.39 g/t gold from 197 m (BRRC081).New 2023 airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data covering a substantial part of the tenure which was previously un-flown. Follow-up ground EM identified several well constrained priority 1 targets, ready for drilling. Many of these are located with the layered mafic-ultramafic intrusion (the Fields Find Intrusive Complex).Drilling at Fields Find West confirmed a multi-phase porphyry intrusive system hosting polymetallic mineralisation comprising gold, copper, molybdenum and silver. At the Mopoke Prospect within this porphyry system, assay results returned 4 m @ 5.00 g/t gold from 92 m (MOR005).
Big Springs
Located in the prolific Nevada Gold Trend, the Big Springs Gold Project stands adjacent to First Majestic Silver’s (TSE:FR) Jerritt Canyon Gold Mine Complex, which has a production history of more than 10 Moz gold. The project itself has an existing resource base of roughly 1 Moz gold and is surrounded by approximately 93 square kilometres of exploration ground prospective for Carlin-style gold.
Warriedar is currently collecting the necessary geoscience data to optimise its drill targets while also advancing its exploration permitting. It plans to recommence its drilling program upon approval of expanded permits, with a suitable partner.
The company believes the tenement package offers enormous untapped potential for growth in existing gold resources.
Project Highlights:
Current MRE: The mineral resource estimate for Big Springs is 1,014 koz contained within 15,490 kt at 2 g/t gold:129 koz contained within 860 kt at 4.7 g/t gold measured428 koz contained within 6,000 kt at 2.2 g/t gold indicated459 koz contained within 8,630 kt at 1.7 g/t gold inferred
Management Team
Mark Connelly – Non-executive Chairman
Mark Connelly is a seasoned financial and commercial executive with extensive resource industry experience in management leadership and board roles. His direct operational and capital markets experience spans many jurisdictions including Australia, North America, South America, Africa and Europe.
Connelly’s North American operating and development experience includes several years based in the U.S. working for Newmont Mining, one of the world’s leading gold mining companies. This included extensive exposure to and knowledge of Newmont’s flagship Nevada gold operations.
Connelly also has an outstanding track record of shareholder value growth and realisation, particularly over the last decade. This includes the development and eventual sale of Papillon Resources for approximately US$570 million and the US$597 million consolidation of Endeavour Mining with Adamus Resources.
Amanda Buckinghamn – Managing Director and CEO
Dr. Amanda Buckingham is a geophysicist who has been involved in mineral exploration for 30 years. She co-founded award-winning and industry-leading geophysical consulting firm Fathom Geophysics in late 2007, based in both Australia and the United States.
Buckingham has extensive exploration experience globally. Her early career involved work as a geoscientist and project manager at majors such as Rio Tinto, listed juniors in both Canada and Australia and several years consulting at SRK.
She also co-founded Cygnus Metals (ASX:CY5) and Desert Minerals (ASX:DM1). She is currently a director of several private companies and a research fellow at the University of Western Australia.
Dianmin Chen – Non-executive Director
Dr. Dianmin Chen is a mining engineer with more than 35 years of experience in metal mining. He has held a wide range of roles in the mining industry including technical, production and management positions in Australia, China and Canada.
Chen held executive roles with Sino Gold (general manager), Citic Pacific Mining (chief operating officer), CaNickel (executive director and CEO) and Norton Goldfields (managing director and CEO) and served as a non-executive director for several publicly listed companies in Australia and Canada, including Kalgoorlie Mining, Bullabulling Gold Mines, Sherwin Iron, Norton Goldfields, NKWE Platinum and CuDeco. He is currently a non-executive director of Global Lithium Resources (ASX:GL1).
Chen holds a Bachelor of Engineering in mining, a PhD in mining geomechanics and a WA First Class Mine Manager’s Certificate of Competency.
Stuart Burvill – GM Corporate/General Counsel
Stuart Burvill is a legal, commercial and compliance manager and civil and structural engineer with over 30 years of experience in mining, petroleum, energy, shipbuilding, defence and civil infrastructure development including rail, roads, bridges and tunnels.
Burvill has extensive experience in M&A, corporate and project finance, capital raising, ownership and funding structuring, joint ventures, construction contracts and disputes, corporate governance and administration and enterprise risk management. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons), Bachelor of Laws, MBA and Grad Dip in Applied Corporate Governance.
Graeme Morissey – Chief Financial Officer
Graeme Morissey joins Warriedar from previous director-level roles in the audit divisions of global accounting firms EY, KPMG and Grant Thornton. He has over 15 years of direct experience in servicing clients within the mining exploration and development sector. This includes specific expertise extending across compliance with Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and Department of Mines regulation.
Morissey has also consulted directly with CFOs within the Australian mining sector, which has included optimisation of internal reporting processes on performance, cash flow forecasting, and adherence to budgets. He is a chartered accountant and a fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia.
Morissey holds a Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University in Canada.
David Palumbo – Company Secretary
David Palumbo from Mining Corporate is a chartered accountant and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors with over 14 years of experience across company secretarial, corporate advisory and the financial management and reporting of ASX-listed companies. He currently acts as company secretary for a number of ASX-listed companies and serves on the board of Krakatoa Resources (ASX:KTA) and Kaiser Reef (ASX:KAU).
Steve McMillin – Exploration Manager (Nevada)
Steve McMillin is a highly experienced and well-respected exploration geologist. He has over 35 years of practical mineral exploration experience in the United States, with particular expertise in Carlin-style gold projects in Nevada.
Before joining Warriedar Resources, McMillin was at Jerritt Canyon Gold for seven years, including as chief mine geologist. The producing Jerritt Canyon Gold Mine is located only 20 kilometres away from Big Springs along the same mineralisation trend. During his time there, he led underground near-mine exploration and resource development, helping to discover 12 new economic deposits and develop several.
Prior to 2016, McMillin was chief mine geologist at Fire Creek with Klondex, senior exploration geologist with Midway Gold at the Spring Valley and Pan-Goldrock deposits, senior mine geologist at Jerritt Canyon with AngloGold and Queenstake Resources and project geologist with Newmont Exploration in Nevada.
He is a certified professional geologist with American Institute of Professional Geologists, and member of the Geological Society of Nevada and the Society of Economic Geologists.
Thomas Dwight – Exploration Manager (Western Australia)
Thomas Dwight has worked in mineral exploration for several years across Australia and within multiple commodities. He has previously focused on Western Australia gold exploration, including the development of the Tampia Hill Resource with Explaurum Operations, but also has experience in porphyry copper mineralisation managing exploration for Duke Exploration in Queensland.
During his time in the industry, his focus has been exploration, project development and database management. Dwight holds a Bachelor of Science with Honours from the University of Otago, majoring in geology/earth science.
Peng Sha – Chief Geologist
Peng Sha is a geologist with more than 12 years experience in the exploration and evaluation of copper, gold, lead, zinc, silver, rare earth and lithium mining and exploration projects. He has extensive expertise working with several different deposit types across prospective mining jurisdictions, including Australia, Serbia, China and Latin America.
Sha held senior geologist roles in Global Ore Discovery, Ballarat Gold Mine and AuKing Mining. He was also the exploration manager for Zijin Mining Serbia, where he led the exploration team in the development of annual greenfield and brownfield exploration programmes for world-class porphyry, high and low sulphidation epithermal gold and copper deposits and VMS lead-zinc-silver deposits.
Sha holds a Master of Applied Science, Geology and an Honours Degree in Economic Geology (first class) from James Cook University. He is a member of the Society of Economic Geologists and AusIMM.