Critical Resources has kicked off its gold hunt in New Zealand with a bang, bagging high-grade rock-chip assays up to 5.42 grams per tonne gold (g/t) at its Lammerlaw gold project in Central Otago. This impressive initial result has flowed from a low-cost, first-pass surface campaign designed to ground-truth three of the company's priority structural targets. It's a result that's already generating excitement, and the company doesn't expect it to be a one-off.

The company's managing director, Tim Wither, said the first-pass results provide strong field support for the Devils Creek target and confirm gold mineralisation associated with the historic hard-rock workings. The targeted rock-chip sampling program focused on historical workings at Devils Creek delivered a headline assay of 5.42g/t gold from an old-timer's adit. They're pleased with the results, and it's clear that the team's hard work is paying off.

Further underscoring the broader potential of the system, a series of nearby rock-chip samples collected along the interpreted strike of the veining returned results of 1.63g/t gold, 1.45g/t gold and 0.48g/t gold. Soil geochemistry at the prospect indicates the mineralised system remains open along strike, with hand auger sampling revealing highly anomalous, 757 parts per million arsenic values in the primary zone. This isn't a small find, and the company's expectations are high.

These first-pass results provide strong field support for the Devils Creek target and confirm gold mineralisation associated with the historic hard-rock workings.

  • Tim Wither, Managing Director of Critical Resources

The soil program successfully illuminated an entirely separate, previously untested geophysical target, mapping out a brand-new 600-metre-long arsenic soil anomaly that had completely evaded historical exploration. In tandem with standard exploration methods, the company trialled an innovative trace-element catchment-water sampling technique across 15 streams. They didn't expect to find something so significant, but they're glad they did.

The highly sensitive geochemical survey found dissolved arsenic pathfinders at Devils Creek and flagged a string of additional, unmapped catchments. Critical says given the technique's success, it will now rapidly roll out this ultra-low-cost screening protocol across its entire 1694-square-kilometre New Zealand exploration footprint. They won't be slowing down anytime soon, and they're keen to see what else they can find.

While Lammerlaw has taken centre stage for now, Critical is also keeping busy on its other multi-commodity projects. Regional tungsten and gold-antimony assay results from its nearby Croesus project are due next month, and the exploration junior is advancing desktop reviews at its Silver Peaks and Tokomairiro projects. They're not putting all their eggs in one basket, and they're exploring multiple options.

The company is also designing a follow-up drill program at its Cap Burn gold asset and progressing fieldwork at its flagship Mavis Lake lithium project in Ontario, Canada. Next-stage exploration programs at Devils Creek will focus on detailed structural mapping, channel rock-chip sampling and infill soil geochem to trace the open-ended strike extensions. They're taking a careful approach, and they don't want to miss anything.

The company will also conduct further soil sampling, rock chipping and mapping to identify the bedrock source of the freshly discovered 600-metre anomaly. If the early surface results are anything to go by, Critical may have arrived in New Zealand's historic Otago goldfields at exactly the right time, with multiple mineralised structures already emerging from low-cost reconnaissance work and not a single drill hole yet punched into Devils Creek. They're in a good position, and they're hoping to make the most of it.

  • Critical Resources has made a significant gold discovery in New Zealand, with assays up to 5.42g/t.
  • The find has major implications for the company's Lammerlaw project.
  • The company's managing director, Tim Wither, said the first-pass results provide strong field support for the Devils Creek target.
  • The company will now rapidly roll out an innovative trace-element catchment-water sampling technique across its entire 1694-square-kilometre New Zealand exploration footprint.
  • Next-stage exploration programs at Devils Creek will focus on detailed structural mapping, channel rock-chip sampling and infill soil geochem to trace the open-ended strike extensions.