In a significant step forward for its Western Australian gold ambitions, Augustus Minerals has received crucial heritage approval, clearing the final statutory hurdle to begin its first-ever drilling campaign at the Music Well project.
Heritage Survey Paves the Way for Drilling
The company successfully completed a heritage survey in partnership with the Watarra Aboriginal Corporation, acting on behalf of the Darlot People. This green light removes the last major obstacle, allowing Augustus to mobilise drill rigs onto the site. The company's exploration general manager, Andrew Ford, confirmed that with the Heritage Survey Report now in hand, site preparation can be finalised and a drill rig scheduled.
Focus on the High-Priority Clifton East Target
The initial reverse circulation (RC) drilling program is slated to commence within the next fortnight. It will focus on the high-priority Clifton East gold prospect, a compelling 1.2-kilometre-long soil and structural anomaly. The plan involves approximately 1000 metres of drilling across 11 holes, with each hole averaging a depth of around 100 metres.
This target is geologically promising, featuring multiple parallel and oblique quartz veins within a major east to east-northeast trending fault system. It is also situated adjacent to a significant lithological contact between high- and low-magnetic granitoids – a classic setting for gold deposition where large structures channel mineralising fluids. Previous rock-chip sampling by Augustus in the area has already returned high-grade results, including assays of 50.3g/t, 29.8g/t, and 21.3g/t gold.
Positioned in a Premier Gold District
The 1345-square-kilometre Music Well project is strategically located about 35 kilometres north of Leonora, squarely within Western Australia's world-class Leonora-Laverton greenstone belt. This district has a formidable production history, having yielded more than 28 million ounces of gold over time. Augustus's land package is one of the largest exploration holdings in the region and is considered prospective not only for gold but also for gold-copper VMS deposits, lithium, and rare earths.
The upcoming drilling follows a successful 1175-hole auger drill program conducted in mid-November last year, which collected soil samples over several prospects including Clifton-Dodds, St Patricks, and Golden Dingo. Those results expanded known geochemical footprints and helped sharpen the company's focus on Clifton East for scout drilling. Notably, the nearest historical drilling lies 5km to the west, meaning the Clifton East gold anomalism remains completely untested below the surface.
The maiden RC program is expected to take about three months to complete. Following this, Augustus plans a phase two soil sampling campaign to further refine and expand its pipeline of drill targets across the broader project area. With heritage clearance secured and encouraging surface geochemistry, the Music Well project is poised for an active and potentially transformative start to 2026.
