Star Minerals has expanded its pipeline of gold growth opportunities after securing a new 219km² exploration project near Merredin in Western Australia (WA).

This move follows the granting of Exploration Licence E70/6810 and the lodgement of an additional licence application, E70/6831, to extend its coverage northwards.

The licences were secured through tenement applications at a relatively low cost.

The area is located around 30km from the Edna May gold processing plant, which is currently in care and maintenance.

Existing regional infrastructure including roads and railways are accessible from the licence area.

Star Minerals managing director Ashley Jones said: “With mining under way at the Tumblegum South Gold Project and due diligence continuing on a range of advanced project opportunities, we are pleased to have secured this new project near Merredin.

“Our initial review of the geology and geophysics has identified several encouraging features that support the project’s potential and provide a strong basis for future exploration.”

Geological interpretation has identified a folded magnetic trend extending over 14km within the tenement, along with multiple structural features described as prospective for gold mineralisation.

The Merredin Project lies within the metamorphosed margin of the Yilgarn Craton, an area considered to host mafic-ultramafic and banded iron formation (BIF) lithologies, rock types associated with known gold deposits in WA.

Limited prior drilling in the area has confirmed the presence of mafic granulite and BIF, although substantial sections are covered by thick granitic sheetwash obscuring basement rocks.

Star Minerals stated that developing the Merredin Project supports its aim to build a portfolio of gold assets alongside mining at the Tumblegum South Gold Project.

The company plans to secure land access and stakeholder agreements, review historic exploration data, identify potential exploration targets, and begin reconnaissance and remote sensing as next steps for the project.

Star Minerals continues to evaluate additional advanced gold projects for acquisition, aiming to maintain a pipeline of exploration and mining assets.

In November last year, the company signed a right-to-mine agreement with mining contractor MEGA Resources and Bain Global Resources for its Tumblegum South project.