Cyclone Metals Limited - Creating Additional Value with Gold Targets in Central Otago, New Zealand.
- Noel Ong
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Announcement
Gold Exploration Targets Defined at CLE's Gold Projects NZ - 31 December 2025 (click here to view the announcement)
Cyclone Metals Limited (ASX: CLE) has announced the definition of new gold exploration targets across its wholly owned Waikerikeri (PP60708) and Drybread (PP60707) Prospecting Permits located in Central Otago, New Zealand (Figure 1). The results follow systematic geochemical sampling campaigns aimed at identifying primary gold mineralisation in an area historically dominated by alluvial gold workings.
Figure 1: Location of areas sampled within Drybread (PP60707) and Waikerikeri (PP60708) Prospecting Permits in Central Otago, NZ. (source: CLE)
The Business of Cyclone Metals: Creating Additional Value through Gold Exploration.
Cyclone Metals is advancing early-stage gold exploration within structurally prospective ground in Central Otago. The Company holds a 100% interest in both the Waikerikeri and Drybread permits, which lie proximal to established gold systems, including Santana Minerals’ Rise & Shine project and OceanaGold’s Macraes Flat operation.
These projects are positioned along major regional structures, notably the Dunstan Range Fault, a recognised control on gold mineralisation in the region.
Highlights – New Structurally Controlled Gold Targets Defined
Strong pathfinder element associations, including arsenic, antimony, and tungsten, were recorded, which are considered inconsistent with alluvial gold alone and supportive of orogenic gold mineralisation models (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Gold and Pathfinder geochemical responses overlaid on 390Hz resistivity and Lidar topography imagery over Glassfords & Matakanui areas. (source; CLE)
Multiple priority target areas were identified at Moutere, Matakanui, and Glassfords, while Lauder Station returned weak and discontinuous anomalism and is not considered a current exploration priority (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Gold and Pathfinder geochemical responses overlaid on 390Hz resistivity and Lidar topography imagery at Moutere within Waikerikeri PP60708. (source; CLE)
The sampled areas are located approximately 15 km from Santana Minerals’ Rise & Shine gold system, reinforcing the regional prospectivity of the structural corridor (Figure 4).
Figure 4: Location of granted Cyclone E Prospecting and Exploration Permits in Central Otago, New Zealand. (source: CLE)
Ionic Leach™ geochemical techniques identified responses consistent with structurally controlled gold mineralisation (Figure 5).
Figure 5: Comparison of Gold & Pathfinder responses at Glassfords and Mareburn (source: CLE)
Anomalous gold and multi-element geochemical responses have been identified across both Waikerikeri and Drybread, defining new exploration targets interpreted to be related to primary hard-rock gold systems rather than purely alluvial sources (Figure 6).
Figure 6: Gold and Pathfinder responses along Matakanui traverse (source: CLE)
Leadership Commentary
Cyclone Managing Director, Paul Berend, commented:
“Waikerikeri and Drybread are early-stage exploration project with significant gold mineralisation potential. These initial geochemical results are encouraging and define targets potentially from primary mineralisation which have never previously been identified; whilst there are alluvial gold deposits in the area, the anomalous responses are supported by the multi-element character of the results which is a strong indicator of primary mineral processes and formation of hard-rock gold deposits.”
About the Project – Geochemistry and Structural Context
The exploration strategy was designed around the Dunstan Range Fault, a high-angle reverse or thrust fault comparable to structures hosting the Macraes and Rise & Shine gold systems. Reconnaissance traverses spaced approximately 2 km apart were completed, with follow-up infill sampling conducted where geological and geochemical responses warranted further investigation.
At Glassfords, geochemical responses were associated with the Drybread No. 3 Fault, a basement structure interpreted as a precursor to the Dunstan Range Fault. Gold and pathfinder element anomalies were stronger than those recorded at Cyclone’s Mareburn prospect, where sampling was conducted directly over exposed Macraes-style mineralisation.
At Matakanui, gold responses coincided precisely with the Dunstan Range Fault, while weaker pathfinder responses suggest transported alluvial material contaminated by mineralisation sourced from elsewhere along the structural corridor.
Within the Waikerikeri permit, the Moutere area returned elongate gold and pathfinder anomalies aligned with interpreted basement structures identified in 390 Hz resistivity data. These results are interpreted as geochemical leakage from mineralisation located on or near a concealed structure, potentially representing a continuation of the Drybread No. 3 Fault (Figure 7).
Figure 7: Gold and Pathfinder responses along 4997600mN within the Moutere area of Waikerikeri PP60708. (source: CLE)
Near-term Milestones to Watch
Follow-up geochemical sampling to further refine priority gold targets within Waikerikeri and Drybread.
Assessment of passive seismic or gravity surveys to better define basement depth and structural architecture prior to drill targeting.
Samso Concluding Comments
While the Iron Bear Iron Ore project is going through its paces, the recent update on the gold targets in New Zealand is a great addition to the value for shareholders. As a happy shareholder, I am keen to exploit the upside of these projects and hope that they generate some form of value creation like that of Santana Minerals Limited (ASX: SMI).
Figure 8: The share price chart of Santa Minerals Limited as of 2nd January 2026. (source: CommSec)
The discovery of the Rise and Shine deposit was released in late 2021, and the share price has only been rising (Figure 8). The Cyclone project in New Zealand is still early stage, but as a shareholder, I think the money in the bank should be used to "prospect" for another value-creating asset like Iron Bear.
Central Otago is a mature gold province, and the Cylcone results highlight that modern exploration techniques can still uncover new opportunities. The identification of anomalous geochemical responses beneath cover suggests that parts of the system remain underexplored using contemporary methods.
The comparison between Glassfords and Mareburn is particularly instructive, demonstrating that transported cover does not preclude the detection of meaningful geochemical signatures. In some cases, the pathfinder responses are stronger than those observed over exposed mineralisation.
Waikerikeri stands out as an area of interest, with coherent structural-aligned anomalies that warrant further work. The interpretation of possible fault continuity between Drybread and Waikerikeri provides a regional-scale exploration narrative.
For investors, this update is best viewed as target-generation progress, not a resource milestone. The strength of the announcement lies in its technical clarity and disciplined exploration logic rather than headline grades.
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