Aruma Resources Targets New Gold Zones with 2,000m Drilling at Salmon Gums

Strategic Drilling Initiative at Salmon Gums

Aruma Resources Limited (ASX: AAJ) has announced a significant step forward in its exploration strategy with a planned 2,000-metre aircore drilling program at the Salmon Gums Gold Project in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields. Scheduled to commence in March 2025, this phase-1 drilling targets newly defined gold prospects, Sage, Poppy, and Rose, identified through a comprehensive geological and structural reinterpretation of the project area.

The Salmon Gums Project, located just 30 kilometres south of Pantoro Limited's high-grade Scotia Gold Project, sits within the same stratigraphic corridor and along strike from one of Australia's prolific gold belts. Aruma is optimistic that the project hosts Norseman Greenstone Belt-style mineralisation, a style known for its rich gold deposits, which underpins the renewed exploration focus.

Geological Insights Drive Target Selection

The new targets emerged from detailed assessments combining geological, structural, and geophysical data, including radiometric and magnetic surveys. These studies revealed key mafic stratigraphy disrupted by shearing, folding, and faulting, structural features conducive to gold mineralisation. Notably, the Sage Prospect features intrusive granitic domal structures interpreted as potential heat and fluid sources that could have facilitated gold deposition.

Previous drilling at the nearby Thistle Prospect has already demonstrated the project's potential, with high-grade intersections such as 5.9 metres at 10.5 grams per tonne gold from 38.4 metres depth. These encouraging results provide a valuable analogue for the new targets, reinforcing the prospectivity of the upcoming drilling campaign.

Drilling Strategy and Exploration Rationale

Aruma's aircore drilling will focus on sampling bedrock beneath a calcrete layer that has historically complicated surface geochemical assessments. By penetrating this cover, the company aims to detect primary gold mineralisation and associated alteration zones more effectively. This approach is expected to yield clearer insights into the subsurface geology and guide subsequent, more targeted drilling efforts.

Managing Director Grant Ferguson highlighted the importance of the reinterpretation work, stating that it has unlocked multiple high-potential targets and set the stage for a systematic exploration campaign designed to realise the full value of Salmon Gums.

Looking Ahead: Broader Exploration Plans

Beyond the initial drilling program, Aruma plans to refine existing targets such as Thistle and Iris, develop a 3D geological model, conduct further field mapping, and reprocess geophysical data. These activities will deepen understanding of the project's geology and support ongoing exploration efforts.

With a strategic location near established gold operations and a methodical exploration approach, Aruma Resources is positioning Salmon Gums as a compelling asset in its portfolio. The upcoming drilling results will be closely watched by investors eager to see if the project can deliver on its promising potential.