Riversgold Launches 2025 Drilling at Northern Zone Amid Expanding Gold Footprint
Riversgold Ltd is set to commence its 2025 drilling campaign at the Northern Zone gold project near Kalgoorlie, following a series of promising high-grade gold intercepts and a mining lease application.
- 2025 drilling campaign to start March targeting high-grade gold extensions
- Northern Zone is a 600m wide porphyry system with expanding mineralisation
- Significant gold intercepts include up to 58.09 g/t Au over 1m and wide lower-grade zones
- Mining lease application submitted to DEMIRS to enable operational development
- Project benefits from rising gold prices above A$4,500/oz and proximity to Kalgoorlie
Northern Zone Drilling Campaign Set to Restart
Riversgold Ltd (ASX: RGL) has announced the imminent recommencement of its 2025 drilling program at the Northern Zone gold project, located just 25 kilometres east of the prolific Kalgoorlie goldfields in Western Australia. The campaign, scheduled to begin in March 2025, aims to extend and better define previously identified high-grade gold mineralisation within a substantial 600-metre-wide porphyry system.
The company has secured a drilling contractor and plans to execute a series of southwest-northeast oriented drill lines spaced nominally at 20 metres. This approach is informed by a comprehensive 3D geological model developed using Leapfrog software, which integrates all historical and recent drilling data to target the most promising mineralised zones.
Expanding Gold Mineralisation and Significant Intercepts
Riversgold’s recent drilling results have revealed a growing footprint of gold mineralisation, including impressive high-grade intercepts such as 5 metres at 12.27 g/t Au (including 1 metre at 58.09 g/t Au) and 4 metres at 7.47 g/t Au. Additionally, extensive lower-grade zones have been encountered, with intercepts like 330 metres at 0.49 g/t Au, highlighting the potential scale of the deposit.
The mineralisation remains open in multiple directions, suggesting further upside potential as drilling continues. The company’s strategy focuses on shallow, higher-grade oxide zones that could be amenable to cost-effective extraction methods, while deeper targets are also being evaluated through diamond drilling.
Mining Lease Application Signals Development Intent
In parallel with exploration activities, Riversgold has submitted a Mining Lease application (M25/389) to the Department of Energy, Mines Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS). This step is critical to facilitate potential operational development should the project economics prove favourable. The move underscores Riversgold’s commitment to advancing Northern Zone from exploration towards production.
The company draws parallels between Northern Zone and nearby projects such as Saturn Metals’ Apollo Hill, which hosts a large low-grade resource and is progressing through development stages. Riversgold’s proximity to Kalgoorlie and the recent success of nearby operations like Black Cat Syndicate’s Myhree/Boundary pits provide encouraging operational benchmarks.
Market Context and Outlook
Chairman David Lenigas highlighted the positive market environment, noting the Australian dollar gold price surpassing A$4,500 per ounce. This elevated price backdrop enhances the project’s potential value and supports the aggressive drilling approach planned for 2025. Lenigas emphasized that the project “gets bigger and more exciting the more we drill,” reflecting confidence in the expanding mineralised system.
As Riversgold continues to refine its geological model and accumulate drilling data, the company anticipates progressing towards a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). This milestone will be pivotal in defining the project’s scale and guiding future development decisions.
Bottom Line?
With drilling about to resume and a mining lease application underway, Riversgold’s Northern Zone project is poised for a critical phase that could unlock significant value amid a strong gold price environment.
Questions in the middle?
- How will upcoming drilling results influence the timing and scale of the maiden Mineral Resource Estimate?
- What are the potential processing routes and cost implications for the Northern Zone’s oxide and deeper mineralisation?
- How might the mining lease approval process impact project development timelines and investor confidence?