Barimaia Gold Project Extends to 7km Strike with Multiple 1g/t+ Gold Intercepts
Ordell Minerals has significantly expanded the Barimaia granodiorite intrusion to over 7km of strike, unveiling promising gold mineralisation with recent drilling results. A new drilling campaign is set to further explore this emerging gold province in Western Australia.
- Barimaia granodiorite intrusion strike extended to over 7km by aircore drilling
- Diamond drilling at McNabs East extends gold mineralisation 100m east
- Continuous 500m strike zone of gold mineralisation defined at McNabs East
- Multiple significant gold intercepts exceeding 1g/t Au over several meters
- New drilling program planned for second half of 2025 targeting extensions and depth
Exploration Breakthrough at Barimaia
Ordell Minerals Limited (ASX: ORD) has announced a major step forward in its exploration efforts at the Barimaia Gold Project, located near Mount Magnet in Western Australia’s Murchison region. Recent aircore drilling has more than doubled the strike length of the Barimaia granodiorite intrusion to over 7 kilometres, significantly expanding the footprint of the prospective host rock for gold mineralisation.
This expansion is underscored by encouraging assay results from wide-spaced, first-pass aircore drilling, including a notable intercept of 41 metres at 0.40 grams per tonne gold starting from 35 metres depth, with a higher-grade 5-metre section at 1.30 grams per tonne. These results highlight new discovery potential well beyond the previously defined 2.5-kilometre mineralised zone at the McNabs and McNabs East prospects.
Diamond Drilling Confirms and Extends Mineralisation
Complementing the aircore success, a recent diamond drilling program at McNabs East has extended gold mineralisation an additional 100 metres to the east. The program has defined a continuous zone of mineralisation over 500 metres of strike on the western side of McNabs East, with multiple intercepts exceeding 1 gram per tonne gold over significant widths. Highlights include intercepts such as 13.4 metres at 1.09 g/t, 13.0 metres at 1.20 g/t, and 7.0 metres at 1.27 g/t, demonstrating both the grade and continuity of the mineralised system.
These stacked, south-dipping zones of mineralisation suggest a robust and open-ended gold system hosted within a granodiorite intrusion, a style somewhat distinct from the typical banded iron formation-hosted deposits in the region. The mineralisation is associated with sericite and biotite alteration and quartz-pyrite veining, indicative of a significant hydrothermal system.
Strategic Next Steps in Drilling
Building on these promising results, Ordell has planned a new drilling campaign for the latter half of 2025. This program aims to test for significant extensions of the known mineralisation across the entire 200-metre width of the granodiorite intrusion and at depth. Additionally, the company intends to follow up on the newly identified gold anomalous zones from aircore drilling with reverse circulation drilling, targeting potential oxide mineralisation closer to surface.
Management remains optimistic about the project’s potential. Managing Director Michael Fowler noted that the expanded strike and continuous mineralisation confirm the emerging open-pit potential at Barimaia. The proximity of Barimaia to existing processing infrastructure, including Ramelius Resources’ Mt Magnet mill, further enhances its strategic appeal.
Context Within the Murchison Gold District
Barimaia sits within a Tier-1 mining jurisdiction and is adjacent to well-established gold operations. The nearby Eridanus deposit, operated by Ramelius Resources, hosts over 1.2 million ounces of gold and serves as a benchmark for the style of mineralisation Ordell is targeting. The recent drilling success at Barimaia suggests the project could evolve into a significant new gold resource within this prolific district.
While the current data spacing does not yet support a formal resource estimate, the continuity and grade of mineralisation intersected provide a strong foundation for future resource development. Pending assay results from ongoing drilling and further exploration will be critical in defining the full scale and economic potential of the Barimaia system.
Bottom Line?
Ordell’s expanded strike and robust gold intercepts at Barimaia set the stage for a pivotal drilling campaign that could redefine the project’s scale and value.
Questions in the middle?
- Will upcoming drilling confirm the depth continuity and true width of the mineralised zones?
- How will Ordell’s findings impact the regional gold exploration landscape near Mount Magnet?
- What timeline and capital investment will be required to advance Barimaia towards resource definition?