Yandal Resources has unveiled comprehensive diamond drilling results from its Siona discovery, revealing broad zones of gold mineralisation with promising higher-grade veins. The company is set to launch a significant air-core drilling campaign at Caladan, aiming to expand its exploration footprint.
- Diamond drilling confirms broad, low-grade gold mineralisation with internal higher-grade zones at Siona
- Higher-grade zones linked to quartz veining and deformation within the granodiorite host
- New targeting criteria developed for structural gold mineralisation in the New England Granite
- 12,500m air-core drilling program to commence at Caladan target area in late May 2025
- Follow-up air-core drilling planned across New England Granite structural targets including Salusa Prospect
Diamond Drilling Results Illuminate Siona Discovery
Yandal Resources Limited (ASX: YRL) has received all assay results from its recent diamond drilling program at the Siona discovery, located within the New England Granite (NEG) target area of the Ironstone Well-Barwidgee Gold Project in Western Australia. The drilling has confirmed the presence of broad zones of low-grade gold mineralisation, punctuated by internal higher-grade veins, a finding that enhances the geological understanding of this emerging gold system.
Key intercepts include 16.3 meters at 0.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 322.2 meters depth and 6.4 meters at 1.5 g/t gold from 103.5 meters, with notable high-grade sub-intervals reaching up to 12.7 g/t. These results suggest that gold mineralisation is closely associated with quartz veining and deformation within the granodiorite host rock, particularly where structural shearing has occurred.
Geological Insights and Targeting Strategy
The diamond drilling has provided critical geological observations, revealing that mineralisation develops wherever the granodiorite has been deformed, both along the intrusive margins and within the intrusive body itself. This insight has enabled Yandal Resources to refine its targeting criteria, prioritising structural features such as northwest-trending faults and oblique conjugate structures that interact with the granodiorite margin.
Managing Director Chris Oorschot highlighted the significance of these findings, noting that the company now controls the full extent of the 2km by 4km granodiorite host within the Yandal Greenstone Belt. He emphasized that the advanced geological understanding positions Yandal Resources well to identify similar or larger mineralised systems within the New England Granite.
Upcoming Drilling Programs to Expand Exploration
Building on the diamond drilling success, Yandal Resources plans to commence a 12,500-meter air-core drilling program at the Caladan target area in the last week of May 2025. This campaign aims to test for large-scale mineralisation across the region and is on schedule to deliver initial results by July, with further assays expected throughout the September quarter.
Following the Caladan program, the air-core rig will be mobilised to the New England Granite to test structural targets, including the Salusa Prospect, which has already shown mineralisation potential in recent reverse circulation drilling. Heritage surveys are also scheduled to facilitate broader drilling access across the western margin of the NEG.
Strategic Position and Future Outlook
Yandal Resources maintains a strong cash position, underpinning its active exploration agenda through the June and September quarters. The company’s methodical approach, combining detailed geological modelling with targeted drilling, reflects a disciplined strategy to unlock the potential of the New England Granite and surrounding targets within the prolific Yandal Greenstone Belt.
While the diamond drilling has not replicated some of the highest-grade zones seen in earlier reverse circulation drilling, the broad continuity of mineralisation and the identification of structural controls provide a robust framework for ongoing exploration. The upcoming air-core programs will be critical in testing the extent and continuity of mineralisation across these structurally complex zones.
Bottom Line?
Yandal Resources’ refined geological model and upcoming drilling campaigns set the stage for potentially significant gold discoveries in the Yandal Greenstone Belt.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the air-core drilling at Caladan confirm the presence of a large-scale mineralised system?
- Can Yandal Resources replicate or exceed the high-grade zones previously identified at Siona in future drilling?
- How will the new targeting criteria influence the discovery of additional mineralised zones within the New England Granite?