Gradina Drill-Hole Returns 4m at 10.1g/t Gold, Extending Mineralisation Over 1km
Strickland Metals reports robust diamond drilling results at its Gradina Prospect, extending high-grade gold mineralisation and setting the stage for a maiden resource estimate in late 2025.
- Significant high-grade gold intercepts from diamond drill-hole ZRSD25178
- Mineralisation extends over 1,000m strike and 900m vertical depth
- Four rigs active at Gradina with a seventh rig arriving soon
- Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate targeted for second half of 2025
- Strong financial position supported by recent strategic investment
Robust Drilling Results at Gradina
Strickland Metals Limited (ASX: STK) has kicked off its 2025 drilling campaign at the Gradina Prospect within the Rogozna Gold and Base Metals Project in Serbia with impressive results. The first diamond drill-hole of the year, ZRSD25178, returned multiple high-grade gold intercepts, including 4.0 metres at 10.1 grams per tonne gold starting from 339.5 metres depth, and a longer 16.7 metres at 4.3 grams per tonne gold from 391.5 metres. These findings confirm the continuity of a gold-dominant mineralised system that remains open in all directions.
Expanding Mineralisation and Exploration Scale
The mineralisation at Gradina now extends over approximately 1,000 metres along strike and 900 metres vertically, highlighting the prospect’s significant scale. With four diamond rigs currently drilling at Gradina and two more operating at nearby Shanac and Kotlovi prospects, Strickland is executing the largest exploration campaign ever undertaken at Rogozna. A seventh rig is expected to join the effort shortly, underscoring the company’s commitment to aggressively advancing the project.
Towards a Maiden Resource Estimate
The ongoing drilling program is designed to support a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) targeted for release in the second half of 2025. The new assay results, combined with pending assays from 11 additional drill holes, will help define the extent and grade of the mineralisation more precisely. Strickland’s Managing Director, Paul L’Herpiniere, emphasised the importance of Gradina as a key growth driver for the Rogozna project, anticipating that it will contribute substantial high-grade ounces to the overall resource inventory.
Geological Context and Metallurgical Outlook
The gold mineralisation at Gradina is hosted within a skarn system characterized by silicified brown-garnet alteration and associated sulphide minerals such as pyrrhotite and pyrite. This geological setting is typical of large-scale magmatic hydrothermal systems and is conducive to high-grade gold and base metal deposits. Preliminary metallurgical test work indicates that the mineralisation is amenable to conventional processing methods, with expected recoveries in the range of 78 to 86% for gold and associated metals.
Financial Strength and Strategic Investment
Strickland remains well-capitalised with $34.8 million in cash and liquid assets as of the March 2025 quarter, bolstered by a recent $5 million strategic investment from Zijin Mining. This financial backing provides the company with the resources to sustain its aggressive exploration program and advance the Rogozna project towards development milestones.
Bottom Line?
As drilling intensifies and assays flow in, Gradina’s evolving profile could reshape Strickland’s resource landscape and investor outlook.
Questions in the middle?
- How will pending assay results from the remaining drill holes impact the upcoming maiden resource estimate?
- What are the implications of Zijin Mining’s strategic investment for Strickland’s future development plans?
- How might the geological complexity and variable mineralisation widths affect resource classification and mining feasibility?
