Yandal Resources Launches Major 12,500m Drilling Push at Caladan Gold Target
Yandal Resources has kicked off a significant air-core drilling program across its Caladan target area, aiming to unlock a large-scale gold system with promising early signs of mineralisation. Results are expected from July through August, potentially reshaping exploration prospects in Western Australia’s Northeastern Goldfields.
- 12,500m air-core drilling program underway at Caladan target
- Testing 6.4km strike of a large fold structure with Kalgoorlie-like geology
- Previous drilling confirmed primary gold mineralisation at Arrakis Prospect
- Program includes 100 holes with variable spacing to target key structures
- Assay results anticipated from early July to end of August 2025
Exploration Momentum Builds at Caladan
Yandal Resources (ASX – YRL) has commenced a substantial 12,500-metre air-core drilling campaign targeting the Caladan area within its Ironstone Well-Barwidgee Gold Project in Western Australia. This program aims to test a large, 8km by 3km fold structure that shares geological similarities with the prolific Kalgoorlie gold district, a region renowned for its rich deposits.
The Caladan target, including the Arrakis Prospect, lies beneath shallow transported cover, which has historically limited effective exploration. Previous broad-spaced drilling was largely ineffective, leaving a significant greenfield opportunity for Yandal Resources to explore.
Encouraging Early Signs from Arrakis Prospect
Earlier drilling along a single line at Arrakis confirmed primary gold mineralisation associated with a 3-kilometre-long regolith anomaly. Notably, intercepts such as 11 metres at 1.7 grams per tonne gold from 97 metres depth have highlighted the prospect’s potential. Follow-up reverse circulation drilling has further defined mineralised structures within basalt and dolerite host rocks, suggesting multiple zones of interest.
The current program will expand on these findings by drilling across ten lines spaced 800 metres apart, covering approximately 6.4 kilometres of strike. Closer hole spacing of 50 to 100 metres will focus on interpreted structures and the core anomaly, enhancing the resolution of geological and mineralisation models.
Strategic Location and Geological Context
Caladan’s location, 60 kilometres south of the Jundee mining complex and near the recent Siona discovery, places it within a highly prospective gold belt. The fold structure targeted is truncated by the Idaho Shear Zone, a significant geological feature that may control mineralisation. The structural setting and alteration patterns bear resemblance to those found in the Kalgoorlie district, raising hopes for a substantial discovery.
Yandal’s methodical approach includes routine multi-element sampling and drilling at a consistent angle to optimize data quality. The company’s strong cash position supports this aggressive exploration schedule, with assay results expected to flow from early July through to the end of August.
Looking Ahead
Beyond Caladan, Yandal plans further air-core drilling at the New England Granite target following heritage surveys, indicating a busy exploration calendar for 2025. The company’s prioritization of Caladan reflects confidence in its potential to add significant value to the Ironstone Well-Barwidgee portfolio.
As the drilling progresses, investors and analysts will be watching closely for assay results that could confirm the scale and grade of mineralisation, potentially setting the stage for resource definition and development planning.
Bottom Line?
Yandal’s Caladan drilling could unlock a major new gold system, with upcoming assay results set to define the next phase of exploration.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the assay results confirm continuity and grade sufficient for resource estimation?
- How might the structural complexity of the Caladan fold influence future drilling targets?
- What are the implications of Caladan’s similarities to Kalgoorlie for Yandal’s exploration strategy?
