Saturn Metals has reported a new zone of thick, high-grade gold intersections at its Apollo Hill project, significantly enhancing its exploration potential. The newly defined 'Iris Zone' shows promising mineralisation open along strike and down plunge.
- Discovery of the ‘Iris Zone’ with thick, high-grade gold intersections
- Initial strike length of 350m with mineralisation open for expansion
- Results from 55 drill holes totaling 7,033m reported
- Follow-up and step-out drilling underway along a 2.5km strike length
- Upcoming Mineral Resource update and Pre-Feasibility Study scheduled for H2 2025
A New Chapter at Apollo Hill
Saturn Metals Limited (ASX – STN) has announced a significant breakthrough at its flagship Apollo Hill Gold Project in Western Australia, unveiling a newly defined ‘Iris Zone’ that promises to add a compelling new dimension to the project’s exploration potential. This zone, located at the southern end of Apollo Hill, has delivered a series of structurally focused, thick, and higher-grade gold intersections that stand out in the company’s recent drilling program.
The latest results, derived from 55 reverse circulation drill holes totaling over 7,000 metres, reveal impressive intercepts such as 11 metres at 6.29 grams per tonne gold within a broader 38-metre zone averaging 2.18 grams per tonne. These findings highlight a substantial mineralised corridor extending over an initial 350-metre strike length, with mineralisation remaining open both down plunge and along strike, suggesting further upside potential.
Geological Insights and Exploration Strategy
The ‘Iris Zone’ sits on one of Apollo Hill’s major footwall structures, which is typical of higher-grade Archean-style lode systems. Geological interpretations suggest that this style of mineralisation could repeat along the 2.5-kilometre strike length of the structure, a prospect that Saturn is actively testing through ongoing follow-up and step-out drilling. The company’s Managing Director, Ian Bamborough, described the results as “one of the most impressive sequences of assay results ever reported at Apollo Hill,” emphasizing the potential for further discoveries.
These drilling results will feed into Saturn’s next Mineral Resource update and support the upcoming Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) and maiden Ore Reserve, all slated for release in the second half of 2025. The project’s scale and grade, combined with simple metallurgy and low strip ratios, position Apollo Hill as a promising candidate for a large-scale open-pit heap leach operation.
Broader Project Context and Next Steps
Apollo Hill already boasts a Mineral Resource exceeding 2 million ounces of gold, and the addition of the Iris Zone’s high-grade mineralisation could materially enhance the project’s economics and mine life. Saturn’s exploration program continues to focus on expanding the resource base, with drilling designed to test lateral and depth extensions of the mineralised zones.
Beyond Apollo Hill, Saturn also holds an option to earn an 85% interest in the West Wyalong Project in New South Wales, a high-grade vein opportunity in a prolific gold region, underscoring the company’s broader growth ambitions in Australian gold exploration.
As Saturn advances its drilling and studies, investors and analysts will be watching closely for the Mineral Resource update and PFS outcomes, which will provide clearer insights into the project’s commercial viability and potential production profile.
Bottom Line?
Saturn Metals’ Iris Zone discovery marks a pivotal step in unlocking Apollo Hill’s full potential, with further drilling poised to define the next phase of growth.
Questions in the middle?
- How extensive is the mineralisation beyond the currently defined 350m strike length?
- What impact will the Iris Zone have on the upcoming Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimates?
- How will the new high-grade zones influence the economics and timeline of the Pre-Feasibility Study?