Kookabookra Project Yields High-Grade Gold Assays, Drilling Set for Q3 2025

• Rock chip samples at Mt Secret yield assays up to 153.5g/t gold
• Soil sampling confirms significant gold-in-soil anomalies at Mannix and Mt Secret
• Induced Polarisation (IP) survey underway to refine drill targets
• 428 historical mine workings identified via LiDAR data interpretation
• Maiden drilling program planned for Q3 2025 following permit applications

Exploration Momentum Builds at Kookabookra

Thunderbird Resources Limited (ASX, THB) is advancing its 100%-owned Kookabookra Gold Project in north-eastern New South Wales with a series of promising exploration results. The company has reported exceptionally high-grade gold assays from rock chip samples at the Mt Secret prospect, including a standout result of 153.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold. This reinforces the prospectivity of the area and fuels anticipation for the upcoming maiden drilling campaign scheduled for the third quarter of 2025.

Alongside rock chip sampling, extensive soil geochemical programs have delineated significant gold-in-soil anomalies at both the Mannix and Mt Secret prospects. At Mannix, assays reached up to 926 parts per billion (ppb) gold, while Mt Secret showed anomalies extending over 200 metres in strike, centered on historical workings. These findings validate earlier exploration and provide a robust foundation for targeting.

Geophysical Survey and Historical Workings

To complement geochemical data, Thunderbird has initiated an Induced Polarisation (IP) geophysical survey at the Mt Secret and Mannix prospects. This technique is particularly effective in identifying sulphide mineralisation and quartz veining associated with intrusion-related gold systems (IRGS), which are known to host large-tonnage deposits globally. Results from the IP survey are expected by the end of July 2025 and will be instrumental in refining drill targets.

Further enhancing the project's potential, interpretation of publicly available LiDAR data has uncovered 428 historical mine workings within the Kookabookra tenements, including shafts, adits, and prospecting pits, many previously undocumented. On-ground verification of these features has commenced, focusing initially on the Bear Hill and Butchers Reef areas, where historical gold mining activity was significant. Assay results from recent sampling of these workings are anticipated in mid-July.

Strategic Outlook and Next Steps

Executive Chairman George Ventouras expressed growing confidence in the project, highlighting the high-grade results and the strategic importance of the Mt Secret-Mannix corridor. He emphasized that Kookabookra remains lightly explored with limited historical drilling, suggesting considerable upside potential. The upcoming IP survey results, combined with ongoing geological mapping and sampling, will guide the maiden drilling program, for which permit applications are planned for late July.

Beyond Kookabookra, Thunderbird is also preparing for further exploration at its Rockvale Project, pending finalisation of land access agreements. This broader NSW portfolio, which includes both gold and antimony prospects, positions Thunderbird well within a region known for significant mineralisation, including proximity to the Hillgrove Mine, Australia's largest antimony deposit.

Overall, Thunderbird’s methodical approach, integrating geochemical sampling, geophysical surveys, historical data analysis, and community engagement, reflects a mature exploration strategy aimed at unlocking the full potential of its NSW assets.

Bottom Line?

As Thunderbird Resources moves closer to drilling, the market will watch closely to see if these high-grade surface results translate into a significant gold resource.

Questions in the middle?

• Will the IP survey results confirm new drill targets beyond the known high-grade zones?
• How representative are the selective rock chip samples of the broader mineralised system?
• What scale of mineralisation might the maiden drilling reveal at Kookabookra?