LinQ Targets 1.2Moz Gold and 120Kt Copper in 16,000m Gilmore Drilling Campaign

A New Chapter for Gidginbung

LinQ Minerals Limited (ASX, LNQ) has commenced a substantial drilling program at the Gidginbung gold deposit, part of the Southern Zone within its flagship Gilmore Gold-Copper Project in New South Wales. This marks the first time since 2001 that drilling has taken place at Gidginbung, a historically productive high-sulphidation epithermal gold system that yielded approximately 540,000 ounces of gold from open pit mining in the late 20th century.

The current campaign is ambitious, with over 16,000 metres of reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling planned initially across Gidginbung and the nearby Dam deposit. The program aims to test extensions of known mineralisation, particularly at depth and along strike, areas that have remained largely untested by previous exploration efforts.

Strategic Focus on Continuity and Metallurgy

LinQ’s drilling at Gidginbung is designed to confirm the downdip continuity of higher-grade gold mineralisation identified in historical shallow intersections. Additionally, the program will generate critical samples for metallurgical test work, a key step in assessing the deposit’s processing characteristics and potential economic viability.

Following the initial phase at Gidginbung, the drill rig will move to the Dam deposit, a porphyry gold-copper system within the same mineralised corridor. Here, approximately 2,100 metres of drilling will focus on confirming continuity of the higher-grade gold-copper core and providing further metallurgical samples.

Significance Within the Gilmore Project

The combined Mineral Resource Estimates (MREs) for Gidginbung and Dam stand at 55 million tonnes containing 1.2 million ounces of gold and 120,000 tonnes of copper, all within a depth of 300 metres and considered amenable to potential open pit mining. This is a significant portion of the Gilmore Project’s global resource, which totals 516 million tonnes with approximately 3.7 million ounces of gold and 1.2 million tonnes of copper.

Geologically, the Southern Zone lies within the Macquarie Arc province of the Lachlan Fold Belt, a region renowned for hosting some of Australia’s largest porphyry gold-copper mines, including Cadia, Cowal, and Northparkes. LinQ’s extensive tenement package, covering nearly 600 square kilometres with over 20 known prospects, positions the company as a major player in this prolific mining district.

Looking Ahead

Executive Chair Clive Donner highlighted the importance of this drilling campaign, noting it as a critical step toward unlocking the broader scale of the Gilmore system, especially at depth and along strike. The results of this program will be closely watched by investors and analysts eager to see how the resource base might expand and how metallurgical characteristics could influence future development plans.