14m at 11.3 g/t Gold Extends Baldock Lode by 160m

Strong Drilling Results Reinforce Baldock’s Potential

Ballard Mining Limited (ASX – BM1) has delivered a promising update from its Mt Ida Gold Project in Western Australia, where recent drilling has confirmed and extended the high-grade Baldock gold resource. The company announced multiple significant intercepts, including a standout 14 metres grading 11.3 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, potentially extending the 2160 lode by 160 metres up dip beyond current resource boundaries.

This latest batch of results comes from an ongoing infill and extensional drilling campaign designed to increase confidence in the resource and expand its size. The infill program, now approximately 40% complete, focuses on converting inferred resources into the more certain indicated category, a critical step toward advancing the project’s development.

Upgrading Resource Confidence and Size

The drilling has intersected numerous high-grade zones, with highlights including 4 metres at 32 g/t gold and 7 metres at 16.8 g/t gold, among others. These results not only validate the existing resource model but also suggest that the mineralisation is more extensive than previously understood. Ballard’s geology manager, Todd Hibberd, emphasized the significance of the extensional results, noting their potential to increase the overall resource as drilling progresses.

The Baldock deposit currently hosts approximately 930,000 ounces of gold at an average grade of 4.1 g/t, forming the cornerstone of the Mt Ida Project’s resource inventory, which totals 1.1 million ounces across 10.3 million tonnes at 3.3 g/t gold. The project benefits from full mining approvals for both open pit and underground operations, with a processing facility works approval under assessment.

Exploration Advancing on Multiple Fronts

Beyond the infill and extensional drilling at Baldock, Ballard is actively exploring additional targets within the 26-kilometre greenstone belt that hosts the project. Three initial prospects; Dickson, Neptune, and Pulsar; have been drill tested, with assay results expected in September. These early-stage exploration efforts are part of a phased program aimed at expanding the resource base and identifying new zones of mineralisation.

The company is also integrating structural interpretations from a high-resolution airborne magnetic survey, which will inform subsequent drilling phases. This systematic approach underscores Ballard’s commitment to both resource growth and advancing the Mt Ida Project toward production readiness.

Looking Ahead

With a robust drilling program underway and a strong pipeline of exploration targets, Ballard Mining is positioning Mt Ida as a significant gold development in Western Australia’s prolific Goldfields region. The combination of high-grade intercepts, resource upgrades, and regulatory progress provides a solid foundation for the company’s growth ambitions.