Drilling Expansion at Hopes Hill Raises Stakes Amid Pending Assays
Golden Horse Minerals continues to hit high-grade gold intersections at depth in its Hopes Hill project, with drilling activity set to intensify as a fourth rig arrives. New geophysical targets promise further exploration upside.
- High-grade gold intersections confirmed at depth, including 3m @ 23.8 g/t Au from 193m
- Fourth drill rig to be mobilized soon, expanding drilling capacity to four rigs
- Second diamond drill rig arriving later this month to accelerate diamond tail drilling
- Comprehensive geophysical survey identifies multiple new regional targets for immediate testing
- New core logging facility and planned on-site core cutting to improve operational efficiency
Strong High-Grade Results at Depth
Golden Horse Minerals has reported continued success at its Hopes Hill gold project in Western Australia's Southern Cross region, with recent reverse circulation (RC) drilling intersecting impressive high-grade gold mineralisation at significant depths. Notably, hole GHHHRC0088 returned 3 metres at 23.8 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 193 metres, including an even richer 2 metres at 34.9 g/t. These results underscore the potential for a substantial high-grade system extending well below the historic workings.
Ramping Up Drilling Operations
To capitalize on these promising results, Golden Horse is expanding its drilling fleet. A fourth drill rig is expected onsite in the coming weeks, complementing the current three rigs. Additionally, a second diamond drill (DD) rig will be mobilized later this month, accelerating the diamond tail drilling program that follows the extensive RC pre-collar drilling. This expansion will also free up an RC rig to pursue regional targets, broadening the company's exploration footprint.
New Facilities to Boost Efficiency
Operational improvements are underway with the establishment of a dedicated core logging facility in Southern Cross. This facility aims to enhance the efficiency of core handling and logging, while planned on-site core cutting will further streamline sample processing. These upgrades are designed to speed up assay turnaround times, ensuring a steady flow of results to guide ongoing exploration and resource development.
Geophysical Survey Unlocks Regional Targets
Complementing drilling efforts, Golden Horse commissioned geophysical specialist Newexco to conduct a comprehensive review of historical geophysical data across its extensive tenure of over 130 square kilometers. The study identified multiple high-priority targets, including areas north and south of Hopes Hill, Aries, and Golden Pig North. Several bedrock conductors associated with gold mineralisation were highlighted, with immediate drill testing recommended. These findings open new avenues for exploration beyond the current resource area.
Outlook and Next Steps
With diamond drill assay results pending and multiple targets identified for follow-up, Golden Horse Minerals is well positioned to advance its Hopes Hill project. The mineralised system remains open at depth and along strike, suggesting further resource growth potential. The company's strategic investments in drilling capacity and operational infrastructure reflect a disciplined approach to unlocking value in this prolific gold belt.
Bottom Line?
As Golden Horse accelerates drilling and targets new regional zones, the next wave of assay results will be pivotal in defining Hopes Hill’s future resource potential.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the upcoming diamond drill assays confirm and extend the high-grade mineralisation at depth?
- How will the new geophysical targets translate into drill-ready prospects and potential discoveries?
- What impact will the expanded drilling program have on the timing and scale of a future resource update?