Adavale’s London Victoria Gold Expansion Raises Questions on Mining Scale and Timing
Adavale Resources has reported its strongest gold intercept in three decades at the London Victoria Gold Mine, revealing significant potential to expand its resource base well beyond current estimates. The company is gearing up for a second phase of drilling to further explore these promising findings.
- 48m @ 0.82g/t gold – widest intercept in 30 years
- Mineralisation extends over 100m below existing pit floor
- Resource expansion potential beyond current 3.14Mt @ 1.06g/t JORC resource
- Structural mapping and magnetic surveys underway to refine geological models
- Phase 2 drilling planned for Q4 2025 targeting resource growth
Strongest Gold Intercept in Decades
Adavale Resources Limited (ASX – ADD) has unveiled compelling results from its maiden drilling program at the London Victoria Gold Mine in New South Wales. The highlight is a remarkable 48-metre intercept grading 0.82 grams per tonne gold, the widest recorded in the area in 30 years. This intercept, found in drill hole ALRC014, includes a higher-grade section of 25 metres at 1.17 grams per tonne, located some 100 metres beneath the existing pit floor.
This discovery is significant as it confirms the presence of substantial gold mineralisation well beyond the boundaries of the current JORC 2012 Mineral Resource Estimate, which stands at 3.14 million tonnes at 1.06 grams per tonne for 107,000 ounces of gold. The mineralisation remains open both at depth and along strike, suggesting that the resource base could be considerably larger than previously understood.
Geological Insights and Survey Work
To better understand the structural controls on mineralisation, Adavale has engaged a specialist structural geology team to conduct detailed mapping at the London Victoria site. Early interpretations suggest the gold is hosted within a tight antiformal structure, a geological fold that could focus mineralisation. Concurrently, magnetic survey planning is underway to identify magnetic lows associated with the gold-bearing zones within the andesitic volcanic host rocks. These geophysical tools are expected to sharpen drill targeting and improve the efficiency of future exploration efforts.
Looking Ahead – Phase 2 Drilling and Resource Update
Building on these encouraging results, Adavale is preparing for a Phase 2 drilling campaign scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025. This follow-up program aims to test extensions beneath the existing pits and along strike, with the goal of substantially growing the gold resource. The company anticipates releasing an updated JORC resource estimate following this drilling, which will be a critical milestone ahead of planned scoping and metallurgical test work in 2026.
Executive Chairman and CEO Allan Ritchie expressed optimism about the project’s prospects, highlighting the consistent grades and widths intersected so far. He noted that the results reinforce confidence in the potential for small-scale mining operations at London Victoria, especially given the current gold price environment, which continues to reach new highs.
Broader Exploration Activity
Beyond London Victoria, Adavale continues to advance exploration across its broader Parkes Project portfolio in the Lachlan Fold Belt, a region renowned for hosting world-class mines such as Cadia Ridgeway and Northparkes. The company is also awaiting assay results from an extended induced polarization survey at the Ashes copper-gold prospect, which will inform future exploration strategies. Additional geochemical surveys and reconnaissance work are planned to identify new targets within the project area.
Adavale’s diversified portfolio also includes uranium exploration in South Australia and nickel sulphide projects in Tanzania, underscoring its commitment to building a multi-commodity resource base.
Bottom Line?
With robust drilling results and strategic exploration underway, Adavale is poised to redefine the gold potential at London Victoria and beyond.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the upcoming Phase 2 drilling results impact the size and classification of the London Victoria resource?
- What are the implications of the structural geology findings for targeting high-grade zones?
- How might rising gold prices influence Adavale’s development timeline and mining scale?