Aurora Prospect Rock Chips Hit Up to 38.7g/t Gold Across 800m Strike
Golden Mile Resources has validated the Aurora Prospect within its Pearl Copper Project as a significant new gold target, with follow-up rock chip sampling revealing multiple high-grade gold assays. The extensive mineralised footprint and geological indications suggest promising potential for a large-scale deposit.
- Follow-up rock chip sampling confirms high gold grades at Aurora Prospect
- Significant gold values in 80% of samples over 800m strike by 200m width
- Multiple samples exceed 5g/t Au, with highest assays up to 38.7g/t
- Geological interpretation suggests a low temperature porphyry system
- Next steps include shallow channel sampling and drilling planned for 2026
Aurora Prospect Emerges as a New Gold Focus
Golden Mile Resources Ltd (ASX – G88) has reinforced the potential of its Aurora Prospect, part of the Pearl Copper Project in Arizona, USA, through a detailed rock chip sampling program completed in November 2025. The results confirm the prospect as a highly promising new gold target, with significant assays that have caught the attention of investors and geologists alike.
The recent sampling campaign collected 35 rock chip samples across an extensive area measuring approximately 800 metres in strike length and 200 metres in width. Impressively, 80% of these samples returned gold values exceeding 0.1 grams per tonne (g/t), with nearly 30% surpassing 1.0 g/t. Five samples stood out with exceptionally high grades above 5 g/t, including standout assays of 38.7 g/t, 29.5 g/t, and 20.4 g/t.
Geological Insights and Exploration Model
The Aurora Prospect is characterised by multiple sub-parallel quartz vein sets trending north-northwest, hosted within sheared granodiorite rock. Despite limited outcrop exposure, the sampling focused on quartz vein float material, which is believed to be close to in situ conditions due to minimal scree cover. This approach has allowed Golden Mile to delineate a significant mineralised footprint that remains open to further extension, particularly to the south.
Geochemical data and geological observations suggest that Aurora is likely associated with a low temperature porphyry system rather than epithermal or mesothermal vein styles. This interpretation is significant because porphyry systems can host large tonnage deposits, potentially elevating the prospect’s value beyond a narrow high-grade vein target. However, the company cautions that this remains a speculative exploration target pending further investigation.
Strategic Next Steps in Exploration
Golden Mile plans to advance the Aurora Prospect by conducting shallow channel sampling in mid-2026 to better understand vein widths and gold distribution within the host rock. This data will be critical to assessing the bulk tonnage potential of the deposit. Subject to positive outcomes, the company aims to initiate drilling in the September 2026 quarter, marking a pivotal step towards resource definition.
The Pearl Copper Project itself is situated in the highly regarded San Manuel mining district of Arizona, a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction with excellent infrastructure and proximity to major copper-producing operations. Despite its location near the world-class San Manuel-Kalamazoo Mine, the project has seen limited modern exploration until Golden Mile’s recent efforts.
Implications for Investors and Market
These latest results from Golden Mile Resources not only validate the Aurora Prospect as a compelling gold target but also highlight the potential for a sizeable mineralised system within a historically underexplored area. The high-grade surface assays and extensive mineralised footprint provide a strong foundation for the company’s planned exploration activities and could significantly enhance the project’s valuation if subsequent drilling confirms continuity and tonnage.
Bottom Line?
Golden Mile’s Aurora Prospect is shaping up as a major exploration story to watch through 2026.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the upcoming channel sampling confirm the vein widths and bulk tonnage potential?
- How will drilling results in late 2026 refine the geological model and resource estimates?
- Could the low temperature porphyry interpretation unlock a larger-scale deposit than initially expected?