Ballymore Plans 3,000m Q2 Drilling to Define Dittmer Gold Resource
Ballymore Resources is progressing development at its high-grade Dittmer Gold Project with significant portal expansion, a 3,000-metre drilling program planned for Q2 2026, and trial mining of historic backfill and remnant pillars within a granted mining lease.
- Portal expansion enables safer, more efficient underground access
- Stage 6 drilling program targets southern extension of Duffer Lode fault
- Trial mining to recover high-grade historic backfill and remnant pillars
- Bulk samples to support metallurgical testing and economic evaluation
- Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate expected following drilling completion
Development Milestones at Dittmer
Ballymore Resources (ASX:BMR) is steadily advancing its high-grade Dittmer Gold Project in North Queensland, marking a pivotal phase with the expansion of its underground portal. This upgrade is designed to accommodate modern mining and drilling equipment, significantly improving operational efficiency and safety. The enlarged access will facilitate a dual-track strategy, combining resource drilling and trial mining activities planned for the second quarter of 2026.
Targeted Drilling to Define Resource
The upcoming Stage 6 resource drilling program will encompass approximately 3,000 metres, focusing on testing the southern extension of the Duffer Lode fault. This area includes a 4-kilometre mineralised corridor where previous fieldwork revealed exceptionally high gold grades, including rock chip assays up to 807.7 grams per tonne. The drilling aims to underpin Ballymore’s maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), a critical milestone that will provide a clearer picture of the project's scale and economic potential.
Trial Mining and Bulk Sampling
Parallel to drilling, Ballymore is preparing to undertake trial mining within the granted Mining Lease ML 10341. This involves recovering historic backfill and remnant pillars, which underground sampling has shown to contain substantial gold grades; up to 81.7 grams per tonne in backfill and channel samples of remnant pillars reporting up to 207 grams per tonne gold, alongside significant copper and silver values. Bulk samples extracted during trial mining will support metallurgical testwork and economic evaluations, informing the feasibility of a potential mine restart.
Operational and Community Engagement
All necessary regulatory approvals are in place, and the company emphasises its commitment to local engagement by employing a workforce drawn entirely from the Whitsunday region. Ballymore’s Director of Operations, Andrew Gilbert, highlighted the strategic and risk-managed approach to resource delineation and the transformational impact of the portal upgrade on both near-term production prospects and long-term growth potential.
Looking Ahead
Beyond Dittmer, Ballymore plans to advance exploration and assay results across other Queensland projects, including Seventy Mile Mount, Mount Quandong, and the Ruddygore Project. The company anticipates assay results from ongoing programs and further updates on metallurgical testing and processing trials in the coming months, setting the stage for a comprehensive evaluation of its portfolio’s value and production outlook.
Bottom Line?
Completion of the portal upgrade and upcoming drilling mark a turning point for Ballymore’s Dittmer project, with maiden resource estimates and trial mining results poised to shape its production future.
Questions in the middle?
- What will the maiden Mineral Resource Estimate reveal about the scale and grade continuity at Dittmer?
- How will metallurgical test results from bulk samples influence the economic viability of a mine restart?
- What are the timelines and cost implications for progressing from trial mining to full-scale production?
