S2 Resources Nears Drilling Start at Jillewarra with Licences Imminent
S2 Resources has completed a heritage survey and begun aeromagnetic work at its Jillewarra gold project, with exploration licences expected soon and a 30,000-metre aircore drilling campaign planned for July.
- Heritage survey cleared initial drilling sites
- Aeromagnetic survey underway over 60km strike
- Joint venture licences covering 35km imminent
- 30,000m aircore drilling set to begin in July
- S2 earning 51% interest under farm-in agreement
Heritage Clearance Unlocks Drilling Access
S2 Resources (ASX:S2R) has cleared a major procedural hurdle at its Jillewarra gold project in Western Australia, completing a heritage survey over the initial aircore drilling area. This follows the signing of a Heritage Protection Agreement with the traditional owners earlier this year, paving the way for exploration licences to be granted imminently.
Aeromagnetic Survey Targets Undercover Shear Zone
Alongside the heritage work, S2 has commenced a detailed aeromagnetic survey covering 60 strike kilometres of the Karbah shear zone, which hosts significant gold deposits further south such as Westgold’s 2.4 million ounce Big Bell and Ramelius Resources’ 2.9 million ounce Dalgaranga operations. The survey aims to refine geological and structural models beneath cover, guiding the upcoming drilling campaign.
Exploration Licences and Joint Venture Structure
The imminent grant of two key exploration licences (E51/1955 and E51/1956) under the Jillewarra Joint Venture will give S2 an initial 51% stake, earned through a farm-in agreement with Black Raven Mining. These licences cover 35 kilometres of the shear zone strike. An additional 25 kilometres of strike is held under a 100% S2 exploration licence application to the north, expanding the company’s control to 60 kilometres of prospective ground.
Aircore Drilling Program Set for July
Subject to licence grants and environmental approvals, S2 plans to launch a 30,000-metre reconnaissance aircore drilling program in July. The program will deploy two rigs over widely spaced lines to gain an initial understanding of geology, cover depth, and any anomalous gold or pathfinder elements. This “sighter” phase is expected to be the first of several campaigns needed to identify drill targets with greater precision.
Strategic Positioning for District-Scale Exploration
Beyond the joint venture ground, S2 is progressing a separate heritage agreement covering its 100% owned tenure to maintain flexibility for future drilling across the entire 60-kilometre strike. The company has also applied for an additional exploration licence to further expand its footprint along the Karbah shear zone.
S2’s farm-in requires a total spend of A$5 million by October 2026 to secure its 51% interest. The company has already invested A$3.4 million on granted tenements and expects the upcoming aircore drilling to satisfy the remaining earn-in expenditure.
Bottom Line?
With heritage clearance and licences nearly secured, S2 is poised to commence systematic drilling on a major gold-bearing shear zone, but results from the wide-spaced initial program will be crucial to define the next steps.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the initial 30,000m aircore drilling reveal significant gold anomalies to justify follow-up?
- How quickly will environmental approvals be granted after licence issuance?
- Can S2 leverage its expanded 60km tenure to delineate a new multi-million ounce gold system?
