Rumble Resources has boosted its Western Queen gold mineral resource to 433,600 ounces, including a 54% jump in Indicated Resources and a fresh high-grade zone of 52,500 ounces at 11.3 g/t gold. The upgrade follows extensive drilling and will feed into a September Bankable Feasibility Study, keeping production on track for 2027.
- Western Queen gold resource increased to 433,600 ounces
- Indicated Resources rise 54% to 227,700 ounces
- New high-grade zone of 52,500 ounces at 11.3 g/t Au discovered
- 17,255m diamond drilling underpins resource upgrade
- Bankable Feasibility Study due September 2026
Significant Resource Upgrade Boosts Western Queen’s Profile
Rumble Resources (ASX:RTR) has announced a substantial upgrade to its Western Queen Gold Mineral Resource Estimate, lifting the total contained gold to 433,600 ounces. This represents a 17% increase over last year’s estimate, but the standout is the 54% surge in Indicated Resources to 227,700 ounces, a critical factor for advancing mine development and financing.
The upgrade is anchored by a rigorous 17,255-metre diamond drilling campaign completed between October 2025 and April 2026, which not only expanded the resource base but also uncovered a new high-grade gold zone at Western Queen Central. This zone alone contains 52,500 ounces at an impressive 11.3 grams per tonne, located directly beneath historical underground workings, highlighting untapped potential below previously mined areas.
New High-Grade Zone Could Extend Mine Life
The discovery of the high-grade shoot at Western Queen Central is a game-changer for the project’s economics. Situated immediately down-plunge from the existing open pit, this 145-kiloton zone at 11.3 g/t Au challenges earlier geological models that assumed significant dilution by barren pegmatites. Updated structural modelling and targeted drilling have demonstrated these pegmatites displace far less mineralisation than previously thought, suggesting a higher-grade continuity and a valuable target for underground mining.
Managing Director Peter Harold emphasised the impact: "The major increase in Indicated Resources, combined with the new high-grade discovery and ongoing optimisation of the tungsten resources, will lead to a significant increase in mine life from the two years reported in the November 2025 Scoping Study." This signals a potential extension of the project’s production horizon beyond initial expectations.
Resource Classification and Technical Rigor
The updated Mineral Resource Estimate complies with the JORC Code 2012 standards and was independently prepared by Ashmore Advisory. Indicated Resources now account for over half the total tonnage, reflecting improved confidence through infill drilling and refined geological modelling. The resource model employed Ordinary Kriging within tightly constrained mineralisation domains, with careful treatment of high-grade outliers and depletion for historical mining.
Resources are reported with a dual cut-off grade approach: 0.5 g/t Au for open pit potential above 245mRL, and 1.5 g/t Au for underground potential below this level, aligning with the base of the historical Western Queen Central pit. This nuanced reporting supports realistic economic extraction scenarios.
Tungsten Resource Update and Production Timeline
While the gold resource upgrade takes centre stage, Rumble also flagged an updated tungsten Mineral Resource Estimate due in July 2026. Tungsten mineralisation, identified as scheelite-rich skarn, remains open in all directions and could add significant value to the project’s overall economics.
Mine development continues on schedule for production to commence in 2027. The company has executed a tolling and blending agreement with Gylden Resources, enabling ore processing at Kirkalocka’s plant. The next critical step is securing permits for pit dewatering ahead of mining start-up.
Drilling Results Confirm Robust Mineralisation
Final drilling results from Western Queen South reinforce the resource upgrade, with multiple intercepts exceeding 3 g/t Au over significant widths and depths extending mineralisation beyond 500 metres down plunge. Tungsten assays returned notable scheelite grades, confirming the deposit’s polymetallic nature.
These outcomes underpin the upcoming Bankable Feasibility Study, expected in the September quarter, which will incorporate the upgraded resource and updated mining schedule. The study’s findings will be pivotal for investors assessing the project’s viability and future cash flow potential.
Bottom Line?
Rumble’s resource upgrade at Western Queen sharpens the project’s economic outlook, but the path to production hinges on permitting and the upcoming feasibility study’s findings.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the Bankable Feasibility Study integrate the new high-grade zone into mine planning?
- What impact will the tungsten resource update have on the overall project valuation?
- How soon can permitting and pit dewatering be secured to maintain the 2027 production target?