Australian Mines (ASX: AUZ) has expanded its exploration footprint at the Boa Vista Gold Project in Brazil, uncovering 14 additional prospective gold targets beyond its flagship VG1 prospect. Four priority targets are advancing toward drill readiness as the company aims to evolve Boa Vista into a district-scale opportunity.
- 14 new gold targets identified across broader Boa Vista tenure
- Four priority targets, Baixão, Zé do Leicha, Almir, Jair, being advanced for drilling
- High-grade rock samples up to 31 g/t gold highlight target potential
- Planned stream sediment sampling to explore underexplored northeastern areas
- Boa Vista geologically comparable to West Africa’s prolific Birimian terranes
Expansion Beyond VG1 Unveils Multiple Gold Targets
Australian Mines (ASX:AUZ) is broadening its ambitions at the Boa Vista Gold Project in northern Brazil, revealing 14 additional prospective gold targets beyond the well-known VG1 prospect. This expansion follows the success of VG1 drilling, which included a standout intercept of 195.3 gram-metres, with mineralisation continuing to the end of the hole at 303.6 metres depth. The VG1 system remains open along strike and at depth, underpinning the company’s confidence in the broader district potential.
Four of these new targets; Baixão, Zé do Leicha, Almir, and Jair; are being prioritised for near-term advancement toward drill-ready status. These targets are supported by combinations of gold-in-soil anomalies, structural corridors, alteration zones, and historical artisanal workings, suggesting a larger gold mineralising system beyond VG1.
High-Grade Samples and Geological Features Signal Potential
Selective rock-chip and grab samples from these satellite targets have returned encouraging grades, with Baixão delivering up to 31.0 g/t gold, Jair up to 11.1 g/t, and Zé do Leicha 5.6 g/t. Baixão, located about 2 km southwest of VG1, stands out with a large footprint of approximately 1.8 km by 1 km, marked by a consistent gold-in-soil panning anomaly and artisanal workings that historically mined shallow primary veins.
Almir and Jair targets are also notable for their historical open pits, now water-filled, and interpreted structural trends that mirror VG1’s mineralised corridor. While some historical drilling at these sites did not adequately test the mineralisation; due to insufficient depth or drilling orientation; Australian Mines is conducting geological mapping, sampling, and structural interpretation to refine these targets.
Strategic Stream Sediment Sampling to Unlock Underexplored Areas
To complement the target generation, Australian Mines plans a comprehensive stream sediment sampling program across 135 sites in the underexplored northeastern portion of the project. This systematic approach aims to clarify whether widespread artisanal workings in the area represent discrete gold sources or are connected to broader mineralised corridors.
The stream sediment program covers catchments of 1–2 km² and is expected to provide new vectors for exploration, potentially expanding the pipeline of drill targets beyond the current 14 identified.
Boa Vista’s Geological Significance within Tapajós Mineral Province
Boa Vista is situated within the Tapajós Mineral Province of the Amazonian Craton, an ancient shield terrain geologically analogous to the Birimian terranes of the West African Craton; home to numerous world-class gold deposits. Both provinces share Paleoproterozoic age, regional deformation, granitoid magmatism, and structurally controlled hydrothermal gold mineralisation.
The VG1 deposit and satellite targets are hosted by tonalites, diorites, and granodiorites, with mineralisation linked to quartz veining, sericitic alteration, sulphidation, and locally coarse free gold. This magmatic-hydrothermal system exhibits features consistent with intrusion-related and epithermal-style textures, underscoring the prospectivity of the region.
From Single Prospect to District-Scale Opportunity
Incoming Managing Director Andrew Nesbitt emphasised the strategic shift: “The success of the VG1 drilling program has provided Australian Mines with a strong platform to expand exploration across the broader Boa Vista gold tenure package.” He highlighted that the company is advancing four priority targets toward drilling while systematically assessing the broader project area, aiming to transform Boa Vista from a single-target discovery into a district-scale gold exploration opportunity.
This broader approach aligns with the company’s recent governance changes and growth focus, following Nesbitt’s appointment as Managing Director and board refresh announced in June 2026.
Bottom Line?
Australian Mines is positioning Boa Vista as a multi-target gold district, with upcoming drilling and sediment sampling set to test the scale of this emerging system.
Questions in the middle?
- Will drilling at the four priority targets confirm extensions of VG1’s mineralisation style and grade?
- Can the planned stream sediment sampling uncover new targets that materially expand Boa Vista’s resource potential?
- How will Australian Mines balance exploration across multiple targets while advancing VG1 resource definition and economic studies?