Arika Resources is mobilising for its biggest ever drilling push, with a 20,000-metre program focusing on high-grade extensions and new targets at its Western Australian gold projects.
- 20,000m RC and diamond drilling program commencing soon
- Focus on Cosmopolitan, Altona, Ithaca, Pennyweight Point, and Landed at Last
- New soil geochemistry surveys at Emerald City to guide maiden drilling
- Metallurgical testwork underway to assess gold recovery
- Continuous exploration news flow expected through 2026
Mobilisation for Record Drilling Campaign Underway
Arika Resources Limited (ASX:ARI) is gearing up to execute its largest exploration drilling program to date, with a planned 20,000-metre Reverse Circulation (RC) and diamond drilling campaign across its 100%-owned Yundamindra and Kookynie Gold Projects in Western Australia. Mobilisation has already commenced, and drilling is set to start in the coming weeks, marking a significant escalation in the company's exploration activity.
Targeting High-Grade Extensions and New Discoveries at Kookynie
The initial drilling phase will concentrate on the Kookynie Project, which covers approximately 150 square kilometres and sits adjacent to Genesis Minerals’ 2.23 million-ounce Ulysses Gold Project. Arika plans to focus on the Cosmopolitan, Altona, and Ithaca prospects, following recent geological reviews and 3D modelling that revealed promising potential for both extensions of known mineralisation and previously untested structural targets.
These prospects have a rich history, with the Cosmopolitan mine historically producing 331,000 ounces at an average grade of 15 g/t Au and the Altona mine delivering 89,000 ounces at 30 g/t Au. The upcoming drilling will include both RC and diamond methods, supported by a $211,000 Exploration Incentive Scheme grant targeting deep extensions at Cosmopolitan, aiming to unlock a large mineralised system analogous to other major regional deposits.
Advancing Yundamindra with Growth and Maiden Drilling
At the Yundamindra Gold Project, situated roughly 65 kilometres southeast of Leonora, drilling will recommence at the Pennyweight Point and Landed at Last prospects. These sites have already yielded high-grade results, including intercepts such as 8 metres at 56.36 g/t Au and 10 metres at 9.99 g/t Au, confirming the project's potential to host significant gold mineralisation.
Soil geochemistry surveys have recently been completed over the extensive Emerald City target area, covering about half of the Yundamindra tenure. This represents a crucial step toward maiden drilling in this previously untested zone, with assay results expected to refine drill targets further. The Emerald City area is structurally favourable, marked by intrusive contacts and major fault intersections, which could host new discoveries.
Supporting Exploration with Metallurgical and Geochemical Studies
Complementing the drilling programs, Arika has initiated metallurgical leach testwork on mineralised material from Yundamindra to gain early insights into gold recovery characteristics. These tests will inform future technical and development studies, laying groundwork for potential project advancement.
Additional soil sampling continues across Kookynie, ensuring a robust pipeline of drill-ready targets beyond the initial campaign. The company anticipates a steady stream of exploration updates through the rest of 2026, including assay results, geochemical survey outcomes, and maiden drilling news from Emerald City.
Strategic Positioning in a Proven Gold Province
Both projects lie within the prolific Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia, home to world-class deposits such as Sunrise Dam and Wallaby, which have collectively produced over 15 million ounces of gold. Yundamindra’s mineralisation is structurally controlled along a regional batholith margin and shear zones, with historical mining delivering high-grade ounces before 1970.
Kookynie, despite its historical high-grade production, remains under-explored with significant upside potential. Its proximity to existing processing infrastructure and granted mining leases offers Arika a strategic advantage to rapidly advance discoveries toward development.
Managing Director Justin Barton emphasised the scale and ambition of the campaign, highlighting the company’s confidence in its technical work and the multiple drilling programs planned across both projects. He noted the expectation of a strong pipeline of news flow, driven by ongoing exploration and target generation efforts.
Bottom Line?
Arika’s ambitious 20,000-metre drilling campaign marks a pivotal moment, but results from these multiple targets will be crucial to validate the projects’ potential and justify further investment.
Questions in the middle?
- Will assay results from Emerald City confirm new high-priority targets for maiden drilling?
- How will metallurgical testwork influence the development strategy for Yundamindra’s mineralisation?
- Can extensions at Cosmopolitan and Altona deliver the scale needed to underpin a significant resource upgrade?