Redcastle Resources reports robust initial assays from Queen Alexandra grade-control drilling, revealing shallow high-grade gold mineralisation that supports ongoing mining alongside Redcastle Reef.
- Initial assays from 138 RC holes reveal high-grade gold
- Shallow mineralisation aligns with 2025 resource model
- Mining underway under Redcastle-BML Ventures Joint Venture
- Results to refine mine planning and scheduling
- Remaining assays pending for further updates
Shallow High-Grade Gold Confirmed at Queen Alexandra
Redcastle Resources Ltd (ASX:RC1) has delivered encouraging early results from its Queen Alexandra (QA) grade-control drilling program in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields. The initial batch of assays, covering 138 reverse circulation (RC) holes and 4,385 metres; about half of the completed 8,810m program; confirms shallow, high-grade gold mineralisation within the QA open-pit development area, situated roughly 700 metres west of the active Redcastle Reef mining operations.
Standout intercepts include an 11-metre interval averaging 8.55 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 14 metres depth, featuring a 1-metre hit at 67.50 g/t Au (BMRC647), alongside other significant hits such as 3 metres at 10.05 g/t Au (BMRC704) and 4 metres at 7.49 g/t Au (BMRC596). These results bolster the case for QA as a valuable near-term contributor to Redcastle’s integrated mining strategy alongside Redcastle Reef.
Results Support Existing Geological Model and Mining Plans
The assay outcomes broadly align with the 2025 Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) geological interpretation, reinforcing a shallow, stacked lode architecture principally across the interpreted Kestrel and Kestrel Hanging Wall lodes. Mining is currently underway at both QA and Redcastle Reef under the Redcastle-BML Ventures Joint Venture (RB JV), with BML Ventures operating. These new data will refine lode geometry, grade distribution, ore-waste boundaries, and mine scheduling assumptions.
Chairman Dr Ray Shaw emphasised the significance of the results, stating they "do more than support our pre-program interpretation of broad, shallow mineralisation at Queen Alexandra" and that they "reinforce the rationale for developing Queen Alexandra and Redcastle Reef as part of an integrated development programme."
Technical Details and Quality Assurance
The grade-control program used industry-standard RC drilling with 1-metre sampling intervals, analysed via 40g fire assay with AAS finish at Bureau Veritas Minerals in Kalgoorlie. Quality assurance included certified reference materials, blanks, and field duplicates, with no significant analytical bias detected. While the reported intercepts are downhole lengths and true widths are yet to be established, the data provide valuable mine-scale detail for ongoing operational planning.
Mineralised intervals were reported using a nominal lower cut-off of 0.3 g/t Au and a minimum average grade of 1.0 g/t Au over at least 2 metres downhole width. Notably, 88 of the 138 holes returned at least one interval averaging ≥1.0 g/t Au, indicating broad mineralisation across the QA development area.
Next Steps in the Queen Alexandra Program
Redcastle is awaiting the remaining assay results from the QA program, which will be incorporated into ongoing geological and grade-control model updates. These refinements aim to optimise mining operations and logistics across the combined Redcastle Reef–Queen Alexandra development area. Further drilling may be considered depending on forthcoming data.
QA sits within Mining Lease M39/318, held 100% by a Redcastle subsidiary, with no known impediments to mining activities. The company continues to advance its Eastern Goldfields portfolio, which recently expanded with a 60% stake in the Kilkenny Belt Package, adding significant regional exploration potential.
The QA results add to a series of positive developments at Redcastle, complementing ongoing mining and exploration progress at Redcastle Reef and supporting the company’s staged development ambitions in the region.
Bottom Line?
Pending assays and model updates will be critical to confirming the full mining potential at Queen Alexandra alongside Redcastle Reef.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the remaining assay results impact the Queen Alexandra mine plan?
- What operational efficiencies can be gained by integrating QA and Redcastle Reef mining?
- Could further drilling reveal extensions beyond the current QA pit shell?