Havilah Resources has kicked off reverse circulation drilling at its Brooks Dam prospect near Kalkaroo, aiming to penetrate a stubborn gossan-chert horizon and better define underlying copper-gold mineralisation. The drilling is part of a strategic alliance with Sandfire Resources, which is also advancing its own large-scale drilling and prefeasibility work at Kalkaroo.
- RC drilling starts at Brooks Dam after heavy rain delays
- Focus on testing hard gossan-chert horizon for sulphide mineralisation
- Drilling funded under strategic alliance with Sandfire Resources
- Sandfire progressing large-scale drilling and prefeasibility study at Kalkaroo
- Regulatory approvals and heritage surveys completed for broader drilling
RC Drilling Commences at Brooks Dam Prospect
Havilah Resources (ASX:HAV) has finally mobilised reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the Brooks Dam prospect, roughly 12 kilometres northwest of the Kalkaroo deposit in South Australia's Curnamona Province. The program had been stalled for over two months due to unusually heavy and persistent rain, which blocked access for heavy drilling rigs. Now underway, the drilling aims to pierce a notoriously hard gossan-chert horizon; a surface iron-rich cap rock that has long frustrated previous explorers.
Targeting Primary Sulphide Mineralisation Beneath Surface Cap
The Brooks Dam prospect is geologically compelling, marked by coincident copper, gold, lead, and zinc anomalies in surface soils and lag samples. This coincides with an interpreted faulted regional anticline hosting the Kalkaroo stratabound mineralised horizon (known as the K2 unit). Historic rock chip sampling of one of only two known outcrops of this horizon returned highly anomalous gold and copper assays, but earlier aircore drilling by Newcrest Mining in 1997 failed to penetrate the hard gossan-chert layer. Havilah’s current RC drilling program is designed to overcome this limitation and establish the thickness, grade, and extent of the underlying primary sulphide mineralisation.
Strategic Alliance with Sandfire Resources Powers Exploration
This drilling campaign is funded under the Strategic Alliance Agreement (SAA) with Sandfire Resources, which has been steadily advancing its own activities at Kalkaroo. Sandfire recently reported the arrival of its first drill rig on site, with plans to deploy up to seven rigs over the coming months to support a large-scale infill and extension drilling program. The company is also progressing an approximately US$70 million prefeasibility study, targeted for completion in the second half of fiscal 2028, alongside infrastructure developments including an 80-bed onsite camp and a core processing facility.
Regulatory and Heritage Clearances Enable Broader Drilling
Meanwhile, Havilah has secured regulatory approval from South Australia's Department for Energy and Mining to conduct drilling across all its key prospects north of the Barrier Highway, subject to individual program notifications. Heritage surveys have been completed to clear drill sites at multiple prospects including Homestead, North Dome Breccia, and North Dome Closure, setting the stage for a sustained exploration push in the region.
Uncertain Outcomes Await Drilling Results
Havilah’s Technical Director Dr Chris Giles emphasised the significance of finally being able to drill through the gossan-chert horizon, noting the uncertainty that remains around the thickness, grade, and depth extent of the primary sulphide mineralisation. With drilling now underway both at the SAA prospects like Brooks Dam and on the Kalkaroo deposit itself, the company expects to provide more frequent updates on assay results and field activities in the near term.
Bottom Line?
The success of penetrating the gossan-chert horizon at Brooks Dam could unlock a clearer picture of the region’s copper-gold potential, but assay results will be critical to validate this promising target.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the RC drilling at Brooks Dam confirm significant primary sulphide mineralisation beneath the gossan-chert horizon?
- How will Sandfire’s large-scale drilling and prefeasibility study progress influence Havilah’s stake and exploration strategy at Kalkaroo?
- What timelines can investors expect for assay results and subsequent exploration updates from both Havilah and Sandfire?