Duketon Mining has delivered promising results from its maiden 6,000m drill program at Barlee, secured the Killarney Gold Project, and reported a combined nickel resource exceeding 102,000 tonnes across Rosie and C2 deposits.
- Maiden Barlee drilling returns significant gold intercepts at Gromit, Astro, and Odie
- Walgoolan tenement granted, highlighting base metals potential
- Killarney Gold Project acquisition completed via option exercise
- Rosie and C2 nickel resources combined exceed 102,000 tonnes of nickel
- Quarter-end cash and shareholdings total A$9.0 million
Barlee Gold Project Delivers Encouraging Maiden Drill Results
Duketon Mining Limited (ASX:DKM) has completed its maiden drilling campaign at the Barlee Gold Project, located 230km north of Southern Cross, with a total of 6,000 metres drilled across eight prospects. The program, initially planned for 4,500 metres, was expanded to include twenty-eight reverse circulation (RC) holes and sixty-nine aircore holes, uncovering multiple significant gold intercepts.
At the Gromit Prospect, the standout intercept came from RC drill hole 26BAR013, which returned 30 metres at 1.1 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 12 metres, including a higher-grade 9 metres at 2.4g/t from 24 metres. This mineralisation is associated with quartz veining in weathered mafic sediments and sits roughly 30 metres east of a previous aircore hole that also returned gold anomalism.
The Astro Prospect revealed broad zones of mineralisation, including 24 metres at 0.8g/t gold from 24 metres, with a 12-metre section grading 1.3g/t. Notably, a deeper intercept of 7 metres at 0.7g/t included a 1-metre high-grade zone of 4.7g/t at the bottom of the hole. Meanwhile, the Odie Prospect yielded 11 metres at 0.67g/t gold from 28 metres, including 6 metres at 1.1g/t, with mineralisation associated with a Banded Iron Formation and remaining open along strike in both directions.
These results build on earlier indications of Barlee's potential, which remains only partially explored with approximately 30% of tenure covered by modern geochemical surveys. The company's expanded drilling program and soil geochemistry have helped delineate multiple targets for follow-up exploration, suggesting a significant gold system with strike potential of around 45 kilometres.
Walgoolan Tenement Granted and Base Metals Potential
In parallel, Duketon secured tenement E77/3129 at the Walgoolan Project, 45 kilometres northeast of Merredin. This 59 square kilometre tenement is prospective for base metals and gold. Historical drilling within the area has intersected broad, shallow zones of silver, gold, lead, and zinc mineralisation, including notable intervals such as 11 metres at 6.11g/t silver with associated lead and zinc.
Killarney Gold Project Acquisition Finalised
Duketon exercised its option to acquire 100% of the Killarney Gold Project, comprising tenements M58/365 and P58/1843, by issuing 2 million fully paid ordinary shares to the vendor. This strategic addition expands Duketon's gold portfolio and complements its ongoing exploration efforts across Western Australia.
Nickel Resources at Rosie and C2 Surpass 100,000 Tonnes
The company also updated its nickel Mineral Resource Estimates for the Rosie and C2 deposits within the Duketon Nickel Project, located 130 kilometres north of Laverton. The Rosie deposit holds an Indicated and Inferred Resource of 2.77 million tonnes at 3.27% nickel equivalent, containing approximately 56,300 tonnes of nickel. The C2 deposit adds 8.06 million tonnes at 0.57% nickel, with over 46,000 tonnes of contained nickel.
Combined, these deposits now account for over 102,000 tonnes of nickel, alongside significant copper and platinum group elements (PGEs). The resource remains open in all directions, with ongoing studies targeting extensions and potential mining scenarios.
Financial Position and Exploration Outlook
As at 30 June 2026, Duketon held $7.5 million in cash and $1.5 million in listed equity investments, providing a solid foundation to advance exploration and development activities. Exploration expenditure for the quarter was $1.054 million, focused on geological consulting, fieldwork, and tenement compliance.
The company continues to prioritise three strategic pillars: advancing exploration on existing tenure, acquiring new projects opportunistically, and expanding nickel resources through further studies and drilling. Notably, no significant gold assays were returned from the Boodanoo Project drilling during the quarter.
Bottom Line?
Duketon’s maiden Barlee drilling and nickel resource growth set the stage for follow-up exploration and resource expansion, but confirmation through additional drilling remains essential.
Questions in the middle?
- How will further drilling refine the extent and grade of gold mineralisation at Barlee’s key prospects?
- What impact will the Killarney acquisition have on Duketon’s overall gold resource portfolio and valuation?
- Can the company unlock additional nickel resources beyond Rosie and C2 to enhance project economics?