RC Drilling Starts at Brooks Dam to Test Hard Gossan-Chert Horizon

Drilling Commences at Brooks Dam Prospect

After more than two months of frustrating weather-related delays, Havilah Resources (ASX:HAV) has begun reverse circulation (RC) drilling at its Brooks Dam prospect, situated about 12 kilometres northwest of the Kalkaroo deposit in South Australia's Curnamona Province. The program aims to drill through a notoriously hard gossan-chert horizon; an iron-rich cap rock that has thwarted previous drill attempts; to evaluate the thickness and extent of any underlying primary sulphide mineralisation.

The Brooks Dam prospect is notable for its strong copper, gold, lead, and zinc soil and lag geochemical anomalies that flank a faulted regional anticlinal closure. This target zone includes one of only two known surface outcrops of the interpreted Kalkaroo stratabound host horizon (K2 unit), which presents as a gossan-chert rock. Previous aircore drilling by Newcrest Mining in 1997 encountered this ironstone horizon but was unable to penetrate it due to its hardness.

Strategic Alliance with Sandfire Drives Exploration

This drilling campaign is funded under the Strategic Alliance Agreement (SAA) with Sandfire Resources, who are simultaneously advancing their own large-scale drilling and prefeasibility study at the Kalkaroo Copper-Gold Project. Sandfire recently reported the arrival of their first drill rig onsite and expects to deploy up to six rigs in the coming months as part of a roughly US$70 million prefeasibility study scheduled for completion in the second half of FY28. Their progress includes establishing an 80-bed onsite camp and constructing a core processing facility adjacent to Kalkaroo.

Havilah’s Technical Director, Dr Chris Giles, expressed relief at overcoming the rain delays and emphasised the importance of the RC rig’s ability to penetrate the gossan-chert horizon, which has never been properly tested. "Until we drill through it, we remain uncertain about the thickness, grade, or extent of any underlying sulphide mineralisation," he said. Drilling results are anticipated within weeks once assay samples are processed.

Regulatory Approvals and Heritage Surveys Completed

In preparation for expanded drilling activity, Havilah has completed heritage surveys clearing multiple planned drillholes at the Homestead, North Dome Breccia, and North Dome Closure prospects. The South Australian Department for Energy and Mining has also granted approval for drilling programs across key prospects north of the Barrier Highway, subject to individual program notifications before commencement.

This regulatory progress supports Havilah’s broader exploration efforts in the region, complementing Sandfire’s ongoing development work at Kalkaroo. The proximity of Sandfire’s new camp and processing facility to Havilah’s long-term exploration camp underscores the collaborative nature of the alliance.

Retraction of Previous Assay Statement Adds Caution

Notably, Havilah retracted a previous statement regarding rock chip samples from the Brooks Dam gossan-chert outcrop that purportedly showed highly anomalous gold and copper assay values. The company clarified that it cannot verify how or by whom these samples were taken, nor the laboratory methods used, advising investors not to rely on that information. However, Dr Giles noted that their own investigations and experience support the prospect’s potential, pending confirmation from the current drilling results.

This retraction introduces an element of uncertainty about the historical data quality, reinforcing the importance of the ongoing RC drilling program to provide definitive assay results.