Pilbara Gold (ASX: PGL) has formalised control over mineral rights at the Mt York Gold Project, unlocking exploration over an additional 367 square kilometres of prospective ground adjacent to its 2.1Moz resource in Western Australia.
- Mineral Rights Agreement with PLS declared unconditional
- 367sqkm of new mineral rights secured, excluding lithium and tantalum
- Ongoing 50,000m drilling program targets resource growth at Mt York
- Prefeasibility Study and airborne electromagnetic survey underway
- Expansion complements recent contiguous land acquisition from Trek Metals
Unconditional Agreement Unlocks Strategic Land Package
Pilbara Gold (ASX:PGL) has officially secured mineral rights over three exploration licences and one application covering 367 square kilometres surrounding its flagship 2.1 million ounce Mt York Gold Project in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. The Mineral Rights Agreement with PLS Group Limited, signed in October 2025, has now satisfied all conditions precedent, allowing PGL to explore for gold and base metals across this expanded footprint.
This acquisition excludes lithium and tantalum rights but significantly bolsters PGL’s district-scale presence, complementing a recent acquisition of 168 square kilometres of contiguous licences from Trek Metals earlier this year. The newly acquired ground sits within prospective greenstone geology akin to Mt York’s mineralised trends, yet remains largely unexplored for gold.
Drilling Success Extends Known Mineralisation
The necessity of this agreement was underscored by PGL’s recent drilling success, which extended gold mineralisation by 1,500 metres at the Mt York Main Hill deposit. Notable intercepts include 9 metres at 3.92 grams per tonne gold from 97 metres downhole and 16 metres at 2.60 g/t from 157 metres, reinforcing the potential for resource growth beyond the current 2.1Moz base.
PGL is advancing a 50,000-metre-plus drilling campaign aimed at infill and extensional targets at Main Hill and Gossan Hill, where recent results have confirmed mineralisation remains open at depth. This program is integral to refining the upcoming Prefeasibility Study, expected to incorporate any resource expansions from ongoing drilling.
Strategic Surveying and Development Plans in Motion
Alongside drilling, PGL is set to commence a large airborne electro-magnetic (AEM) survey over the Greater Mt York region. This geophysical work aims to identify new sulphide targets within the expanded tenure, potentially unlocking further deposits in the area.
Managing Director Dr Peter Turner emphasised the strategic value of the agreement, noting the fertile ground’s similarity to Mt York and the potential to grow resources through systematic exploration. The company’s focus remains on extending mineralisation at depth and along strike while progressing metallurgical, geotechnical, and mine scheduling studies to support the project’s development.
Resource Base and Project Outlook
Mt York’s current mineral resource estimate stands at 2.1 million ounces at an average grade of approximately 1.05 g/t gold, contained within a pit shell based on a A$5,500/oz gold price and a 0.4 g/t cut-off. Scoping study results from late 2024 indicated a robust open-cut operation using conventional carbon-in-leach processing.
The expanded mineral rights and ongoing drilling underpin PGL’s ambition to increase the resource base ahead of a Prefeasibility Study targeted for completion in 2027. This study will integrate new geological and metallurgical data, potentially enhancing project economics and de-risking development.
Bottom Line?
Pilbara Gold’s expanded control over Mt York’s mineral rights and ongoing drilling set the stage for resource growth and a more comprehensive prefeasibility study.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the exclusion of lithium and tantalum rights affect future strategic options at Mt York?
- What initial results from the airborne electromagnetic survey might reveal new high-priority targets?
- To what extent can the ongoing drilling campaign push the resource beyond the current 2.1Moz estimate?