Rokeby Resources has confirmed high-grade gold mineralisation at the fully permitted Sunnyside deposit within its recently acquired Omeo Gold Project, with initial drilling results reinforcing the project's historical potential.
- Initial assays confirm high-grade gold at Sunnyside
- Maiden nine-hole diamond drilling underway targeting JORC resource
- Historical resource of 320,000 ounces underpins exploration
- Drilling reveals structurally complex mineralisation system
- Further assay results and JORC update expected by September
High-Grade Intercepts Validate Sunnyside Potential
Rokeby Resources (ASX:RKB) has received assay results from the first three holes of its maiden diamond drilling campaign at the Sunnyside deposit, part of the recently acquired Omeo Gold Project in north-east Victoria. The standout intercepts include 0.45 metres at 29.2 grams per tonne gold (g/t Au) and 0.5 metres at 5.17 g/t Au, confirming the presence of high-grade mineralisation within a fully permitted and historically significant gold asset.
These results come from a nine-hole, 2,180-metre program designed to test known high-grade shoots and provide a foundation for a JORC (2012) compliant resource estimate. The drilling is progressing on schedule, with further assays from holes four and five expected shortly and completion of the program anticipated by September.
Historical Resource and Structural Complexity
The Omeo Project, which includes the Maude and Sunnyside deposits, is underpinned by a non-JORC historical resource estimate of 2.4 million tonnes at 4.02 g/t Au, equating to approximately 320,000 ounces of gold. This figure reflects the project's rich legacy, with past mining producing over 235,000 ounces at grades exceeding 18 g/t Au.
Importantly, the recent drilling has revealed mineralisation occurring not only along known trends but also in east-west structures, suggesting a more structurally complex system than previously understood. This discovery opens the door to expanding the resource beyond the historical footprint, a prospect Rokeby is actively pursuing through its structured 12-month growth program.
Drilling Program Details and Next Steps
The initial holes have intersected mineralisation consistent with historical models, except for hole 26SSDH001, which encountered strong mineralisation higher than expected, attributed to a newly recognised structural orientation. While hole 26SSDH003's high-grade core was not fully recovered due to drilling rig issues, the overall results affirm the robustness of the mineralisation.
Rokeby is awaiting multi-element assay results for the first three holes and assays from holes four and five. Hole seven is nearing completion, with further drilling planned to test down-plunge extensions of identified mineralisation. The company aims to integrate these results into a JORC resource update scheduled for September, which will guide potential expansion across the Mt Wills area.
Strategic Significance of the Omeo Gold Project
Situated approximately five hours north-east of Melbourne, the Omeo Gold Project is a rare, develop-ready gold asset with a long history of high-grade production. Rokeby's acquisition and ongoing drilling program at Sunnyside mark a significant step in unlocking the project's value. The fully permitted status of Sunnyside allows Rokeby to advance exploration with minimal regulatory hurdles, positioning the company well for resource growth and subsequent development phases.
Managing Director Richard Beazley emphasised the project's potential, noting that the drilling confirms expected mineralisation orientations and highlights additional structural complexities that could expand the resource base. Rokeby's focus remains on systematically building upon the historical foundation to deliver a JORC-compliant resource that reflects the true scale of the deposit.
Bottom Line?
Rokeby's initial drilling results at Sunnyside validate the project's high-grade potential, but upcoming assay data and the September JORC update will be pivotal in defining the resource's true extent and guiding future exploration.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the expanded structural understanding translate into a materially larger JORC resource?
- How will Rokeby prioritise follow-up drilling to test newly identified east-west mineralisation trends?
- What are the implications of incomplete core recovery in some holes for resource modelling accuracy?