Red Mountain Mining has kicked off its first reverse circulation drilling campaign at the Armidale Antimony-Gold Project in NSW, aiming to test high-grade orogenic antimony-gold mineralisation at the Oaky Creek prospect. Seventeen holes are planned over three weeks, with assay results expected next quarter.
- Maiden RC drilling commenced at Armidale's Oaky Creek prospect
- Seventeen holes planned to test 3km strike orogenic antimony system
- Surface sampling revealed rock chips up to 39.3% antimony and 1.09ppm gold
- Drilling follows extensive soil sampling and induced polarisation survey
- Assay results expected early next quarter; Pioneer Tungsten assay pending
Maiden Drilling Targets High-Grade Antimony-Gold Veins at Oaky Creek
Red Mountain Mining (ASX:RMX) has commenced its inaugural reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the Armidale Antimony-Gold Project in New South Wales, marking a pivotal step in advancing its critical minerals portfolio. The campaign focuses on the Oaky Creek prospect, a standout target within the 391 km2 licence area that hosts a significant orogenic antimony-gold system stretching approximately 3 kilometres along strike.
The program plans 17 holes over roughly three weeks to test priority zones defined by extensive surface geochemical work, including rock chip samples grading up to 39.3% antimony (Sb) and 1.09 ppm gold (Au). These high-grade surface results, combined with a coherent antimony soil anomaly measuring up to 2 ppm Sb over broad areas, underpin expectations of a large-scale vein system analogous to Larvotto Resources’ (ASX:LRV) nearby Hillgrove project, one of Australia's largest antimony deposits.
Extensive Surface Sampling and Geophysical Surveys Refine Drill Targets
Over the past 12 months, Red Mountain has completed a comprehensive sampling program at Oaky Creek, including conventional and auger soil sampling, rock chip collection, and a dipole-dipole induced polarisation (DDIP) geophysical survey. The latter revealed a steeply southeast-dipping chargeability anomaly extending at least 400 metres along strike and 200 metres down dip beneath known quartz-carbonate-stibnite veins and historical workings, expanding the drill-ready target area significantly.
This detailed groundwork allowed the company to identify five high-priority drill targets within the Oaky Creek system. The current drilling aims to test these targets, focusing on the South Main Grid antimony-arsenic auger soil anomaly and historical workings at both Oaky Creek North and South.
Strategic Location within Australia’s Premier Antimony Province
The Armidale project lies within the Southern New England Orogen, a region recognised as Australia's premier antimony province. The project area is strategically positioned west of Larvotto’s Hillgrove deposit, which ranks as the eighth largest antimony deposit globally. The geology comprises tightly folded Carboniferous metasediments with quartz-carbonate-stibnite veins, typical of orogenic antimony-gold mineralisation.
Red Mountain’s licence covers an 85-kilometre stretch along the Peel Fault, a mineralised corridor with over 400 known orogenic gold and base metal occurrences but relatively sparse modern exploration drilling. Oaky Creek is the company’s most advanced prospect within this underexplored belt.
Parallel Progress at Pioneer Tungsten Project in Montana
While drilling advances in New South Wales, Red Mountain also anticipates assay results in early September from its Pioneer Tungsten Project in Montana, USA. This project has shown promising tungsten mineralisation comparable to the adjacent 6.8 million tonne Gentung deposit owned by NASDAQ-listed Almonty Industries. The US asset complements Red Mountain’s critical minerals strategy targeting supply security for Western markets.
The company notes that delays in rig availability and weather pushed back the start of the Armidale drilling program beyond initial contractor estimates. However, the drilling is now underway, and assay results are expected early next quarter, which will be crucial in assessing the scale and grade continuity of the mineralisation.
Bottom Line?
Red Mountain’s maiden drilling at Armidale will be a key test of its high-grade antimony-gold targets, with assay results in the coming months set to shape the project’s potential and next exploration steps.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the drilling confirm continuity of the high-grade antimony-gold veins indicated by surface sampling?
- How will assay results influence Red Mountain’s development timeline and resource estimation at Armidale?
- What impact will Pioneer Tungsten assay outcomes have on the company’s broader critical minerals portfolio?