Gorilla Gold Finds More High-Grade Depth at Lakeview

Lakeview Intercept Extends Mineralisation at Depth

Gorilla Gold Mines Ltd (ASX:GG8) has reported a 7.0-metre intercept grading 12.6g/t gold from 392.7 metres in hole LVEX173 at its Lakeview deposit in Western Australia. The result comes from growth drilling at the Comet Vale Gold Project, part of Gorilla's 1.2-million-ounce North Kalgoorlie Hub.

The intercept sits within quartz veining accompanied by pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite, with the company describing the geology as typical of Lakeview-style mineralisation. A second hole, LVEX171, drilled 350 metres west of LVEX173, encountered a large veining and alteration package but lower-grade gold values. Gorilla says that result may represent a near miss rather than a failed step-out.

The headline interval is a downhole measurement, and its true width has not yet been determined. Lakeview remains open at depth according to the company, with further drilling intended to test whether the mineralised system can add to the deposit's resource base.

Sovereign Underground Permit Removes One Hurdle

Gorilla has also received the final permit required for underground activities at Sovereign, a deposit described in the announcement as containing 410,000 ounces at 4.2g/t gold and continuing to grow. The deposit was last mined in 2020.

The approval does not amount to a mining decision. Gorilla says underground work can resume once a critical resource mass has been established and advanced study work has been completed. The permit nevertheless gives the company greater flexibility as it advances a project pipeline that includes resource growth, engineering, geotechnical, metallurgical and hydrological studies.

Coarse-Grind Metallurgy Delivers High Recoveries

Metallurgical testing across 18 composite samples from the Sovereign, Lakeview and Cheer deposits produced an average 42.3% gravity extraction and 94.6% total gold extraction after a 48-hour cyanide leach. Average recovery after eight hours was 90.1%, indicating rapid leach kinetics in the tested material.

The samples were tested at a 150-micron grind size and were selected from different grades, host rocks and mineral assemblages. Gorilla says the relatively coarse initial grind leaves room to test how finer grinding affects recovery. One Lakeview sample showed higher reagent consumption associated with copper-bearing chalcopyrite, although the company said most samples did not show increased reagent use and no deleterious elements were recorded.

Drilling Pipeline Remains the Immediate Catalyst

Multiple rigs are continuing across the North Kalgoorlie Hub and the Vivien Project, targeting growth at several prospects. The hub combines the Comet Vale and Mulwarrie projects and currently carries 1.2 million ounces at 3.7g/t gold, according to Gorilla, while Comet Vale accounts for 0.86 million ounces at the same grade.

The next evidence will come from follow-up assays, rather than from the permit itself. Gorilla has warned that laboratory turnaround times are currently slower than usual, while the next phase of metallurgy is expected to examine different grind sizes. The key question is whether the Lakeview intercept and the recovery results can be translated into a larger, study-ready resource and eventually an economic development case.