Larvotto Advances High-Grade Gold-Tungsten Targets at Hillgrove’s Curry’s Block

Curry’s Block Emerges as Strategic Tungsten-Gold Target

Larvotto Resources (ASX:LRV) has spotlighted Curry’s Block within its 100% owned Hillgrove Antimony-Gold Project as a compelling high-grade gold-antimony-tungsten system that remains open along strike and at depth. Historic drilling by Red River Resources between 2019 and 2021 outlined mineralisation extending over a 1km strike length and beyond 140m vertical depth, with standout intercepts such as 5m at 11.8g/t AuEq from 144m, including 2.9m at 19.5g/t AuEq from the same depth.

The timing is notable: tungsten prices have surged to record highs in 2024–2025, driven by China’s dominant control of over 80% of global supply. With tungsten now designated a Critical Mineral by Australia, Larvotto’s renewed focus on this metal positions the company to capitalise on a possible structural shift in tungsten demand and pricing. Importantly, tungsten is expected to be a high-value by-product from Hillgrove’s existing gold-antimony operations, potentially enhancing project economics without requiring standalone tungsten mining.

Diamond Drilling Approved to Unlock Resource Potential

Regulatory approval is now in place for Larvotto’s maiden diamond drilling campaign at Curry’s Block, set to commence shortly. This will be the first modern, systematic follow-up of historic drill results, aiming to confirm and expand the mineralised system. The site’s proximity, just 4.5km by road from the Hillgrove Processing Plant, adds to its development appeal, offering logistical advantages for potential resource integration.

Historic drilling data reveals high-grade tungsten mineralisation closely associated with gold and antimony lodes, including notable tungsten intercepts such as 5m at 0.381% WO3 from 144m and 1.9m at 0.35% WO3 from 34.6m. These grades compare favourably with other Australian tungsten deposits like Mt Carbine and King Island’s Dolphin Mine. Larvotto is concurrently conducting metallurgical test work to assess tungsten recovery and concentrate grades, a critical step to validate the economic viability of tungsten as a by-product.

Integration with Broader Hillgrove Resource Growth Strategy

Curry’s Block drilling will be coordinated with ongoing multi-rig campaigns at Larvotto’s other Hillgrove mining centres, Metz and Clarks Gully, where recent drilling has extended mineralisation and identified new targets. The company currently operates four diamond rigs advancing resource growth across the project. This multi-pronged approach aims to accelerate the conversion of exploration success into resource upgrades and supports Larvotto’s broader ambitions for the Hillgrove Project.

The use of induced polarisation (IP) surveys to refine lode extents and prioritise drill targets at Curry’s mirrors successful geophysical techniques recently applied at Metz and Clarks Gully, where IP delineated chargeable features linked to gold and antimony mineralisation. This geophysical groundwork will underpin efficient drill targeting and resource definition.

Larvotto’s Managing Director Ron Heeks emphasised the strategic importance of the tungsten opportunity at Curry’s, noting that the system remains underexplored despite high-grade historic results. With tungsten’s critical status and record prices, the company is well placed to build a significant tungsten portfolio alongside its gold and antimony assets.

Larvotto’s positioning aligns with recent developments at Hillgrove, where the company is advancing critical antimony supply and integrating tungsten potential, as seen in its ongoing Hillgrove Project Advances on Track and Larvotto Confirms Extensive High-Grade Gold-Antimony-Tungsten drilling campaigns. These efforts collectively underscore Larvotto’s commitment to unlocking multi-commodity value from Hillgrove’s mineral system.