Yandal Resources Ltd (ASX:YRL) has identified a new prospect with a single line of first-pass aircore drilling at the large Caladan target area within the Ironstone Well-Barwidgee (IWB) Gold Project in Western Australia.
Dubbed Arrakis, the new prospect was highlighted with an aircore result of 11 metres at 1.7 g/t gold from 97 metres to the end of the hole, with a higher-grade portion of 3 metres at 3.5 g/t gold from 102 metres.
YRL is targeting the 8-kilometre-long and 3-kilometre-wide Caladan fold structure as a promising structural control for gold mineralisation, with this latest discovery hole pointing to the presence of a new greenfield discovery.
“Highly encouraging” result
“This is an extremely satisfying result for Yandal and is the product of excellent work completed by the exploration team,” Yandal Resources managing director Chris Oorschot said.
“The Caladan target area was only a concept six months ago. The re-capture and analysis of historic data identified a 3-kilometre-long low-level geochemical anomaly under transported cover associated with the Caladan Fold axis.
“To have an intercept of this tenor after completing one line of first-pass aircore drilling within this large-scale geochemical anomaly is highly encouraging and may represent the emergence of a new greenfield discovery.
“We are very excited by these initial results and will look to complete follow-up drilling on the cleared air-core line as soon as possible, and more broadly, preparations are underway for a larger aircore program across the Caladan target area.”
Follow-up drilling
The company has received all assay results from the 2024 aircore program, which covered 17 holes across 1,688 metres testing 2.3 kilometres of the Caladan Fold.
With a reverse circulation (RC) drilling rig turning at the New England Granite prospect and diamond drilling scheduled to begin at Siona before the end of the month, YRL intends to conduct follow-up drilling at Arrakis within a matter of weeks.
Investigating the Caladan target further will require more heritage surveys, limiting the next round of drilling at Arrakis to the single existing aircore line until these surveys are complete.
The Caladan target area is part of the broader IWB Gold Project, about 60 kilometres north of Northern Star’s Bronzewing mining complex, 60 kilometres south of the Jundee mining complex and 18 kilometres north of the emerging Siona discovery, within the Yandal Greenstone Belt.