Yandal Resources Ltd (ASX:YRL) has stretched the strike length of its Arrakis mineralised structure at the Caladan target area in Western Australia’s Yandal Greenstone Belt to more than 2.2 kilometres, with fresh air-core results confirming the scale of the emerging gold system.
The third batch of assays from the company’s large-scale Caladan air-core program has returned several notable intercepts, underscoring the potential of a dolerite-hosted structure at the heart of the Caladan Fold.
Broad-spaced drilling reveals continuity
Results from a further 72 holes included 22 metres at 0.5 g/t gold from 75 metres in hole 25IWBAC099, which also hosted a higher-grade zone of 7 metres at 1.2 g/t.
Cross-section showing all AC drilling results from 25IWBAC099, with a simple preliminary interpretation of geology.
Another intercept, 5 metres at 0.7 g/t gold from 112 metres to end-of-hole in 25IWBAC052, confirmed the presence of gold mineralisation more than a kilometre along strike.
Cross-section showing all AC drilling results from 25IWBAC052, with a simple preliminary interpretation of geology.
Together with earlier results, the assays demonstrate that the Arrakis structure continues for at least 2.2 kilometres, intercepted on six drill lines and still open both northwest and southeast.
The mineralisation is hosted in sheared and altered dolerite with chlorite–sericite alteration and disseminated sulphides, providing a strong geological case for a primary mineralised system at depth.
Second gold-bearing trend identified
In addition to extending Arrakis, Yandal has uncovered evidence of a second mineralised corridor about 600 metres to the southwest. Hole 25IWBAC096 returned 9 metres at 1.2 g/t gold from 97 metres, including a standout metre grading 7.7 g/t, while 25IWBAC108 cut 5 metres at 0.4 g/t from 55 metres.
Cross-section showing all AC drilling results from 25IWBAC096, with a simple preliminary interpretation of geology.
These results align with the CAL-02 regolith anomaly, pointing to the potential for parallel gold-hosting structures across the Caladan area.
Early signs of a large system
Managing director Chris Oorschot said the main aim of the air-core program at Caladan was to find evidence of a large-scale mineralised system.
“To receive results of this tenure across such an extensive strike length within the first-pass, broad-spaced air-core drilling is rare and indicative of a potentially significant mineralised system,” he said.
“The next phase of exploration will include examining mineralisation continuity within fresh rock by completing a small RC [reverse circulation] program that will test below recent air-core intercepts. This will be followed by a heritage survey that will clear closer-spaced lines across the Arrakis structure and further along strike.”
Next steps in the field
Yandal has now completed 136 air-core holes for 13,933 metres at Caladan, with results received from 122 holes and the final assays due in the coming weeks.
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A collar plan over the Arrakis Prospect within the Caladan target area (see Figure 5), showing simplified bedrock geology interpretation.
RC drilling is scheduled to begin shortly, followed by a second phase of both RC and air-core work once heritage surveys are completed in late August and September.
Caladan forms part of the broader Ironstone Well–Barwidgee Project, which covers highly prospective ground 60 kilometres south of Northern Star’s Jundee gold mining complex and 18 kilometres north of the recent Siona discovery.
By validating surface regolith anomalies as indicators of mineralisation at depth, Yandal is positioning Caladan as a cornerstone of its active 2025 exploration program. The company’s broader portfolio spans projects across the Yandal and Norseman–Wiluna greenstone belts, with the latest Caladan results providing a clear near-term focus for drilling and news flow.