Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX:OBM, OTC:ESGFF) has significantly expanded the footprint of its Sand King Underground deposit in Western Australia, with step-out drilling delivering some of the project’s best results to date and pointing to long-term growth potential.
A large step-out drill hole, collared 300 metres north of the current life-of-mine (LOM) plan, intersected 14.3 metres at 5.3 g/t gold from 502 metres. A wedge hole drilled off the same parent hole returned 18.7 metres at 8.9 g/t from 490 metres, including standout zones of 8.7 metres at 8.7 g/t and 8.8 metres at 10.4 g/t.
Plan View showing New Lode location and exploration opportunities.
Crucially, the wedge intercept sits 70 metres vertically above the parent hit, suggesting a new, extensive zone of high-grade mineralisation. The company said the mineralisation remains open in all directions, with follow-up drilling planned.
Building a bigger picture
Underground resource definition drilling has also expanded the orebody north of the current mine design, with intercepts such as 24.2 metres at 4.4 g/t, 5.6 metres at 5.0 g/t and 1.7 metres at 27.7 g/t.
Oblique view looking north east showing deep exploration drill intercepts in relation to current LOM plan.
Extensional and infill work has lifted mining inventory and supports development of an independent southern decline, while logging indicates high-grade shoots are being intersected alongside broad zones of bulk-tonnage mineralisation.
Notably, several exceptional assays were recorded outside the LOM plan, including:
- 1.7 metres at 1,371.2 g/t (including 0.4 metres at 5,545.0 g/t);
- 5.6 metres at 346.3 g/t (including 3.5 metres at 551.5 g/t);
- 2.6 metres at 85.9 g/t (including 1.0 metre at 215.8 g/t);
- 4.1 metres at 51.1 g/t (including 0.9 metres at 225.0 g/t); and
- 3.6 metres at 78.4 g/t (including 2.6 metres at 107.6 g/t).
Long Section looking West - FID mine lay-out versus July 2024 LOM plan mine lay-out.
Strong continuity emerging
Ora Banda said its early commitment to drilling from the 4338 platform had “transformed” eastern lodes from isolated pockets into a continuous, economic corridor. The improved confidence has brought forward plans for a south decline extension, boosting overall mine inventory.
The results also confirm earlier hits, including 3.0 metres at 7.0 g/t from surface hole SKDD23004, which now sits inside the updated mine design.
Bigger role than expected
Managing director Luke Creagh said the Sand King story was evolving rapidly.
“We started the Sand King Underground mine on a reserve of 55,000 ounces, and our initial thinking was that it would be a support play to our main underground operation at Riverina,” he said.
“However, these remarkable hits from step-out drilling, coupled with consistent resource infill drilling intercepts, show that Sand King Underground is bigger than we first thought and that the tenor of the mineralisation is potentially higher than initially expected.”
Creagh added that with drilling continuing, Sand King’s growing footprint could see it become a meaningful, long-term feed source for Ora Banda’s Davyhurst mill.
Overview showing location Sand King Underground compared and the Davyhurst processing hub.
Momentum across portfolio
The update follows last week’s release of “outstanding” drill results at the Waihi deposit, where Ora Banda is building momentum toward developing a potential third underground mine within its Davyhurst operations.
Read more: Outstanding drill results at Ora Banda's Waihi deposit build momentum for third underground mine
Together, the discoveries at Sand King and Waihi highlight Ora Banda’s strategy of growing high-grade underground sources to supplement and extend production life at the flagship Davyhurst hub.