Yandal Resources Ltd (ASX:YRL) has delivered strong early results from its maiden diamond drilling at the Arrakis Prospect, upgrading key intercepts and confirming a broader mineralised zone as the company ramps up exploration across its Ironstone Well-Barwidgee Project.
First assays from two diamond tails have strengthened previous reverse circulation (RC) hits, including 56.5 metres at 1.3 g/t gold from 108 metres, with a 14.75-metre interval at 3.3 g/t in hole 25IWBRC0040D. A second tail, 25IWBRC0041D, returned 37 metres at 0.6 g/t from 180 metres, including 6.5 metres at 1.5 g/t.
Cross-section showing all RC drilling results from 25IWBRC0040D and 25IWBRC0041D, with a simple preliminary interpretation of geology. The section location is shown in Figure 2. The section shows all drilling within +/- 50m of the section plane. The red mineralisation envelope also represents the interpreted host volcano-sedimentary unit.
Importantly, the drilling confirms an apparent true width of 35 metres on the section, indicating the Arrakis system is more substantial than earlier interpretations suggested.
Diamond program complete, geological model taking shape
The company has now completed its maiden diamond program at Arrakis, drilling 1,931 metres across four diamond tails and four holes from surface. Geological logging has allowed Yandal’s team to establish a preliminary geological model ahead of a broader RC program now under way.
Diamond core shows mineralisation is largely hosted within a heavily deformed sedimentary package bracketed by pillow basalts to the northeast and dolerite to the southwest. Two mineralisation styles have been recorded: a broad, lower-grade silica-sericite altered zone with disseminated pyrite, and a higher-grade, more intensely deformed and silica-pyrite altered zone.
Example of higher-grade Arrakis mineralisation from HQ core (~63.5mm diameter core) intercepted in 25IWBRC0041D.
The host sedimentary unit appears laterally continuous for more than 2.2 kilometres, remaining open to the southeast — a key growth vector that current aircore and RC drilling is targeting.
A collar plan over the Arrakis Prospect within the Caladan target area, showing simplified bedrock geology interpretation. All Yandal drilling is plotted (historic drilling has been excluded. Collars are thematically coloured by max Au (g/t) in the hole. The red line represents the approximate position of the interpreted Arrakis mineralised structure over more than 2.2km in strike length. Dashed yellow polygons represent air-core regolith anomalies (Results include ~4m @ 0.1 g/t Au or greater, with the upper profile or the bottom-of-hole sample is 0.1g/t Au or greater).
Yandal managing director Chris Oorschot said the combined diamond and RC datasets were delivering critical insights into the scale and geometry of the emerging system.
“Our first diamond drilling results have confirmed early interpretations and demonstrated that the apparent true width of the mineralisation is broader than earlier interpretations suggested,” he said.
“Critically, the identified structure and host to mineralisation has been confirmed over more than 2.2km of strike in both fresh rock RC drilling and diamond drilling, and remains open along strike to the southeast.”
Example of higher-grade Arrakis mineralisation from HQ core (~63.5mm diameter core) intercepted in 25IWBRC0040D.
Aircore drilling tests southeastern extension
With access delays resolving at the New England Granite target area, Yandal redeployed its aircore rig to complete 16 holes (1,872 metres) across three 400-metre spaced lines immediately southeast of Arrakis.
This program aims to identify continuation of the Arrakis stratigraphy and structure. Results are expected from mid-December.
RC drilling ramps up ahead of busy 2026 program
A ~5,000-metre RC campaign has now begun on 200-metre spaced lines across the 2.2-kilometre Arrakis trend. The program will test mineralisation continuity along strike and at depth, providing further definition of the system’s scale and feeding directly into 2026 drill planning.
Yandal Resource exploration target areas and prospect locations within the northern Yandal Greenstone Belt. The Arrakis Prospect is located within the Caladan target area.
Additional results from the remaining diamond holes are due throughout December, including assays from hole 25IWBDD0011, drilled roughly 100 metres below 25IWBRC0041D, where strong alteration and brecciation were observed.
Active months ahead
Yandal said it remains well funded as it heads into a busy close to 2025 and an expanded 2026 exploration season, including upgrades to site infrastructure and planning for a larger operational team.
Upcoming news flow includes:
- air-core results from southeast of Arrakis (mid-December);
- remaining diamond assays (December);
- RC results expected from late December into January; and
- New England Granite air-core results (mid-December).
Yandal Resources continues to advance multiple gold targets across the Yandal and Norseman-Wiluna greenstone belts in Western Australia.
Yandal Resource exploration Project locations within the Yandal Greenstone Belt. The Arrakis Prospect is located within the Caladan target area.