Alkane Resources Ltd (ASX:ALK, OTC:ALKEF) has identified a gold-bearing structural corridor beneath its Roswell deposit at the Tomingley Gold Operations in New South Wales, as deep drilling continues to point to resource expansion potential both at depth and across the broader mine site.
The company said an extended diamond drill hole beneath Roswell intersected a seismic reflector interpreted as a major fault or conduit for gold-arsenic-rich hydrothermal fluids, confirming the presence of mineralised breccias and quartz veining around 400 metres below current underground resources.
“Our continuing exploration at Tomingley reveals both extensions to our deposits, which remain open at depth and along strike, as well as new areas of mineralisation,” Alkane managing director and CEO Nic Earner said.
“This drilling demonstrates the significant resource expansion potential across the mine site,” he added. “We look forward to revealing this potential, both near mine and regionally around Tomingley.”
Deep seismic target returns gold
The previously deepest hole at Roswell, RWD061, was extended to 1,392 metres to test the east-dipping seismic reflector identified in reprocessed 2D seismic data. The structure, traced over more than 5 kilometres of strike, is interpreted to represent a major fluid pathway within the Tomingley gold system.
Significant intercepts from the extension include:
- 8.7 metres at 1.15 g/t gold from 1,104.3 metres, including 3 metres at 2.78 g/t
- 0.3 metres at 11.4 g/t gold (visible gold)
- 2 metres at 5.90 g/t gold within the Western Monzodiorite
- 1 metre at 2.44 g/t gold
The reflector zone is hosted in metasediments, although Alkane noted that higher grades and broader intercepts are more likely where such structures intersect favourable lithologies such as andesite or monzodiorite. Further drilling is planned above and below the intersection point to test these targets.
Roswell currently hosts underground resources of 5.5 million tonnes grading 2.6 g/t gold for 476,000 ounces (at a 1.3 g/t cut-off).
RWD061 – Subvertical meta-sediments with cross-cutting shallow east dipping sheeted quartz-arsenopyrite veins and breccias (7m interval grading 0.16g/t Au and >0.5% As from 1,176 m).
High-grade zones confirmed in Western Monzodiorite
In parallel, Alkane has completed an intensive underground infill drilling program within the Western Monzodiorite domain at Roswell, targeting Inferred Resources for potential upgrade.
The 21-hole, 4,019-metre campaign tightened drill spacing to a nominal 15-by-20-metre grid across the mid-portion of the domain and confirmed multiple wide, high-grade zones within the 30-metre-thick monzodiorite body.
Standout intercepts include:
- 5.9 metres at 31.0 g/t gold, including 2.1 metres at 78.4 g/t (ROSUG657D)
- 17.4 metres at 4.30 g/t, including 2.5 metres at 21.1 g/t (ROSUG644D)
- 3.5 metres at 16.1 g/t, including 1.2 metres at 45.1 g/t (ROSUG425D)
- 0.6 metres at 69.2 g/t (ROSUG656D)
The program is designed to improve confidence in the Mineral Resource Estimate and support potential conversion to Indicated Resources and Ore Reserves. A second phase of drilling targeting upper and lower portions of the domain is under way and expected to run through to the September quarter of 2026.
Near-mine and regional upside
Exploration drilling has also advanced at the El Paso and Westray prospects within the broader Tomingley district.
At El Paso, seven diamond drill holes tested dacite-associated mineralisation within the Mingelo Volcanics. Although the geological model has been revised following drilling, significant gold intercepts were returned, including:
- 17 metres at 4.02 g/t gold, including 0.5 metres at 77.5 g/t (EPD020)
- 8 metres at 2.10 g/t gold
At Westray, a first RC hole intersected shallow gold mineralisation hosted in volcaniclastic metasediments, returning 1 metre at 2.49 g/t gold and 6 metres at 0.59 g/t.
Alkane said further drilling at El Paso would test the updated geological interpretation, while additional programs are planned across the Tomingley mine site, including targets at Wyoming Three, Caloma and deeper porphyry-style potential beneath Peak Hill.
Tomingley, located about 50 kilometres southwest of Dubbo, has been in operation since 2014 and comprises open pit and underground mining with a 1-million-tonne-per-annum processing facility. The latest results reinforce the company’s strategy of leveraging underground drilling and geophysics to extend mine life and unlock additional gold resources at depth.