Astral Resources NL (ASX:AAR) has delivered a fresh set of high-grade gold hits from reverse circulation (RC) drilling at its Spargoville Gold Project near Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, reinforcing growth potential near its flagship Mandilla development.
The results come from a 39-hole, 4,234-metre program completed in January 2026 at the Wattle Dam Complex, targeting the Redback, Huntsman and Trapdoor deposits. The campaign combined infill and extensional drilling aimed at upgrading resources and testing continuity at depth.
Map of the Spiders deposits (Redback, Gold Orb, Huntsman, Trapdoor) illustrating drill collar locations of recent and historical drilling on local area geology.
Key intercepts included:
- 13 metres at 7.10 g/t gold from 87 metres, including 2 metres at 34.6 g/t
- 5 metres at 9.35 g/t gold from 38 metres
- 4 metres at 11.0 g/t gold from 122 metres, including 1 metre at 40.0 g/t
- 15 metres at 2.04 g/t gold from 84 metres
Additional broad zones of mineralisation, including 10 metres at 2.30 g/t and 7 metres at 3.95 g/t, further highlight the system’s continuity.
Longitudinal Projection of the Redback and Trapdoor deposits (looking 080) illustrating historical drill traces and recent gram-metre gold intersections.
Managing director Marc Ducler said the results support updated geological interpretations and point to ongoing resource growth.
“The mineralisation, which is steeper than previously interpreted and appears to be associated with the eastern contact of a porphyry unit, remains open at depth,” he said, with the company noting that several of the latest intersections represent the deepest tests along their respective drill lines.
Extending known mineralisation
The program has extended known gold mineralisation at the Huntsman lodes by up to 150 metres from the current resource footprint, while also confirming continuity across Redback and Trapdoor.
Geological modelling suggests the gold system is steeper than previously interpreted and linked to porphyry contacts within the broader Spargoville shear zone. Importantly, mineralisation remains open at depth, providing scope for further drilling success.
Magnetic image of the prospective Spargoville tenure, illustrating identified exploration targets over +20km of prospective
The Wattle Dam Complex currently hosts a mineral resource of 2.1 million tonnes at 1.3 g/t gold for 91,000 ounces, forming a key component of Spargoville’s broader 139,000-ounce resource base.
Astral said the latest drilling will underpin a resource update for Spargoville, targeted for the second half of 2026.
This builds on earlier updates highlighting high-grade extensions at Kamperman and Theia, as well as ongoing resource growth across the company’s broader project portfolio.
Pipeline of new targets
Beyond the current drilling, Astral has identified multiple high-priority exploration targets across more than 20 kilometres of prospective strike at Spargoville.
Recent targeting work has focused on splay structures branching from the regional Karramindie and Spargoville shear zones — geological settings analogous to those hosting major deposits at the nearby St Ives gold camp.
These targets are expected to be advanced towards drilling through 2026, potentially opening up new zones of both high-grade and bulk-tonnage mineralisation.
Mandilla development advancing
Meanwhile, work continues to accelerate at the Mandilla Gold Project, located just 2 kilometres east of Spargoville.
Astral currently has three rigs operating on site, including:
- RC drilling to infill the Theia open pit areas and support conversion to measured resources
- Sterilisation drilling across planned infrastructure areas, with more than 110 holes completed to date
- A diamond drilling program testing depth extensions beneath the current pit design
The Mandilla project remains central to Astral’s development strategy, underpinned by a pre-feasibility study outlining a large-scale open pit operation, with ongoing drilling and studies aimed at de-risking early mining stages and supporting future resource upgrades.
Map of Spargoville and Mandilla Gold Projects identifying gold deposits on local area geology.
Growth optionality builds
With Spargoville located adjacent to Mandilla and not yet incorporated into its development studies, Astral sees the project as a potential source of future feed and value upside.
The latest drilling results strengthen that case, demonstrating both grade and scale potential within trucking distance of the planned processing hub.
As resource updates, further drilling and development studies continue through 2026, Astral is positioning itself to expand its gold inventory and enhance the long-term economics of its broader Kalgoorlie-region portfolio.
Map illustrating the location of the Mandilla, Spargoville and Feysville Gold Projects.