Rokeby Resources (ASX:RMT) has kicked off a nine-hole, 2,180-metre diamond drilling program at the high-grade Sunnyside deposit within the Omeo Gold Project in north-east Victoria.
The work is the first drilling program tied to Rokeby’s proposed acquisition of Omeo, which remains subject to completion of conditions precedent.
The program is designed to upgrade the project’s historical estimate of 2.4 million tonnes at 4.02 g/t gold for 320,000 ounces.
Sunnyside has returned several strong historical intercepts, including 15.9 metres at 52.3 g/t gold in SSDH017 and 0.8 metres at 238.5 g/t gold in SSDH026.
Mineralisation remains open along the broader 5.8-kilometre mineralised zone, with Sunnyside considered one of the most advanced and highest-priority targets in the Mt Wills area.
Program to support JORC resource work
The drilling will test down-plunge extensions of known high-grade mineralisation, improve definition within the resource envelope and assess areas beneath and along strike from previous high-grade shoots.
The first hole is designed to twin SSDH017 to confirm mineralisation, while other holes will test extensions around historical intercepts including SSDH001, SSDH040, SSDH045 and SSDH053.
Proposed managing director Richard Beazley said drilling was underway at Sunnyside for the first time in 13 years.
“The program is designed to validate one of Victoria’s most compelling high-grade gold opportunities and deliver the data required for a resource estimate in accordance with JORC (2012) later this year,” he said.
About Omeo
The Omeo Gold Project is about five hours north-east of Melbourne and includes the Mt Wills and Cassilis tenement areas.
Mt Wills hosts the Maude and Sunnyside deposits, with historical mining in the broader area producing more than 235,000 ounces of gold at grades exceeding 18 g/t.
Location of the Omeo Gold Project.
The Sunnyside deposit is fully permitted and ready for drilling, with previous results indicating strong vertical continuity and ultra-high-grade shoots.
What’s next
Rokeby expects to complete the initial Sunnyside drilling program before receiving and reporting assays progressively, with first results anticipated in 4 to 6 weeks.
The company plans to begin a JORC 2012 resource estimate in the second half of 2026, with results also expected to guide an expanded drilling program across Mt Wills, integrating the Maude and Sunnyside areas.