Astral Resources NL (ASX:AAR) has extended the growth potential of its Theia Deposit at the 100%-owned Mandilla Gold Project in Western Australia after deep diamond drilling intersected broad zones of gold mineralisation below the current Mineral Resource shell.
The standout result came from hole AMRCD378, which returned:52.75 metres at 4.67 g/t gold from 445.25 metres, including a narrow interval of 0.34 metres at 477 g/t gold from 487.3 metres. The hole also intersected 21 metres at 1.61 g/t from 321 metres and 7 metres at 2.64 g/t from 418 metres.
Results from two other holes also extended mineralisation beyond the April 2026 Mineral Resource shell, including 45 metres at 1.39 g/t gold from 389 metres in AMRCD376 and 25 metres at 1.68 g/t gold from 546 metres in AMRCD262.
Theia Deeps program expands
Astral has increased the Theia Deeps diamond drilling program to 21 holes for 11,000 metres, up from the original 6-hole, 3,000-metre program, following results that indicate potential extensions to the deposit at depth and along strike.
Managing director Marc Ducler said the latest results had demonstrated broad zones of gold mineralisation beyond the base of the existing resource shell, with the company continuing to target extensions to the Theia resource.
The results are significant because Theia forms the cornerstone of Mandilla, with Astral reporting an April 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate for the broader project of 53.5 million tonnes at 1.0 g/t gold for 1.74 million ounces. Mandilla comprises the Theia, Iris, Eos and Hestia deposits and lies about 70 kilometres south of Kalgoorlie.
Isometric view of the Theia Deposit showing the MRE block model, the drill traces for the completed and planned deep DD holes and the cross-section locations.
Mandilla development
Mandilla is already supported by a June 2025 pre-feasibility study incorporating deposits at Mandilla and the nearby Feysville Project.
The study outlined seven open pits feeding a 2.75 million-tonne-per-year processing facility, with forecast production of 95,000 ounces of gold annually for the first 12 years. At its base-case gold price assumption of A$4,250 per ounce, the study generated an NPV8 of A$1.4 billion.
Astral is progressing a definitive feasibility study (DFS), with further geotechnical and metallurgical work underway.
Next steps
Both reverse circulation and diamond drill rigs remain active at Mandilla.
The expanded 21-hole Theia Deeps program will continue testing high-grade extensions at depth and along strike, while RC in-fill drilling of the proposed Theia Stage 1 open pit is also underway. Astral had completed 193 holes for 19,445 metres of a planned 431-hole, 44,400-metre program at the time of the announcement.
Exploration is also set to resume at the Kamperman deposit within the Feysville Gold Project following heritage clearance, while additional heritage surveys are planned to support exploration at the Spargoville Project, starting at the Wattle Dam complex.
About Astral Resources
Astral Resources is an ASX-listed gold explorer and developer with the Mandilla, Feysville and Spargoville gold projects in Western Australia.
Map illustrating the location of the Mandilla, Spargoville and Feysville Gold Projects.
The company has a consolidated Mineral Resource of 61.6 million tonnes at 1.0 g/t gold for 2.07 million ounces, comprising 1.74 million ounces at Mandilla, 196,000 ounces at Feysville and 139,000 ounces at Spargoville. Its consolidated Ore Reserve stands at 1.082 million ounces, including 1 million ounces at Mandilla and 88,000 ounces at Feysville.