Ausgold (ASX: AUC) has expanded an ongoing drilling campaign at its Katanning gold project in Western Australia to 54,000 metres following strong results from the project’s Central and Southern zones.
The company completed 49 reverse circulation (RC) holes for 7,917m across the Central Zone, with drilling evenly distributed between the Jinkas-White Dam deposits (including Olympia) and the footwall-hosted Jackson deposit.
A total of 19 holes that tested mineralisation beyond the current 2.44 million ounce resource envelope delivered best assays of 9m at 1.61 grams per tonne gold from 189m including 4m at 1.65g/t from 190m and 1m at 6.31g/t from 197m (Jinkas down-dip), 12m at 1.19g/t gold from 76m including 5m at 2.30g/t from 81m (White Dam), and 6m at 1.23g/t gold from 15m including 1m at 5.05g/t (Jackson).
The results demonstrate strong potential for resource growth down-dip, with future pit optimisations expected to progressively capture the full extent of mineralisation along the synformal hinge.
Southern Zone Results
Half of the 28 holes drilled for 3,271m at the Dingo and Lukin deposits within the Southern Zone aimed to test mineralisation outside the current mineral resource and definitive feasibility study pit designs.
Best assays were 20m at 1.2g/t gold from 180m including 7m at 1.3g/t, 2m at 2.82g/t from 191m and 4m at 1.5g/t from 196m, 23m at 0.93g/t gold from 186m including 10m at 1.35g/t from 188m and 2m at 1.26g/t from 207m, and 3m at 2.99g/t gold from 154m including 1m at 8.31g/t from 156m.
The Southern Zone contains 9% of Katanning’s total resource, and the assays highlight the potential to extend the mineralisation down-dip beyond the current resource and mine design envelopes.
Four rigs – three RC and one diamond – are currently operating, with an additional diamond rig expected soon to expedite the Datatine and Jinkas Deeps drilling programs, both of which are being supported by EIS funding.
Resource Growth Targeted
Ausgold’s campaign is targeting resource growth at Katanning to support future reserve conversion, improve confidence in early mine life areas, and identify new discoveries across the 3,000 square kilometres of regional tenure.
The company has so far completed 232 holes for 33,588m, and is waiting on results for approximately 12,000m.
Assays from the Central and Southern zones extended the current campaign to 54,000m, positioning Ausgold to aggressively pursue additional phases of drilling across areas demonstrating resource growth potential.
Ausgold expects to begin RC drilling at regional targets including Nanicup Bridge and Kulin later this month, expanding the company’s growth focus beyond the current mineral resource footprint.
Scale and Continuity Reinforced
Ausgold executive chair John Dorward said the Central and Southern zone results reinforced the scale and continuity of the Katanning mineralised system.
“The decision to expand this program reflects our confidence in the opportunity in front of us,” he said.
“With an additional diamond rig now mobilising to site and multiple growth fronts active across the Jinkas, Jackson, White Dam, and Datatine deposits, we are deliberately accelerating drilling to unlock further resource growth.”
Data from the expanded drill program will contribute to an updated mineral resource estimate for Katanning in Q3 2026.
