Final Phase 1 assays from upgrade drilling at Barton Gold’s (ASX: BGD) (OTCQB: BGDFF) Tunkillia project in South Australia have offered indications of higher-grade vertical structures in the shallow parts of the system.
The assays – which included multiple 50 – 100 gram-metre intersections – infill the S2 optimised open pit area with shallow, high-grade intersections, providing the company with further insights on how to enhance the project’s geological model.
A reinterpretation of shallow mineralised zones to favour vertically controlled mineralisation instead of broader flat lying oxide and transitional zones is among the potential enhancements.
The results follow two recently reported sets of assays from the project’s S1 pit area that included several broad high-grade intersections.
Refined Modelling Program
The program aimed to refine modelling of this zone, particularly where vertical higher-grade structures intersect the interpreted base of the oxide and transitional sections.
Best results were 17m at 2.7 grams per tonne gold from 62m including 2m at 9.65g/t from 62m, 20m at 2.72g/t gold from 44m including 3m at 9.33g/t from 50m, and 9m at 4.54g/t gold from 56m including 1m at 25.2g/t from 58m.
Other highlights were 22m at 2.58g/t gold from 68m including 1m at 6.3g/t from 73m and 3m at 9.2g/t from 75m, and 38m at 1.54g/t gold from 127m including 1m at 10.3g/t from 129m and 5m at 5.4g/t from 141m.
Barton is now poised to commence water bore drilling, Phase 2 upgrade drilling, and metallurgical and geotechnical diamond drilling later this month in line with its 2026 development plan for Tunkillia.
Development Further De-Risked
“We have delivered some more standout assays from our Phase 1 exploration which will help us further de-risk the development of this project,” managing director Alexander Scanlon said.
“We are looking forward to a very busy year at Tunkillia with our 2026 development drilling programs starting soon to target mineral resource upgrades, as well as a pre-feasibility study and a mining lease application by year end.”
Barton has modelled Tunkillia’s S1 and S2 starter pits to yield 365,000 ounces of gold and $1.3 billion operating cash during the first 2.5 years of operation.
The upcoming programs will commence with water bore drilling, followed by Phase 2 MRE upgrade and diamond drilling.
