- 01Shallow gold spans >1.3km at McNabs East and remains open.
- 02Results support maiden MRE due this quarter.
- 03Northern Zone hit 2m at 17.47g/t; drilling to follow.
Ordell Minerals (ASX: ORD) has reported further shallow gold intersections at its McNabs East prospect in Western Australia, strengthening the drilling database for a maiden mineral resource estimate due this quarter.
The latest reverse circulation results include broad mineralised intervals in the Main Zone and higher-grade intersections in the Northern Zone at the Barimaia gold project near Mount Magnet.
Gold mineralisation has been traced over more than 1,300 metres of strike, beginning about 10m below surface and remaining open beyond the areas tested.
The resource work forms part of a two-track strategy to assess a possible near-term mining operation while pursuing further discoveries across the wider Barimaia system.
Broad Intercepts Across Main Zone
At the Main Zone, one of the wider new intersections returned 46m at 1.01 grams per tonne gold from 32m, including 25m at 1.23g/t from 52m.
Other results included 18m at 1.13g/t from 43m and 9m at 2.01g/t from just 10m, reinforcing the shallow character of the mineralisation.
Ordell has completed resource drilling on a nominal 25m by 20m pattern over part of the Main Zone, with vertical coverage ranging from about 50m in the west to 100m in the east.
The mineralisation is interpreted to dip moderately south and plunge gently east within granodiorite, while extensions down dip and down plunge remain untested.
Higher Northern Zone Grades
At the Northern Zone, assays included 2m at 17.47g/t from 34m, incorporating a 1m interval grading 32.59g/t.
Additional intersections of 5m at 3.72g/t from 38m and 15m at 1.08g/t from 14m provided further evidence of mineralisation across the separate target area.
Drilling there was generally conducted on approximately 40m by 40m spacing, with average hole depths of about 60m, and Ordell plans further work to test the continuity of the higher-grade zones rather than treating isolated high-grade intervals as evidence of a continuous orebody.
“These results provide further confidence as we work towards delivering our maiden MRE later in the quarter—an important milestone in assessing the potential for a near-term mining opportunity at McNabs East.,” managing director Michael Fowler said.
“Further extensional drilling at McNabs East will commence in the second half of November along with follow up drilling of anticipated aircore defined gold targets as we continue to assess the broader growth potential of the Barimaia gold system.”
December MRE Release
Scheduled for the December 2026 quarter, the maiden MRE will underpin subsequent studies into whether McNabs East could support a near-term mining opportunity.
Assays are still outstanding from 12 RC holes at McNabs East and from a completed 125-hole, 6,500m aircore program targeting further gold-bearing intrusions across Barimaia.
Technical work is progressing alongside exploration, including planned diamond drilling for further metallurgical test work and the recent identification of a potential mining water source with strong flows.
Ordell holds an 80.3% interest in Barimaia, acquired from Genesis Minerals (ASX: GMD), which retains a 7.9% shareholding in Ordell, while the project sits near the Mount Magnet operations of Ramelius Resources (ASX: RMS).
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