Ordell Minerals (ASX: ORD) has announced continued strong, shallow gold mineralisation at its Barimaia project, including a bonanza-grade hit at McNabs East, reinforcing its open-pit potential.
The new reverse circulation drilling at McNabs East has returned a notable intercept of 2m at 23.66 g/t Au from 79m, which included a bonanza-grade 1m at 46.8 g/t. This came from a step-out hole approximately 500m east of the main zone.
Other significant shallow intercepts from the area include 19m at 2.29 g/t Au from 53m, 16m at 1.84 g/t from 19m, and 7m at 3.19 g/t from 10m.
The mineralised zone at McNabs East has been defined with a vertical extent of 200m, with shallow mineralisation beginning around 10m below surface.
This indicates clear potential for open-pit extraction.
Regional Exploration Shows Promise
Beyond McNabs East, Ordell Minerals has also completed an air-core drilling program. This involved 76 holes for a total of 3505m.
These air-core results included bottom-of-hole grades up to 2.88 g/t Au.
These confirm a large exploration target situated approximately 2km east of McNabs East, expanding the regional prospectivity.
The broader Barimaia intrusion corridor is a significant feature, known to extend over 7km and remains largely untested along strike and down-plunge.
Drilling Program Set to Resume
Ordell Minerals confirmed that drilling operations will recommence next week.
The previous program was suspended in December 2025 due to a fatal contractor vehicle accident and the subsequent Christmas break.
The upcoming drilling program is designed to extend the known mineralisation at McNabs East.
It will also focus on discovering new zones along the extensive Barimaia intrusion strike.
A key objective for future drilling is to conduct down-plunge testing of the McNabs East prospect, aiming to define the full extent of the high-grade zones.
Context: Funding and Past Exploration
The company reported a cash balance of A$4.1 million as of 31 December 2025.
This provides an estimated 3.7-quarter funding runway to continue its exploration activities.
Previous drilling in late 2025 at McNabs East yielded bonanza grades, including 2m at 92.20 g/t Au from 60m with an included 1m at 182.32 g/t Au.
Ordell further strengthened its financial position by raising $3.85 million in a placement in July 2025. This followed its $6 million initial public offering (IPO) in 2024.
With drilling set to resume, the company is focused on expanding these zones and exploring the extensive intrusion corridor, though ongoing capital requirements and exploration risk remain key considerations.
