en.Wedoany.com Reported - Astral Resources (ASX:AAR) has completed high-grade assays from the first 47 infill drill holes at its Mandilla Gold Project near Kalgoorlie, Australia, with results confirming the continuity of mineralization at the Theia deposit and reducing early mine development risks. The infill drilling program aims to convert first-stage open-pit resources into high-confidence measured resources.
Best assay results include: hole AMRC303 intersected 4 meters at 16.4 g/t gold from 58 meters, including 1 meter at 61.3 g/t; hole AMRC320 intersected 10 meters at 5.13 g/t from 37 meters, including 1 meter at 41.8 g/t; hole AMRC297 intersected 9 meters at 5.14 g/t from 77 meters, including 1 meter at 39 g/t; and hole AMRC324 intersected 2 meters at 22 g/t from 44 meters, including 1 meter at 43.5 g/t.
Managing Director Marc Ducler stated that the latest assay results validate the geological and resource model for Theia, which depicts broad and consistent grade intervals within a laterally continuous, shallow southwest-dipping quartz-sulfide vein system. The results also demonstrate the continuity of broad mineralized zones containing very high-grade shoots, particularly within the logged quartz-sulfide veins and corresponding stronger alteration zones in the host granite, providing confidence for early development at Mandilla. The three-phase infill drilling program is progressively reducing drill spacing to 12.5 meters by 12.5 meters. To date, 132 holes totaling 13,300 meters have been completed, with plans for an additional 299 holes totaling 31,082 meters, potentially keeping the reverse circulation rig operational for the remainder of 2026.
The Theia deep drilling program is also underway, with core processing completed for nine holes and samples from six holes awaiting assay results at the laboratory. Meanwhile, diamond drilling is progressing, with nine of the expanded 11-hole program completed, totaling 6,000 meters. The first hole intersected 358.23 meters at 1.03 g/t gold from 256.17 meters. The pre-feasibility study shows that the Theia deposit is central to the company's mining plan, contributing 1.1 million ounces, approximately 75% of the Mandilla project's total 1.48 million ounces. The first-stage pit covers 4.2 million tonnes of ore at 1.1 g/t gold, containing 146,000 ounces, planned for extraction within the first 21 months of the project.
The company is currently planning additional drill holes, both to infill recently discovered gold mineralization to inferred resources and to further test the up-dip and down-dip extent of Theia mineralization. Sterilization drilling will continue following approval of heritage survey permits.
