Astral Resources Uncovers Significant Gold at Spargoville Project
Astral Resources (ASX: AAR) has reported extensive gold mineralisation from its recent drilling program at the Spargoville Gold Project in Western Australia, confirming the potential for substantial resource expansion near its flagship Mandilla Gold Project.
High-Grade Gold Intercepts Highlight Growth Potential
The company has received encouraging assay results from the final 51 holes (8,320 metres) of a 74-hole (11,744-metre) reverse circulation drilling program completed in early September. The program successfully identified extensions at two key trends – Eagles Nest and Trapdoor-Lindsay's Reward.
At Eagles Nest, drilling delivered impressive results including:
- 3 metres at 16.9g/t Au from 71m including 1 metre at 49.2g/t Au
- 9 metres at 5.16g/t Au from 105m including 1 metre at 33.6g/t Au
- 25 metres at 1.51g/t Au from 199m
Meanwhile, at the Trapdoor-Lindsay's Reward gold trend, significant intercepts included:
- 6 metres at 3.45g/t Au from 63m including 1 metre at 11.2g/t Au
- 6 metres at 3.15g/t Au from 36m and 2 metres at 2.60g/t Au from 86m
- 9 metres at 1.52g/t Au from 78m
These results confirm extensions of known mineralisation at depth, with a moderate northerly plunge identified at Eagles Nest, while drilling at Trapdoor confirmed gold mineralisation extends to the south, with a parallel lode discovered to the east likely representing an extension of the Huntsman Deposit.
"With extremely positive results from our inaugural 74-hole/11,740-metre RC program we only feel more confident that the Spargoville Project will deliver material longer-term growth to any future Mandilla mining project," said Managing Director Marc Ducler.
Strategic Significance Beyond Infrastructure
While Astral initially acquired the Spargoville Project primarily to accommodate infrastructure requirements for its adjacent Mandilla Gold Project, the company has always believed in its exploration potential.
Ducler highlighted that the Wattle Dam Gold Mine – which historically produced 266,000 ounces of gold at an impressive 10.6g/t Au – was just 10 metres wide and only 50 metres in strike length, indicating the potential for valuable deposits with small mineralisation footprints in the area.
"The presence of such widespread gold mineralisation in our inaugural RC drill program provides considerable encouragement that not only can the existing historic resources be increased, but also that the known mineralisation could provide vectors to higher grade and valuable deposits like Wattle Dam," Ducler noted.
Understanding Gold Mineralisation in the Goldfields Region
The Spargoville Gold Project is situated in the Coolgardie Domain on the western margin of the Kalgoorlie Terrain within the highly gold-endowed Wiluna-Norseman Greenstone Belt. This geological setting is similar to many productive gold systems in the region.
At Eagles Nest, gold mineralisation is predominantly situated within a central mafic unit associated with minor quartz veining and biotite-pyrite alteration of the host rock. The deposit's history includes the discovery of the famous 1,136 oz Golden Eagle Nugget in January 1931, the largest single nugget ever discovered in Western Australia.
Mineralisation at Trapdoor is situated within a mafic-ultramafic sequence along the contact of a felsic intrusive, while at Lindsay's Reward, primary gold mineralisation is found within a talc-chlorite altered ultramafic unit.
What Makes the Goldfields Significant for Gold Exploration?
The Coolgardie Domain where Spargoville is located forms part of the Yilgarn Craton, one of the world's premier gold provinces. This region is characterised by:
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Ancient geological setting: The Archaean-aged greenstone belts provide an ideal environment for gold deposition through multiple tectonic and hydrothermal events
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Structural complexity: Major shear zones like the Spargoville Shear Zone act as conduits for mineralising fluids
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Diverse host rocks: The presence of mafic, ultramafic, and felsic lithologies creates chemical and physical traps for gold mineralisation
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Proximity to major deposits: The project is approximately 20km west of Gold Fields' +20 million ounce St Ives gold camp
In this geological context, even relatively small-scale mineralised systems can prove economically significant, as demonstrated by the historically productive Wattle Dam mine within the project area.
Mandilla Project Progressing
Alongside exploration at Spargoville, Astral continues to advance its cornerstone Theia Deposit at the Mandilla Gold Project, with 74% of a 99-hole/10,000-metre infill drilling program now complete. A second RC rig is testing targets west of Theia, with plans to test the "bridge" between Theia and Iris, while diamond drilling targeting high-grade shear-hosted gold mineralisation is planned to commence mid-October.
In June 2025, Astral announced the results of a Preliminary Feasibility Study for Mandilla based on a standalone project comprising seven open pit mines feeding a 2.75Mtpa processing facility. The project, which would produce 95,000 ounces per year for the first 12 years, has a Net Present Value of $1.4 billion (at an 8% discount rate and incorporating a gold price of A$4,250/oz).
Substantial Resource Base with Growth Potential
Astral's consolidated resource base now stands at 50 million tonnes at 1.1g/t for 1.76 million ounces of contained gold, with 36.6 million tonnes at 0.9g/t for 1.08 million ounces classified as Probable Ore Reserves.
The Spargoville Gold Project currently contributes 3 million tonnes at 1.4g/t Au for 139,000 ounces to this total, with potential for significant growth following these latest drilling results.
Why Investors Should Monitor Astral Resources
Astral represents an emerging gold producer with a clear path to production and substantial exploration upside. The company's strategic acquisition of Spargoville is proving more valuable than initially projected, with the potential to deliver significant additional resources to the Mandilla development.
The combination of:
- A robust Mandilla project with compelling economics
- Exploration success at Spargoville
- Operations in a tier-1 mining jurisdiction
- Experienced management team
positions Astral as a compelling investment opportunity in the Australian gold sector. With continued drilling success and progress toward production, investors should watch for resource upgrades and project development milestones in the coming months.
Ready to Invest in Western Australia's Next Major Gold Producer?
For investors seeking exposure to Western Australia's prolific gold sector, Astral Resources presents a compelling opportunity with its expanding Spargoville Gold Project and flagship Mandilla development. To learn more about Astral's growing 1.76-million-ounce gold resource, impressive high-grade drilling results, and clear pathway to production, visit Astral Resources' website today for comprehensive investor information.
