Avira Resources Confirms High-Grade Gold at Depth at Mt Cattlin

Avira Resources Strikes High-Grade Gold at Depth at Mt Cattlin

Avira Resources Limited (ASX: AVW) has reported the final assay results from its maiden Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling program at the Mt Cattlin Gold Project in Western Australia. The latest holes confirm that high-grade gold mineralisation continues at depth at the Maori Queen prospect. The strongest new result was 7 metres at 6.11 g/t Au from 105 metres, including 2 metres at 15.1 g/t Au in hole RAGC116, supported by 5 metres at 1.85 g/t Au from 106 metres, including 1 metre at 7.47 g/t Au, in adjacent hole RAGC117.

The update completes the assay set for 18 holes returned to date from the maiden program and strengthens the geological case for a broader high-grade system at Mt Cattlin. Avira stated that the results support continuity at depth, continuation along the 650-metre New Zealand Trend, and further drilling at multiple prospects when Phase 1 drilling resumes in September 2026.

"These latest results from our maiden RC program at Maori Queen confirm that high-grade gold continues at depth," said Andrew van Bentum, Chief Executive Officer.

"The 7 metre intercept at 6.11 g/t Au in RAGC116, including 2 metres at 15.1 g/t Au, together with 5 metres at 1.85 g/t Au in RAGC117, confirm the high-grade momentum building at Maori Queen and into the New Zealand Trend."

Maori Queen Results Confirm Depth Continuity

In the announcement, Avira outlined several significant intercepts from the final five holes drilled at Maori Queen, using a 0.5 g/t Au cut-off for reporting. The best intercept in RAGC116 was drilled 25 metres down-plunge from a historical result of 5 metres at 6.34 g/t Au in RAGC032, which the company said confirms down-dip continuity of the system.

That type of continuity is important in gold exploration. It suggests the mineralised shoot may persist deeper than earlier drilling had shown, which can improve confidence in the scale of the target.

Maori Queen Significant Intercepts

Avira also pointed to the internal structure of RAGC116, which intersected three separate mineralised zones at 61 metres, 101 metres and 105 metres. The company said this is consistent with a stacked shear-hosted system, comprising a main mineralised lode and parallel lodes above and below it.

This matters because multiple lodes can increase the number of drill targets within the same prospect. Rather than a single narrow vein, the system may contain repeated mineralised structures that can be followed both along strike and down dip.

What a Shear-Hosted Gold System Means for Investors

Mt Cattlin's gold mineralisation is described in the announcement as occurring in two main styles:

• Narrow, high-grade shear-hosted quartz-sulphide lodes
• Broader disseminated stockwork mineralisation associated with the porphyry complex

For non-specialist readers, a shear-hosted gold system forms when rock is deformed along a major structural zone and mineral-rich fluids move through those breaks, depositing gold in veins and surrounding rock. These systems can be attractive exploration targets because ore shoots often continue to depth if the structural setting remains intact.

At Maori Queen, Avira interprets the main lode as dipping steeply to the north-west, with parallel mineralised zones in the footwall and hanging wall. In simple terms:

• The main lode is the principal gold-bearing structure
• The footwall is the rock below the lode
• The hanging wall is the rock above the lode
• Down-plunge refers to the direction the high-grade shoot extends deeper underground

Why Does This Matter Practically?

For investors, the practical significance is straightforward:

1. Depth extensions may remain open — The new intercept in RAGC116 suggests the higher-grade shoot continues below the area historically drilled.
2. More than one lode may be present — Parallel lodes can create additional opportunities for follow-up drilling and potential resource growth.
3. There may be both grade and tonnage potential — Narrow high-grade zones can be complemented by broader, lower-grade mineralisation around them.

Furthermore, the wider interval in RAGC118, which returned 27 metres at 0.37 g/t Au from 68 metres, sits below the company's significant intercept threshold but remains relevant. Avira said it points to a broader lower-grade mineralised envelope surrounding the higher-grade lode positions, which may add tonnage potential if follow-up drilling supports continuity.

Plantagenet Remains an Important Second Target

Although the latest release is centred on Maori Queen, the announcement also reiterated previously reported results from the Plantagenet prospect. According to Avira, drilling there confirmed continuity of shallow high-grade gold mineralisation across at least 150 metres of strike length.

Key Reported Intercepts at Plantagenet

The company also referenced historical nearby intersections, including:

• 6 metres at 5.41 g/t Au from 38 metres in RAGC083
• 3 metres at 19.98 g/t Au from 62 metres in RAGC084
• 4 metres at 18.5 g/t Au from 14 metres in RAGC086

In the report, Plantagenet is interpreted as a shallow lode dipping about 60° to the north-west, with narrow high-grade shoots hosted in sheared basalt and dolerite. Avira said further drilling is required to determine the plunge of these shoots and test for parallel lodes or structural offsets.

For investors, Plantagenet adds a second exploration angle to the project. Maori Queen is being tested for deeper continuity, while Plantagenet appears to offer shallow high-grade opportunities that may be faster and less costly to drill.

The New Zealand Trend Expands the Broader Project Picture

One of the more important project-level points in the update is Avira's description of the New Zealand Trend as a 650-metre mineralised corridor extending south-west from Maori Queen and including the Maori Chief and Maori Prince prospects.

According to the announcement, mineralisation has now been confirmed along this 650-metre strike length, while remaining open at depth. That shifts the focus from a single prospect to a corridor containing multiple lodes and multiple targets.

The historical production record also provides useful context. Avira stated that the Maori Queen and Sirdar deposits together produced 23,006 tonnes at 24.56 g/t Au historically. Historical production figures do not guarantee future outcomes, but they do indicate that the project area has hosted very high-grade gold mineralisation in the past.

Mt Cattlin is located about 4 kilometres north of Ravensthorpe in the southern Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia. Avira holds 100% of the gold and non-pegmatite mineral rights over Exploration Licence E74/401 following the acquisition completed in 2025.

What Comes Next in the Phase 1 Drilling Programme?

The ASX announcement states that 37 holes are planned in the 4,500-metre Phase 1 RC programme. So far, 19 holes have been drilled, with 18 assayable results returned. Hole RAGC114 was abandoned at 7 metres and is expected to be re-drilled.

Drilling has been paused for seasonal wet weather and is planned to restart in September 2026. According to the update, the next stage of work will focus on three main areas:

1. Maori Queen down-dip extensions — Further drilling is planned to test whether the high-grade system continues below current drill depths.
2. First-pass drilling at Sirdar — Avira said historical drilling and geological review suggest Sirdar may host the highest grades and the largest mineralised footprint in the project area, although it has not yet been tested by Avira's own drilling.
3. First-pass drilling at Ellendale — This will be the first RC testing by Avira at the prospect.

Phase 1 Programme Timeline

The next round of drilling is expected to test whether Maori Queen grows at depth, and whether Sirdar and Ellendale can add new sources of mineralisation within the broader Mt Cattlin project.

Why the Update Matters to ASX Gold Investors

The latest report strengthens several parts of the Mt Cattlin investment case, based on the data released by Avira. First, the drilling has validated and extended historical high-grade results at Maori Queen. The step-out to RAGC116 is particularly relevant because it supports the company's interpretation that the ore shoot continues down-plunge.

Second, the project now has multiple active prospects. Maori Queen, Plantagenet, Sirdar, and Ellendale provide more than one avenue for exploration success, which can reduce reliance on a single target. In addition, the company has a clear near-term work programme, with drilling expected to restart in September 2026 and further assays to follow.

Finally, the broader lower-grade envelope at Maori Queen introduces the possibility of a second style of target beyond narrow high-grade lodes. Whether that develops into material scale will depend on further drilling, but the concept has now been highlighted in the drilling data.

Avira's Mt Cattlin update does not establish a resource, and further drilling will be needed to define continuity, geometry, and potential scale across the project. However, the maiden RC programme has delivered evidence of high-grade gold at depth, shallow high-grade results at a second prospect, and a broader corridor interpretation extending across 650 metres. For investors following ASX gold exploration stocks, those are the main points likely to shape the next phase of interest in AVW.

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