Astral Resources Confirms High-Grade Gold at Kamperman Deposit
Astral Resources (ASX: AAR) has announced impressive gold assay results from its recent drilling campaign at the Kamperman Deposit, part of its 100%-owned Feysville Gold Project near Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. The high-grade gold results from Astral Resources strengthen the company's position as it advances both development and exploration opportunities across its portfolio.
High-Grade Results Validate Kamperman's Potential
The 17-hole in-fill reverse circulation (RC) drill program at Kamperman has delivered multiple high-grade gold intersections, confirming the company's geological model of mineralisation controls. Among the standout results were:
- 9 metres at 5.01g/t Au including 1 metre at 23.8g/t Au and 16 metres at 1.87g/t Au in FRC417
- 4 metres at 12.2g/t Au including 1 metre at 44.3g/t Au in FRC414
- 19 metres at 1.93g/t Au in FRC409
- 16 metres at 2.08g/t Au including 1 metre at 14.5g/t Au in FRC407
These results build upon recent successful metallurgical testing at Kamperman and validate the deposit's significance within Astral's project portfolio.
Understanding Kamperman's Geology
The drilling program was designed to test different orientations of high-grade gold structures within the Kamperman deposit. Results have confirmed that gold mineralisation is strongly associated with sheared ultramafic/porphyry contacts—a crucial finding that supports the company's geological interpretation.
Importantly, the deposit remains open to the north and at depth, suggesting further potential for resource expansion with additional drilling.
New Regional Targets Identified at Feysville
Beyond the Kamperman drilling, Astral has completed a broad reconnaissance air-core (AC) drilling program across the wider Feysville Gold Project, encompassing 313 holes for 8,364 metres. This regional exploration has identified several new areas of gold anomalism that warrant follow-up RC drilling.
Particularly promising is the Central Feysville Anticline area, where drilling identified five zones of gold anomalism. Two of these appear to be located along a north-east structure previously identified by aero magnetics, presenting a potential strike length exceeding 300 metres.
"With the Mandilla PFS well advanced, the continued growth at Kamperman, the discovery of additional regional targets within the broader Feysville tenement package and now, for the first time, a significant RC drill program on the newly acquired Spargoville tenure, Astral is well positioned both to advance a significant gold development project and, in tandem, a highly prospective exploration opportunity," said Managing Director Marc Ducler.
The Goldfields Connection: Strategic Location
The Feysville Gold Project is situated within the prolific Norseman-Wiluna Greenstone Belt, approximately 14km south of Kalgoorlie's KCGM Super Pit. This places Astral's assets in the same geological domain as world-class deposits operated by major miners including Northern Star Resources and Gold Fields Limited.
Feysville currently hosts a Mineral Resource Estimate of 5Mt at 1.2g/t Au for 196,000 ounces of contained gold across the Kamperman, Think Big, and Rogan Josh deposits. This resource provides a solid foundation for the project to become a satellite ore source for Astral's flagship Mandilla Gold Project.
What is a Greenstone Belt?
Greenstone belts are areas of ancient volcanic and sedimentary rocks that have undergone metamorphism over billions of years. They appear green due to the presence of minerals like chlorite and epidote. These geological formations are highly prospective for gold deposits because:
- They contain the right combination of rock types that can host gold mineralisation
- They typically have experienced multiple phases of deformation, creating structural pathways for gold-bearing fluids
- The chemical environment within these rocks is conducive to precipitating gold from hydrothermal solutions
The Norseman-Wiluna Greenstone Belt, where Astral's projects are located, is one of the most gold-endowed regions in Australia, hosting numerous multi-million-ounce gold deposits.
Mandilla Development and Spargoville Exploration
Astral is advancing on multiple fronts, with a Pre-Feasibility Study well underway at its Mandilla Gold Project. The company has also completed a 17-hole RC drill program at Mandilla's Iris deposit and is currently drilling at the Hestia deposit to test southern strike extensions on recently acquired Spargoville tenure.
A significant 10,000-metre exploration program is scheduled to commence at Spargoville in June, targeting extensions along the 8km Spargoville Shear Corridor—a structure known to host multiple gold deposits, including the Wattle Dam Gold Mine which historically produced 266,000 ounces at an impressive average grade of 10.6g/t Au.
Understanding Gold Mineralisation Controls
A key technical insight from this drilling program is the confirmation of sheared ultramafic/porphyry contacts as important controls for high-grade gold mineralisation at Kamperman. This geological knowledge is valuable for future drilling and resource modeling.
The presence of both supergene enrichment near surface and deeper primary gold mineralisation in north-south oriented, steeply westerly-dipping structures provides a clearer picture of the deposit's geometry and potential.
Gold Mineralisation Types at Kamperman:
| Type | Location | Characteristics | Examples from Recent Drilling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supergene | Near surface | Enriched gold concentration due to weathering processes | 16m at 2.08g/t Au from 17m in FRC407 |
| Primary | At depth | Associated with sheared contacts between ultramafic and porphyry units | 4m at 12.2g/t Au from 119m in FRC414 |
| Structural | Various depths | Related to north-south oriented, steeply westerly-dipping structures | 3m at 7.21g/t Au from 149m in FRC411 |
Why Investors Should Follow Astral Resources
Astral Resources presents a compelling investment case with multiple value drivers:
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Advancing Development and Exploration: The company is simultaneously progressing its Mandilla PFS while expanding resources at Kamperman and exploring new targets across its tenement package.
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Multiple Gold Resources: With a consolidated JORC 2012 Mineral Resource of 50Mt at 1.1g/t Au for 1.76 million ounces across its Mandilla, Feysville, and Spargoville projects, Astral has established a substantial gold inventory.
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Prime Location: All projects are located in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields region, a tier-one mining jurisdiction with established infrastructure and processing options.
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Systematic Approach: Astral's methodical exploration strategy is yielding results, with new target generation complementing resource growth at established deposits.
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Exploration Upside: The newly identified regional targets at Feysville and the upcoming Spargoville exploration program provide significant potential for further discoveries.
With this dual focus on development and exploration, Astral Resources offers investors exposure to both near-term production potential and significant discovery upside in one of Australia's premier gold provinces.
Looking for Gold Investment Opportunities in Western Australia?
Discover why Astral Resources' impressive high-grade gold results at Kamperman and their advancing Mandilla project position them as a compelling investment opportunity in Australia's premier gold province. With a consolidated 1.76 million ounce resource base and significant exploration upside, Astral offers both near-term production potential and discovery growth. Visit Astral Resources' website to learn more about their strategic gold assets in the Eastern Goldfields region.
