Gold Nuggets and Drilling Success Highlight Major Exploration Upside at Viking Mines' Riverina East Project
Viking Mines (ASX:VKA) has made significant strides in its Riverina East gold project exploration, recovering multiple gold nuggets and commencing a strategic drilling campaign across two promising target areas. The discoveries highlight the exceptional potential of Viking's 25km strike length along the prolific Zuleika Shear Zone.
Gold Nuggets Point to Significant Gold System at Southern Structural Target
In an exciting development for shareholders, Viking has recovered multiple gold nuggets totalling 9.84 grams from the Southern Structural Target (SST) area. The nuggets were found across a 300m long area, with the largest single nugget weighing an impressive 3.37 grams.
What makes this discovery particularly significant is the location – the nuggets were found within 100m of anomalous auger soil samples (>50ppb) and just 400m north of historic drill intercepts that returned impressive grades including:
- 4m at 5.1g/t Au
- 4m at 4.9g/t Au
"I am excited by the gold nugget finds at the Southern Structural Target. The presence of coarse gold with individual nuggets weighing up to 3.37 grams is highly encouraging," said Viking Mines' Managing Director & CEO Julian Woodcock.
The discovery of quartz attached to the nuggets suggests a potential proximal bedrock source of mineralisation – a key indicator that the gold may be directly linked to a primary gold system rather than transported material.
Two-Pronged Drilling Program Underway
Viking has wasted no time in following up on these promising indicators, launching a comprehensive 4,300-meter drilling program across two key target areas:
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Bifrost South: A 1,500m program comprising 9 holes, designed to test extensions of recent high-grade intercepts, including the impressive 2m at 23.6g/t Au with visible gold.
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Southern Structural Target: A 2,800m program of 23 holes targeting both the area where gold nuggets were found and the 1.8km-long gold-in-soil anomaly.
This dual approach allows Viking to simultaneously pursue near-term resource growth at Bifrost while exploring the new and highly prospective Southern Structural Target.
Understanding Gold Nugget Formation and Significance
Gold nuggets form through various geological processes, with primary nuggets developing within quartz veins and secondary nuggets forming through weathering and erosion of gold-bearing rocks.
The discovery of gold nuggets can provide valuable insights for exploration. When nuggets are found with attached quartz, as in Viking's case, it suggests they haven't travelled far from their source. This proximity is crucial for exploration, as it indicates the potential existence of a significant gold system nearby.
The nuggets at the Southern Structural Target were found across a substantial area (300m x 120m), further supporting the possibility of a widespread gold system rather than an isolated occurrence.
Strategic Position Along the Zuleika Shear Zone
Viking's Riverina East Project covers an impressive 25km strike length of the Zuleika Shear Zone, a major structural corridor in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields known for hosting significant gold deposits.
The project's strategic location is highlighted by its proximity to established gold operations:
- Just 4km east of Ora Banda Mining's >1.3Moz Riverina/Mulline Camp
- 40km north of the 1.2Moz Davyhurst Camp
This geological setting makes the recent discoveries particularly exciting. The Zuleika Shear has historically produced multiple million-ounce gold deposits, and Viking's extensive landholding along this structure provides exceptional exploration potential.
Comprehensive Exploration Approach
Viking is employing a multi-faceted approach to exploration at Riverina East:
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Drilling: The current 4,300m program targets both confirmed mineralisation and new prospects.
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Geophysics: A drone magnetic survey is underway at Bifrost to improve data resolution and aid structural interpretation for future drilling.
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Prospecting: Continued prospecting across the Southern Structural Target to identify additional gold nuggets.
The company's systematic approach, combining traditional prospecting with modern geophysics and drilling techniques, maximises the chances of exploration success.
Why Investors Should Watch Viking Mines
Viking Mines presents a compelling investment case for gold-focused investors:
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Multiple Discovery Opportunities: With 25km of strike along the prolific Zuleika Shear, Viking has numerous targets to test beyond the current focus areas.
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Recent High-Grade Intercepts: The 2m at 23.6g/t Au hit at Bifrost South demonstrates the high-grade potential of the project.
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New Nugget Discovery: The recovery of significant gold nuggets provides tangible evidence of gold mineralisation and opens a new target area.
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Strategic Location: Proximity to established gold camps and processing infrastructure provides potential development advantages.
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Active Exploration Program: With drilling underway and results expected in the coming weeks, there's significant near-term news flow potential.
Viking's continued success in identifying gold mineralisation across multiple areas of its Riverina East Project suggests the company may be on the verge of a significant discovery. With drilling results expected in the coming weeks, investors should keep a close eye on Viking's progress as it works to unlock the full potential of its strategic gold landholding.
Want to Explore Viking's Gold Potential Further?
For investors seeking to capitalise on Viking Mines' promising gold discoveries at the Riverina East Project, including impressive gold nugget finds and ongoing drilling success along the prolific Zuleika Shear Zone, visit vikingmines.com to access detailed information about their exploration progress, strategic position, and investment potential.
