Tesoro Uncovers Wide Gold Zones in Latest Ternera Drilling Program
Tesoro Gold's (ASX: TSO) ongoing drilling campaign at the El Zorro Gold Project in Chile continues to deliver impressive results, with recent assays confirming significant expansion potential beyond the current 1.3 million ounce resource.
Southern Zone Emerges as Major Growth Opportunity
The latest Tesoro Gold drilling results reveal a substantial new southern mineralised zone extending well beyond the boundaries of the current Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) at the Ternera Gold Deposit. This expanding zone is rapidly becoming a key growth catalyst for the project.
Standout intercepts from the southern zone include:
- 63.97m @ 1.26g/t Au including 9.34m @ 6.60g/t Au
- 51.32m @ 1.13g/t Au including 11.10m @ 2.57g/t Au
- 39.40m @ 1.23g/t Au including 10.87m @ 2.65g/t Au
- 15.67m @ 1.12g/t Au including 4.70m @ 3.84g/t Au
What makes these results particularly compelling is that this new southern zone sits just 30 meters outside the current optimized pit shell that constrains the existing 1.3Moz resource. The consistent width and grade of these intercepts suggest significant potential to expand the resource with minimal additional infrastructure requirements.
"Each new drill hole into the southern zone broadens the known extent of mineralisation, positioning this area as a key growth sector for the Ternera deposit. Our current drilling focus is defining this area ahead of the next Mineral Resource Estimate, ensuring its inclusion and better capturing the overall size of the gold system at Ternera," stated Tesoro Managing Director Zeff Reeves.
Northern Extension Continues to Develop
While the southern zone has delivered the most dramatic results, Tesoro Gold drilling at the northern extension of Ternera has also yielded promising shallow intercepts:
- 8.84m @ 1.65g/t Au including 1.4m @ 5.67g/t Au
- 2.05m @ 2.54g/t Au
These shallower results could have positive implications for future mining scenarios, potentially reducing strip ratios and improving project economics. Furthermore, the company has previously discovered new high-grade gold zones at the Ternera deposit, which complement these latest findings.
Understanding Intrusive Related Gold Systems
Tesoro's El Zorro project represents the first discovered Intrusive Related Gold System (IRGS) in Chile, a geological setting that hosts several world-class gold deposits globally.
IRGS deposits typically feature:
- Low sulfide content (generally <5%)
- Reduced ore mineral assemblages dominated by pyrite
- Mineralisation in sheeted veins or stockwork patterns
- Limited hydrothermal alteration
- Association with intermediate to felsic intrusions
This geological setting in Chile's Coastal Cordillera region—an area already known for world-class copper and gold mines—adds strategic significance to Tesoro's discovery. The region's established infrastructure and mining expertise provide potential development advantages, and Tesoro has already strengthened infrastructure partnerships to support the El Zorro development.
Current Resource Position
The Ternera deposit's current mineral resource stands at 1.3 million ounces, categorised as follows:
| Mineral Resource Category | Tonnes (Mt) | Grade (g/t Au) | Contained Gold (koz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indicated | 22.6 | 1.11 | 802 |
| Inferred | 11.2 | 1.34 | 479 |
| Total | 33.7 | 1.18 | 1,282 |
Accelerated Development Timeline
Tesoro is advancing multiple workstreams simultaneously to fast-track project development:
- Resource Expansion: Two drill rigs operating 24/7 to define the newly discovered southern zone ahead of a resource update
- Metallurgical Testing: Advanced test work underway to finalise plant design, with recent breakthrough recovery rates from metallurgical testing showing promising results
- Environmental Permitting: Regulatory approvals progressing to support development timelines, with the company having secured important environmental approvals at the El Zorro project
The current Tesoro Gold drilling results are building on previous significant intercepts announced earlier this year, including:
- 132.18m @ 1.28g/t Au including 32.20m @ 3.28g/t Au
- 47.60m @ 1.13g/t Au including 20.40m @ 2.05g/t Au
These consistently wide intercepts continue to demonstrate the scale potential of the Ternera deposit. In addition, previous drilling success has confirmed resource expansion opportunity for the company.
Why Investors Should Track Tesoro Gold
Tesoro represents a compelling opportunity for gold investors for several reasons:
- Resource Growth Potential: The newly discovered southern zone could significantly expand the current 1.3Moz resource
- Geological Setting: The first discovered IRGS in Chile's prolific Coastal Cordillera mining region
- Development Pipeline: Simultaneous advancement of drilling, metallurgy, and permitting
- Infrastructure Advantages: Located in a region with established mining services and infrastructure
- Near-Term Catalysts: Upcoming resource update to incorporate the southern zone expansion
With gold prices maintaining strength in the current economic environment, Tesoro's expanding resource base and accelerating development timeline position the company to potentially deliver substantial shareholder value as the El Zorro project advances toward production.
The consistent delivery of wide, high-grade intercepts beyond the current resource boundary suggests Tesoro Gold drilling results might be only scratching the surface of El Zorro's ultimate potential.
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