Yandal Resources RC Drilling Confirms Gold Continuity at Arrakis Ahead of Major Exploration Program
Yandal Resources has received promising assay results from its recent RC drilling program at the Arrakis Prospect within the larger Caladan target area, confirming the continuity of gold mineralisation below previous air-core intercepts and setting the stage for an ambitious 12,500-metre air-core drilling program scheduled for May. The Yandal Resources gold drilling program has generated significant interest among investors looking for exposure to promising exploration projects in Western Australia.
Drilling Confirms Mineralisation Continuity with Promising Results
The recently completed RC drilling program at Arrakis has successfully demonstrated mineralisation continuity down dip below a previously reported air-core hole that ended in mineralisation (11m @ 1.7 g/t Au). Key intercepts from the program include:
- 11m @ 0.5 g/t Au from 168m including 3m @ 1.2 g/t Au from 174m in hole 25AKSL003
- 5m @ 1.3 g/t Au from 243m including 2m @ 2.7 g/t Au from 246m in hole 25IWBRC0037
The drilling also identified several new structures in the depleted upper regolith, including 9m @ 0.4 g/t Au from 54m and 8m @ 0.4 g/t Au from 105m in hole 25IWBRC0037. These shallow intercepts represent the best results to date from within the depleted upper regolith and present additional targets for future exploration.
According to Yandal Resources' Managing Director, Chris Oorschot: "To intercept intense alteration, large structures and see evidence of continuous primary mineralisation at such an early stage across the expansive Caladan target area is highly encouraging. Early-stage targets of this calibre and scale are now rare within the Northeastern Goldfields of Western Australia."
Understanding the Caladan Target Area
The Caladan target area represents an impressive geological setting with multiple characteristics that make it an exceptional exploration target:
- 8km by 3km folded mafic sequence truncated by a large shear zone
- Geological architecture similar to highly endowed gold districts, including Kalgoorlie
- Northwest plunging fold structure truncated by the Idaho Shear to the southwest
- Located 60km south of the Jundee mining complex and 18km north of the recent Siona discovery
The target area has been systematically identified following a ground gravity survey completed in early 2024, with initial air-core drilling confirming significant mineralisation within a 3km long regolith anomaly now known as the Arrakis Prospect.
What Makes a Greenstone Fold Structure Important?
For investors new to gold exploration, understanding the significance of a folded greenstone sequence is crucial. Gold deposits in Western Australia's Yilgarn Craton often form where geological structures create pathways for gold-bearing fluids. Fold structures in mafic rocks (like those at Caladan) create zones of weakness and chemical contrast that can trap these mineralising fluids.
The comparison to Kalgoorlie is particularly significant. The Kalgoorlie district hosts one of the world's largest gold systems where the Boulder-Lefroy Fault truncates the folded mafic stratigraphy of the Boomerang anticline—a setting with remarkable similarities to the Caladan target area.
Upcoming 12,500m Air-Core Program
Yandal Resources has designed an extensive 12,500-metre air-core program to systematically test the Caladan Fold structure. Key aspects of this program include:
- Eight 800m spaced drill lines plus two 400m spaced lines near existing Arrakis drilling
- Testing approximately 6.4km of strike along the Caladan Fold
- Initial hole spacing of 200m, with closer spacing within the CAL-01 regolith anomaly
- Program to commence in May 2025 once line clearing is complete
- Results anticipated eight weeks after program completion
This systematic approach represents the first effective drilling across this extensive fold structure, with previous exploration limited to shallow RAB drilling from 1995 that only tested the upper saprolite.
Investment Thesis: Early-Stage Exploration with District-Scale Potential
Yandal Resources presents investors with exposure to an early-stage gold exploration target with district-scale potential in Western Australia. Several factors make this opportunity noteworthy:
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Scale of the target: The 8km by 3km Caladan Fold represents a target size comparable to major gold districts.
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Geological setting: The structural setting shows similarities to Kalgoorlie, one of Australia's most prolific gold districts.
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Early success: Initial drilling has already confirmed mineralisation within multiple structures.
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Strategic location: Positioned within the highly endowed Yandal Greenstone Belt, close to operating mines and infrastructure.
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Systematic approach: The company is employing a methodical exploration strategy with a significant forthcoming drilling program.
With a suitable cash position and multiple active exploration programs, Yandal Resources is positioned to advance its exploration portfolio throughout 2025. In addition to the upcoming Caladan program, investors can expect results from diamond drilling at the Siona discovery by mid-May and heritage surveys across the New England Granite target area scheduled for late May.
Why Follow Yandal Resources?
For investors seeking exposure to gold exploration in Western Australia, Yandal Resources offers several reasons to follow its progress:
- Significant land position in the Yandal and Norseman-Wiluna Greenstone Belts
- Existing mineral resource of 11.1 million tonnes at 1.4 g/t for 470,200 ounces across multiple deposits
- Multiple exploration targets being systematically evaluated
- Experienced leadership with a track record in Western Australian gold exploration
- Systematic approach to target generation and testing
The company's focus on the Caladan target area represents a strategic emphasis on targets with district-scale potential in a jurisdiction known for world-class gold deposits. With the Yandal Resources gold drilling program set to commence in May, investors may wish to monitor results that could demonstrate the scale and potential of this emerging gold target.
Understanding Gold Mineralisation in Greenstone Belts
The Yandal Resources gold drilling program is targeting a geological setting typical of major gold deposits in Western Australia's Yilgarn Craton. Greenstone belts are ancient volcanic and sedimentary rock sequences that have been metamorphosed and deformed over billions of years. These belts often host significant gold deposits due to several geological factors:
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Structural Controls: Major fault systems and shear zones serve as conduits for gold-bearing fluids.
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Chemical Traps: The contact between different rock types creates chemical gradients that can precipitate gold from solution.
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Alteration Patterns: Hydrothermal fluids alter the host rocks, creating distinctive mineral assemblages that exploration geologists use to vector toward mineralisation.
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Fold Structures: Anticlinal and synclinal folds create areas of structural complexity where mineralising fluids can be trapped.
The Caladan target area exhibits many of these favourable characteristics, making it a priority target for the Yandal Resources gold drilling program. The northwest-plunging fold structure truncated by the Idaho Shear presents a geological setting with similarities to other major gold discoveries in the region.
The latest RC drilling results suggesting continuity of mineralisation at depth may indicate the presence of a larger gold system. This hypothesis will be tested further with the upcoming 12,500-metre air-core program scheduled to commence in May 2025. Furthermore, investors should consider how economic factors and mining feasibility studies might impact the project's future development, especially in light of current investment outlook in the mining sector.
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