ROX Resources Ltd
Rox Resources Reports High-Grade Gold Results Across Multiple Targets at Youanmi
Rox Resources (ASX: RXL) has released a drilling update from its 100%-owned Youanmi Gold Mine in Western Australia, and the Rox Resources Youanmi gold drilling results and mine expansion plans paint an encouraging picture. The update spans underground infill drilling, resource definition work and regional exploration, all set against a backdrop of a global mineral resource of 12.1 million tonnes at 5.6 g/t for 2.2 million ounces of gold.
The Company continues to target first gold production by mid-2027, with the current program designed to both de-risk the existing mine plan and identify opportunities for expansion.
"At Rox, our mandate is clear, bring the Youanmi Gold Mine into production and pour first gold by mid-2027 which we remain on track for. Simultaneously, we are also focused on de-risking the mine plan and unlocking further growth, including opportunities to use the latent capacity in the processing plant design," said Phill Wilding, Managing Director and CEO of Rox Resources.
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Four Work Streams Advancing in Parallel
According to the announcement, Rox is progressing four distinct geological programs simultaneously, each serving a different function within the Company's development strategy:
- United North underground diamond drilling — infill grade control intended to de-risk ore delivery to the processing plant
- Interceptor/Prospect resource definition drilling — work aimed at confirming and potentially extending the current mine plan
- Commonwealth exploration — defining a near-mine ore source with an established plunge direction
- Regional aeromagnetic interpretation — identifying a new structural target approximately 20km south of the project
Taken together, these programs illustrate a strategy that combines near-term execution certainty with medium and longer-term resource growth potential.
Underground Drilling at United North Confirms Geological Continuity
Underground diamond drilling at United North commenced in June 2026, with 12 holes for 1,716 metres completed by the end of the month. The primary objective of this program is to ensure the mine is infill drilled to 12 months ahead of mining activity by mid-2027, a practice designed to reduce execution risk by giving mine planners higher confidence grade information ahead of stope design.
Sulphide-rich shear zones, described by the Company as the characteristic host structure for Youanmi-style gold mineralisation, have been observed and logged in all drill holes completed to date. Assays have been received for the first three holes, with results from UNN26_004 among the more notable intercepts reported.
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Interval (m) | Grade (g/t Au) | Gram-Metres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNN26_004 | 131.58 | 136.18 | 4.60m | 9.60 g/t Au | 44.18 |
| incl. | 132.00 | 135.00 | 3.00m | 13.62 g/t Au | 40.85 |
| UNN26_003 | 105.10 | 111.55 | 6.45m | 1.82 g/t Au | 11.73 |
The Company reports that assay results from UNN26_003 and UNN26_004 correlate well with modelled ore zones both up and down dip, which reinforces the Mineral Resource model underpinning the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) mine plan. Furthermore, face sampling from the 2341mRL ore drive level has returned grades consistent with DFS projections, while mapped shear zones at the 2356mRL level are reported to correlate well with those observed at 2341mRL. Assays from the 2356mRL level remain pending.
According to Rox, results from this program indicate potential to expand the upper levels of the United North mine beyond the current DFS mine plan, a scenario that, if confirmed through further drilling, could extend the mine's operating timeframe beyond current projections.
Interceptor Lode Delivers High-Grade Intercepts
Located approximately 100 metres west of, and parallel to, the Main-Prospect lode trend, the Interceptor lode has returned a series of high-grade reverse circulation (RC) intercepts. RC drilling is a method that uses compressed air to return rock chip samples to surface for assay analysis. According to the Company, these results confirm both the existing mine plan and potential for extensions along strike and down dip.
| Hole ID | From (m) | Interval (m) | Grade (g/t Au) | Notable Sub-Interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RXRC653 | 103m | 2.00m | 12.48 g/t Au | 1.00m @ 21.30 g/t Au |
| RXRC657 | 109m | 2.00m | 13.57 g/t Au | 1.00m @ 25.40 g/t Au |
| RXRC661 | 131m | 5.00m | 6.59 g/t Au | 1.00m @ 25.00 g/t Au |
| RXRC660 | 111m | 1.00m | 5.67 g/t Au | – |
The sub-intervals grading 21.30 g/t, 25.40 g/t and 25.00 g/t gold, when intersected across multiple drill sections, are indicative of a structurally controlled mineralised system. Rox has stated that work to update the Youanmi mineral resource in the Interceptor/Prospect area is planned for the second half of CY2026, supported by follow-up diamond drilling from underground.
Commonwealth Prospect Defines Near-Mine Growth Potential
Situated roughly 4km northwest of Youanmi Main, the Commonwealth prospect has completed its resource definition drilling program, with all assay results now received. According to Rox, the results establish a clear southwest plunge direction to mineralisation and collectively point toward a potential additional ore source positioned near the Youanmi processing plant currently under construction.
| Hole ID | From (m) | Interval (m) | Grade (g/t Au) | Notable Sub-Interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RXRC602 | 94m | 7.00m | 9.68 g/t Au | 2.00m @ 26.50 g/t Au |
| RXRC630 | 75m | 7.00m | 3.21 g/t Au | – |
| RXRC631 | 92m | 7.00m | 2.03 g/t Au | – |
| RXRC641 | 156m | 2.00m | 3.92 g/t Au | – |
| RXRC665 | 110m | 3.00m | 5.34 g/t Au | 1.00m @ 13.40 g/t Au |
| RXRC668 | 45m | 2.00m | 5.48 g/t Au | 1.00m @ 9.92 g/t Au |
The Company has indicated that work to update the Commonwealth mineral resource is planned for the second half of CY2026, alongside diamond core drilling intended to support structural assessment and, potentially, preliminary metallurgical testwork via a bulk sample. Reconnaissance planning is also underway to test the Hope prospect, located approximately 4km northeast of Youanmi Main, which the Company describes as sharing structural similarities with the Youanmi setting.
New Regional Target Identified from Aeromagnetic Data
Interpretation of a detailed aeromagnetic survey compiled in 2025 has led to the identification of a previously unexplored structural target area within 20km of the under-construction Youanmi processing plant. According to Rox, the target is based on a structural analogue to the geological setting responsible for gold mineralisation at Youanmi itself, involving older thrust faults deformed by younger, northwest-trending faults around a granite dome contact.
Within the identified thrust fault horizons, the Company has flagged two areas of interest: steeper thrust fault zones considered more likely to concentrate gold, and shallower dipping zones considered prospective for both gold and volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) style mineralisation, a deposit type associated with ancient seafloor volcanic activity. Reconnaissance and mapping of these areas is planned for the second half of CY2026 to refine targets ahead of any future drill programs.
Understanding Shear Zones and Their Relevance to Gold Exploration
What Is a Shear Zone?
A shear zone is a band of rock that has been deformed by movement within the Earth's crust. At Youanmi, these are described as visually distinct, sulphide-rich structures identifiable both in underground workings and drill core.
Why Does This Matter for Gold Exploration?
Shear zones are reported to be the principal host structures for gold mineralisation at Youanmi. Gold-bearing fluids are understood to have migrated through these structures over geological time, depositing gold within them. However, the Company notes that the presence of shear zones alone does not confirm gold grades, which can only be determined through assay analysis.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| RC (Reverse Circulation) | Drilling method using compressed air to return rock chips to surface for sampling |
| Diamond Drilling (DD/UGDD) | Core drilling that recovers intact rock cylinders, used for detailed geological analysis |
| g/t Au | Grams of gold per tonne of rock, the standard measure of gold grade |
| Gram-metres | Grade multiplied by width, a composite measure used to assess the significance of an intercept |
| DFS | Definitive Feasibility Study, the technical document underpinning the current mine plan |
| LOM | Life of Mine, the expected duration of mining operations |
| VMS | Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide, a deposit type associated with ancient seafloor volcanic activity |
Planned Activity Through H2 CY2026 and Into 2027
Rox has outlined a program of activity expected to generate ongoing news flow through the remainder of 2026 and into 2027.
| Timeline | Activity | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 CY2026 | Youanmi Deeps resource conversion and exploration drilling | Targets inferred resources and down-plunge extensions of United North and Youanmi Main/North |
| H2 CY2026 | Interceptor/Prospect mineral resource update | Potential to expand the known resource base |
| H2 CY2026 | Commonwealth resource update and diamond core drilling | Structural assessment and potential bulk sample for metallurgical testwork |
| H2 CY2026 | Hope prospect initial aircore drilling | Testing geochemical signature of a structurally similar near-mine target |
| H2 CY2026 | Regional target reconnaissance and mapping | Refining drill targets approximately 20km south of Youanmi |
| Mid-2027 | Targeted first gold pour at Youanmi | Primary operational milestone per Company guidance |
The commencement of Youanmi Deeps drilling in Q3 CY2026 has been highlighted by the Company as a program designed to convert inferred resources and test down-plunge extensions, work that could inform whether the mine's operating life may extend beyond current DFS assumptions.
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Assessing the Broader Context for Investors
Several elements from this update are relevant to how the Youanmi project may be assessed going forward. In particular, the Rox Resources Youanmi gold drilling results and mine expansion plans raise a number of considerations worth examining closely.
Does Grade and Proximity to Infrastructure Matter?
The global resource of 2.2 million ounces at 5.6 g/t gold places Youanmi among higher-grade undeveloped gold projects on the ASX. Higher grade deposits typically allow for lower processing costs per ounce, though actual project economics depend on a range of additional factors including metallurgical recovery, mining costs and commodity prices.
Both the Interceptor and Commonwealth programs have, furthermore, returned results in areas situated close to planned or existing processing infrastructure. Near-mine resource additions, if confirmed, would generally require less additional capital expenditure than standalone development projects, as existing infrastructure could potentially be utilised.
How Does Infill Drilling Reduce Risk?
The underground drilling program at United North is described by the Company as a de-risking exercise rather than exploration in the traditional sense. Drilling ahead of the mining schedule is intended to reduce geological uncertainty that could otherwise affect mine planning and scheduling. Consequently, this approach provides mine planners with higher confidence grade information well ahead of stope design.
Management has also referenced an objective to make use of latent capacity in the processing plant design, suggesting the plant has been engineered with capacity headroom beyond the current mine plan. Whether this capacity is ultimately utilised would depend on the outcome of ongoing resource definition work at Commonwealth, Interceptor and Hope.
In addition, the newly identified regional target 20km south of the plant introduces further exploration potential. Confirmation of the geological model through planned reconnaissance and mapping work would be required before any drill program targeting this area could be designed.
Rox Resources has reported a series of high-grade drilling results across multiple targets at its Youanmi Gold Mine, alongside the identification of a new regional exploration target. With Youanmi Deeps drilling scheduled to begin in Q3 CY2026, several near-mine exploration programs progressing through the second half of 2026, and first gold targeted for mid-2027, the Company has outlined a defined set of near-term catalysts for the project.
The Rox Resources Youanmi gold drilling results and mine expansion plans will continue to evolve, with further updates on the Interceptor, Commonwealth and regional target areas expected as resource definition and reconnaissance work progresses through the remainder of CY2026.
Want to Learn More About Rox Resources and the Youanmi Gold Mine?
With high-grade drilling results across multiple targets, a 2.2 million ounce global resource, and first gold production targeted for mid-2027, Rox Resources (ASX: RXL) is advancing the Youanmi Gold Mine through a clearly defined development pathway. Investors looking to explore the project's fundamentals, mine plan, and upcoming catalysts in greater detail can visit the Rox Resources website at roxresources.com.au.
