Moonlight Resources Drills for Structural Data It Needs to Declare First Gold Resource
Key Takeaways
- Moonlight Resources (ASX: ML8) has commenced a four-hole, approximately 500m diamond drilling programme at the Leo Grande Prospect within its 100%-owned Clermont Gold Project in Central Queensland.
- The programme targets two specific technical gaps — orientated core for structural and geometric definition, and fresh-rock samples for metallurgical testwork — both required before a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate can be prepared.
- Gold mineralisation has already been confirmed across more than 1km of the Leo Grande Shear Zone following two completed phases of reverse circulation drilling.
- The Leo Grande MRE is the company's stated next milestone, with diamond drilling results feeding directly into ongoing geological modelling and MRE preparation.
- Moonlight is also running a maiden RC programme at the Peak Downs Copper Prospect, which carries approximately 17% Cu historical grades over 2.5km of strike, adding a second near-term catalyst to the portfolio.
Diamond drilling begins at Leo Grande as Moonlight Resources advances towards maiden resource estimate
Moonlight Resources (ASX: ML8) has commenced diamond drilling at the Leo Grande Prospect within its 100%-owned Clermont Gold Project in Central Queensland. The programme follows completion of the Phase 2 reverse circulation (RC) campaign and marks a direct step towards the declaration of a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) at Leo Grande.
Key details from the announcement:
- Four-hole programme, approximately 500m total
- Contractor: United Drilling Services
- Purpose: Orientated core to define structural geology, and fresh-rock samples for metallurgical testwork
- Gold mineralisation confirmed across more than 1km of the Leo Grande Shear Zone
- Programme directly supports preparation for the maiden MRE declaration
When big ASX news breaks, our subscribers know first
What the diamond drilling programme is designed to achieve
The programme has two distinct technical objectives, both required before an MRE can be prepared.
1. Structural and geological definition
RC drilling established the scale and footprint of mineralisation at Leo Grande, but it cannot provide the orientation data needed to understand how the gold system is structured in three dimensions. Orientated diamond core will define the structural controls, geometry, and orientation of mineralisation, allowing the company to refine its geological model with a level of detail that RC drilling alone cannot deliver.
2. Metallurgical testwork
The programme will also recover fresh-rock core samples for metallurgical testwork. Moonlight Resources is undertaking this work at Leo Grande, and this data will inform the company’s understanding of the processing characteristics of the Leo Grande mineralisation.
3. Feeding into MRE preparation
Results from both workstreams feed directly into ongoing geological modelling and the technical work required to support preparation for the maiden MRE declaration.
Managing Director Greg Starr
“The first two phases of RC drilling have substantially advanced our understanding of the scale and continuity of the Leo Grande system and this new, targeted diamond drilling programme has been designed to build on that work by providing a much higher level of geological and structural information… Together these workstreams represent the next stage of progress at Leo Grande as we near completion of our work to deliver a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate.”
Understanding the path from drilling to a Mineral Resource Estimate
RC drilling can establish where gold mineralisation exists and over what extent. Diamond drilling provides orientated core to assist in defining the structural controls, geometry and orientation of mineralisation, which is expected to further refine the company’s geological interpretation and support ongoing modelling of the mineralised system.
At Leo Grande, the RC campaigns have defined the footprint and confirmed continuity of the gold system over more than 1km of the Leo Grande Shear Zone. The diamond programme now provides the structural and metallurgical detail required to complete the technical work before an MRE can be declared.
The next major ASX story will hit our subscribers first
Leo Grande in context — and what comes next
Leo Grande is Moonlight’s most advanced gold asset and the primary focus of current exploration activity within the Clermont Gold Project in Central Queensland. The broader Clermont portfolio also includes the Peak Downs Copper Prospect, where a maiden RC programme is underway, as well as earlier-stage gold prospects including Goldfinger and Petersens. Outside Queensland, the company holds exploration assets in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
The table below summarises the key facts for the two principal Clermont assets:
| Asset | Location | Status | Key Metric | Next Milestone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leo Grande Gold Prospect | Clermont, QLD | Diamond drilling underway | More than 1km mineralised strike; unconstrained 4km x 60m mineralised footprint | Maiden MRE |
| Peak Downs Copper Prospect | Clermont, QLD | Maiden RC programme underway | Approx. 17% Cu historical grades over 2.5km of strike | RC results |
The company has stated it will provide further updates as drilling progresses and results become available.
Don’t Miss the Next ASX Gold Discovery
Big News Blast delivers FREE breaking ASX gold and mining news directly to your inbox within minutes of release, with in-depth analysis already done. Join 30,000+ investors who stay ahead of the market the moment announcements hit. Click the “Free Alerts” button at Discovery Alert to start receiving real-time coverage today.