Aureka Drills Fiddlers Creek as Legacy Results Show 40 g/t Gold Hits
Key Takeaways
- Aureka has commenced diamond drilling at Fiddlers Creek this week, targeting a minimum 400 metres as part of a committed 1,800-metre program across acquired tenements over three years.
- Legacy assay results reported for the first time on ASX include intercepts of 1.19m @ 40.48 g/t Au and 0.35m @ 1,600 g/t Ag, with mineralisation interpreted as open along strike, down-plunge, and down dip.
- Drilling is running concurrently with active production, meaning exploration upside is being pursued without interrupting the existing revenue stream from the Fiddlers Creek mine.
- The mine acquisition — including the 100% owned Wedderburn Processing Mill — remains subject to shareholder approval at a general meeting scheduled for 23 October 2026.
- Pro-forma JORC Inferred Mineral Resources across Aureka's Victorian portfolio total approximately 455koz @ 2.27 g/t Au, anchored by the 398koz Irvine Project flagship asset.
Aureka kicks off diamond drilling at high-grade Fiddlers Creek gold and silver mine
Aureka Limited (ASX: AKA) has commenced diamond drilling at the Fiddlers Creek Underground Gold and Silver Mine this week, marking the first drilling from surface since May 2025. The program has a dual purpose: infilling and elevating confidence in existing mineralisation zones, and testing key areas for potential underground infrastructure development.
The campaign targets a minimum of 400 metres and forms part of Aureka’s post-acquisition integration strategy, contributing toward a committed minimum of 1,800 metres of diamond drilling across the acquired tenements over three years. Critically, drilling is running concurrently with ongoing production, meaning value-add exploration is progressing without interrupting the revenue stream.
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Legacy drilling reveals compelling high-grade gold and silver results
A selection of legacy assay results from Fiddlers Creek is being reported on ASX for the first time with this announcement. The headline intercepts, all reported as down-hole lengths (true widths are not confirmed), include some notably high-grade intersections across multiple holes:
- 1.19m @ 40.48 g/t Au from 19m (incl. 0.06m @ 786.1 g/t Au from 20.13m) — FKH08
- 1.57m @ 31.09 g/t Au from 135.14m (incl. 0.26m @ 134 g/t Au from 136.45m) — FDDH008
- 1.87m @ 21.21 g/t Au from 97.23m (incl. 0.19m @ 156 g/t Au from 98.91m) — FDDH012
- 0.35m @ 1,600 g/t Ag and 1.2 g/t Au from 23.35m — FKH031
| Hole ID | From (m) | Interval (m) | Au Grade (g/t) | Notable Inclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FKH08 | 19m | 1.19m | 40.48 g/t Au | 0.06m @ 786.1 g/t Au from 20.13m |
| FDDH008 | 135.14m | 1.57m | 31.09 g/t Au | 0.26m @ 134 g/t Au from 136.45m |
| FDDH012 | 97.23m | 1.87m | 21.21 g/t Au | 0.19m @ 156 g/t Au from 98.91m |
| FKH031 | 23.35m | 0.35m | 1.2 g/t Au | 1,600 g/t Ag (silver) |
Geological interpretation suggests mineralisation remains open along strike, down-plunge to the south-east, and also down dip of the existing mineral model — meaning the system has not been fully defined in multiple directions.
Exploration Manager, Jozef Story
“Based on the current geological interpretation, it is believed that mineralisation remains open along strike, down-plunge to the south-east, and also down dip of the existing mineral model. Limited drill testing has been completed and there remains a real potential for ongoing exploration success. High-grade gold mineralisation at Fiddlers Creek is associated with narrow quartz shear veining generally containing elevated sulphides, including substantial pyrite alongside abundant quantities of galena (silver/lead), sphalerite (zinc), and chalcopyrite (copper) – giving rise to the valuable concentrate produced via processing at the 100% owned Wedderburn Processing Mill.”
What is infill diamond drilling and why does it matter for gold investors?
Diamond drilling is a method where a rotating drill bit studded with industrial diamonds cuts into rock, recovering a continuous cylindrical core sample. Compared to other drill types, it offers superior core recovery and precision, making it well suited for detailed geological interpretation in high-grade, narrow-vein systems like Fiddlers Creek.
Infill drilling means drilling additional holes in the gaps between existing intercepts. The purpose is to increase the density of data points across a mineralised zone, which in turn increases geological confidence. That confidence is directly relevant to resource classification: mineralisation with sparse data tends to sit in the lower-confidence “Inferred” category under the JORC Code (the Australasian standard for reporting mineral resources). As infill data improves confidence, resources can potentially be upgraded toward “Indicated” status, which unlocks more detailed mine planning and can improve access to project financing.
At Fiddlers Creek, the practical implication is straightforward. Mineralisation is interpreted as open in multiple directions, and the current program is designed to both tighten the geological model within known zones and identify additional near-surface mineralisation opportunities. Intersecting or repeating high-grade mineralisation, the company notes, is expected to potentially deliver further gold ounces into production.
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A producing mine with room to grow — Aureka’s Victorian gold portfolio
Aureka describes itself as an integrated Victorian gold company spanning current production, near-term development, and regional exploration. The portfolio described below reflects the company’s pro-forma position, assuming successful completion of the mine and mill acquisition announced on 7 September 2026. That transaction remains subject to shareholder approval at the general meeting scheduled for 23 October 2026, and the figures below are not yet consolidated on Aureka’s balance sheet.
On a pro-forma basis, the portfolio includes:
- Fiddlers Creek Underground Gold and Silver Mine — operating, high-grade, producing a silver-rich polymetallic concentrate
- Wedderburn Processing Mill — 100% owned, currently processes Fiddlers Creek ore, with stated spare capacity
- Irvine Project — flagship asset with a JORC Inferred Mineral Resource of 398koz, located 16km from the Stawell Gold Mine (which has a production history of over 5Moz)
- St Arnaud Comstock Project — JORC Inferred Mineral Resource of 56koz @ 1.21 g/t Au, with a production licence in application
- Jubilee, Morning Bill and critical minerals exploration tenure — spanning the Stawell Corridor and greater St Arnaud area
Irvine Project exploration has yielded its own encouraging results, with a western flank discovery opening a new dimension to the 398koz resource base that sits at the core of Aureka’s development pipeline.
Total pro-forma JORC Inferred Mineral Resources are approximately 455koz @ 2.27 g/t Au across the portfolio.
Managing Director, James Gurry
“Near mine exploration drilling was one of the key opportunities identified in due diligence. We understand the existing team had limited resources available for drilling in the past 12 months while focused on production ramp up. Our ability to promptly address this value-add potential while production continues apace speaks to the complementary nature of the transaction. We look forward to seeing what value can be added to the producing Fiddlers Creek high-grade gold and silver mine.”
Looking further out, the Percydale region surrounding Fiddlers Creek hosts over 6km of traced mineralised structure across six main trends. Much of this remains untested below 50 vertical metres or beneath shallow cover, representing a substantial body of exploration potential that has yet to be drill-tested.
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