Pilbara Gold Hits 20m at 2.35g/t as Step-Out Drilling Hunts Ounces Beyond 2.1Moz
Key Takeaways
- Hole 26MYRCD021 returned 20m @ 2.35g/t Au from 393m, extending Main Hill mineralisation below the 2026 resource pit shell.
- Infill drilling for the Mt York PFS is complete and rigs have moved to step-outs targeting growth beyond the current 2.1Moz resource.
- High-grade cores include 2m @ 11.63g/t Au at Main Hill and 6m @ 5.15g/t Au at Main Hill Extension, well above the 1.05g/t resource average.
- The new MRE and maiden Ore Reserve are due by June 2027, with the PFS targeted for H1 CY2027, so the stated resource is unchanged until then.
- A 280km² AEM survey over BIF country south of Mt York is complete, and final infill results are expected in Q4.
Pilbara Gold hits 20m @ 2.35g/t Au as Mt York drilling moves to step-outs
In its latest drilling results update, Pilbara Gold (ASX:PGL) reported new intercepts that confirm continuity along the 4.2km mineralised trend at the 2.1Moz Mt York Gold Project in WA’s Pilbara. Infill drilling for the pre-feasibility study (PFS) is now complete, and step-out drilling has started.
The headline result is 20m @ 2.35g/t Au from 393m in hole 26MYRCD021, which the company says extended mineralisation below the 2026 resource pit shell. The company also reported that an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey over 280km² of banded iron formation (BIF) country south of Mt York is complete.
For you as an investor, the split matters. Infill results support resource confidence, while the step-outs target growth beyond the current 2.1Moz.
Why step-out drilling matters
Infill drilling adds holes inside the known deposit. The company says it supports resource category conversion, meaning inferred resource moving to indicated resource.
Step-out drilling tests beyond the current footprint for new ounces. The new results principally infill the mineralisation ahead of a new Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) and maiden Ore Reserve estimation for the PFS, scheduled for completion by June 2027.
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Drilling results across three prospects
The results are concentrated at Main Hill, Breccia Hill and Main Hill Extension. Intercepts below are down-hole widths, and the company states true widths are less than down-hole widths where drilling is not perpendicular to the strike and dip of the mineralisation.
| Prospect | Hole | Intercept | Including |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Hill | 26MYRCD021 | 20m @ 2.35g/t Au from 393m | 8m @ 4.35g/t Au from 396m |
| Main Hill | 26MYRCD021 | 23m @ 1.38g/t Au from 419m | 3m @ 8.55g/t Au from 438m |
| Main Hill | 26MYRCD017 | 19m @ 2.62g/t Au from 276m | 8m @ 5.51g/t Au from 282m |
| Main Hill | 26MYRCD011 | 25m @ 1.62g/t Au from 329m | 5m @ 6.71g/t Au from 331m |
| Main Hill | 26MYDD033 | 26m @ 1.05g/t Au from 255m | 5m @ 4.02g/t Au from 273m; 6m @ 4.68g/t Au from 323m, including 2m @ 11.63g/t Au from 325m |
| Breccia Hill | 26MYRCD082 | 30m @ 1.48g/t Au from 252m | 6m @ 5.09g/t Au from 254m |
| Breccia Hill | 26MYRCD010 | 21m @ 1.17g/t Au from 352m | 4m @ 3.70g/t Au from 369m |
| Breccia Hill | 26MYRCD028 | 11m @ 1.94g/t Au from 194m | 9m @ 2.29g/t Au from 195m |
| Main Hill Extension | 26MYRCD053 | 9m @ 3.59g/t Au from 94m | 6m @ 5.15g/t Au from 96m |
| Main Hill Extension | 26MYRC073 | 5m @ 2.59g/t Au from 34m | 2m @ 4.33g/t Au from 36m |
| Main Hill Extension | 26MYRC067 | 4m @ 2.03g/t Au from 77m | 1m @ 6.11g/t Au from 80m |
| Main Hill Extension | 26MYRC067 | 5m @ 2.36g/t Au from 95m | 3m @ 3.74g/t Au from 96m |
Main Hill
Drilling at Main Hill continues to confirm broad, higher-grade mineralisation within and below the currently defined resource pit shell. Hole 26MYRCD017 returned 19m @ 2.62g/t Au from 276m, while further down dip 26MYRCD021 extended mineralisation below the 2026 resource pit shell.
- 26MYRCD011: 25m @ 1.62g/t Au from 329m
- 26MYDD033: includes 2m @ 11.63g/t Au from 325m
The company says the lower part of Main Hill is consolidating into a significant zone of higher-grade mineralisation, controlled by broad folding within the BIF that plunges shallowly to the northwest towards the Monster Zone.
Breccia Hill
Hole 26MYRCD082 returned 30m @ 1.48g/t Au from 252m, which the company described as a broad intercept. Hole 26MYRCD010 returned 21m @ 1.17g/t Au from 352m, which the company says shows mineralisation extending down-dip of historical drilling and below the existing resource.
Hole 26MYRCD028 added 11m @ 1.94g/t Au from 194m. Together, the company says, the results highlight further resource growth potential at Breccia Hill, where mineralisation remains open at depth.
Main Hill Extension
Hole 26MYRCD053 returned 9m @ 3.59g/t Au from 94m, with further intercepts in 26MYRC073 and 26MYRC067. The company says these results support resource category conversion and confirm the continuity of shallow high-grade mineralisation.
That in turn supports continued drilling of the north-western extension of the Mt York mineralised trend for resource growth.
The announcement also reports holes with no significant intercepts, and states that all verified and validated results received at the time of data compilation were reported, including low-grade holes.
Management commentary
Dr Peter Turner, Managing Director
“With the infill drilling for the PFS now complete, the rigs are moving to target big step-outs under Main Hill and Main Hill Extension where we believe the BIF and mineralisation continue well below the current resource.”
Dr Turner added that the Mt York gold resource is “constrained by drilling” and that the next few months will test the company’s belief that thick zones of mineralised BIF lie beneath Main Hill and Main Hill Extension in shallow-dipping shoots.
Understanding resource drilling: infill vs step-out
Infill drilling tightens the spacing between holes inside a known deposit. The aim is to raise confidence, so that inferred resource can be upgraded to indicated resource.
Step-out drilling moves beyond the known edge to test whether mineralisation continues. At Mt York, the gold is hosted in BIF, a layered iron-rich rock, so continuity at depth directly affects how large the resource can become.
Here is how drilling feeds into the project’s studies:
- Infill samples are finalised and results received.
- Mineralised lodes are wireframed (outlined as 3D models).
- The MRE process begins for inclusion in the PFS.
- The PFS progresses towards completion in H1 CY2027.
The current resource, first reported on 13 April 2026, sits within a pit shell using an A$5,500/oz gold price.
| Category | Tonnes (Mt) | Au (g/t) | Ounces (koz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indicated | 42.1 | 1.02 | 1,380 |
| Inferred | 19.7 | 1.11 | 703 |
| Total | 61.7 | 1.05 | 2,082 |
The cut-off grade is 0.4g/t Au. These new results do not change the stated resource, which remains 2.1Moz.
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What’s next for Pilbara Gold
The company outlined the following next steps:
- Finalise all infill drill samples and results ahead of wireframing of mineralised lodes
- Begin the MRE process for PFS inclusion
- Progress the Mt York PFS, due for completion in H1 CY2027
- Process and interpret AEM survey data for the Greater Mt York area, targeting new discoveries over 280km²
Final infill results are expected during Q4. Many holes at Main Hill, Breccia Hill and the Extension area are still awaiting assays, so further results are likely to follow.
The investment case now rests on whether step-out drilling delivers resource growth at depth, how the PFS progresses, and whether the AEM data identifies new BIF targets. The company’s belief in thick mineralised zones below Main Hill and Main Hill Extension remains to be tested.
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