Australian Gold and Copper Hits 13.6m at 4.6g/t Gold at New Evergreen Zone
Key Takeaways
- Hole 26DDBR013 returned 13.6m at 4.6g/t Au and 23g/t Ag from 51.4m, confirmed by AGC as one of the strongest gold results from the Evergreen Prospect to date.
- The result defines a new western gold-silver zone sitting 35m west of the previously drilled base-metal-rich eastern zone, representing a genuinely new structural corridor within the system.
- A deeper interval of 3.9m at 3.2g/t Au and 153g/t Ag from 109m adds a high-silver oxide zone below the headline intercept, with a third sulfide zone at 190m confirming multi-level mineralisation in a single hole.
- An RC drill rig has been immediately deployed to follow up the shallow oxide zone, with 9 RC holes already completed and assays pending on 7 diamond holes including strike extension hole 26DDBR017.
- AGC is targeting an initial Mineral Resource Estimate at Browns–Evergreen in FY27, backed by A$7 million cash, no debt, and active drilling across a 2,600km² South Cobar Basin landholding anchored by a 38.5Moz AgEq Achilles resource.
New gold-silver zone confirmed at Evergreen as drilling returns standout intercept
Australian Gold and Copper Ltd (ASX: AGC) has confirmed a new western gold-silver zone at its Evergreen Prospect, approximately 35m west of the main base-metal-rich zone. Hole 26DDBR013 returned a headline intercept of 13.6m at 4.6g/t Au and 23g/t Ag from 51.4m (downhole width, 50% core recovery), which the company describes as one of the strongest gold results returned from the Evergreen Prospect to date.
The Evergreen Prospect sits within the Browns–Evergreen Project, located 30km from AGC’s flagship Achilles resource in the South Cobar Basin. A reverse circulation (RC) drill rig has been immediately deployed to follow up this newly identified zone.
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What the Evergreen results reveal
Three distinct mineralised intervals in a single hole
Hole 26DDBR013 intersected three separate mineralised zones across its downhole profile, each with a distinct character. All widths reported are downhole widths; true widths have not yet been determined.
- Shallow oxide gold-silver zone: 13.6m at 4.6g/t Au and 23g/t Ag from 51.4m (50% core recovery due to friable, oxidised host rock)
- Deeper high-silver oxide zone: 3.9m at 3.2g/t Au and 153g/t Ag from 109m (87% core recovery)
- Sulfide base metal zone at depth: 7m at 0.6g/t Au, 12g/t Ag and 7.7% Zn+Pb from 190m
The 50% recovery in the headline interval warrants transparent disclosure: diamond drilling is believed to have washed away some friable mineralised material in the weathered oxide zone, meaning the reported grade carries some uncertainty. AGC has deployed RC drilling specifically to address this. Mineralisation in this new zone remains open to the north, south, and at depth, with assay results for hole 26DDBR017 (drilled to the south) currently pending.
Why the western zone changes the picture at Evergreen
Prior drilling at Evergreen focused predominantly on the base-metal-rich eastern zone. The newly defined western zone introduces a gold-silver-dominant character that was not previously defined at the project, representing a genuinely new structural corridor within a system that spans 6km in length with more than 25km of historic drilling.
Glen Diemar, Managing Director
“These are very encouraging shallow gold results. The Browns–Evergreen Project is 6km in length with more than 25km of historic drilling, and the intercept of 13.6m at 4.6g/t Au and 23g/t Ag from 51.4m ranks as one of the strongest gold results returned from the project to date. Our drilling has already uncovered numerous previously unknown mineralised structural zones, each with a differing mineral character. This western mineralised zone looks to have higher tenor gold and silver and we are now excited about the drilling along strike.”
The RC rig now targeting the shallow oxide zone is the right tool for the job. Diamond core drilling struggled with the weathered, broken host rock in the shallow section, driving the reduced recovery in the headline interval. RC drilling is better suited to friable near-surface material and is expected to improve sample recovery meaningfully.
Understanding gold-silver oxide zones — and why shallow mineralisation matters to investors
These factors together create a faster pathway to an initial Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), which is a formal, independently verified estimate of the volume and grade of mineralisation at a project.
AGC is drilling RC holes at Evergreen specifically to rapidly define the scale of this new zone. The company has stated its intention to declare an initial MRE at Browns–Evergreen in FY27.
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What’s next for AGC across the South Cobar portfolio
At Evergreen, immediate next steps include an RC scissor hole plus strike extension holes to both the north and south. To date, 9 RC holes have been completed with additional holes planned, while 7 diamond holes with assays pending will also contribute to defining the scale and continuity of the system.
The broader FY27 programme across AGC’s South Cobar portfolio covers multiple targets simultaneously:
- Achilles: Resource upgrade targeted for FY27; shallow RC drilling programme of 15 holes planned for Q4 2026; development pathway under assessment
- Browns–Evergreen: 10 RC holes to test shallow oxide gold and strike extensions; initial MRE targeted for FY27
- Planet: RC programme of 1,500m planned for H2 FY27
- Tooronga: AC results pending Q1 FY27; follow-up AC/RC programmes planned for FY27
- Mount B: IP, AC, RC programme planned for H2 FY27
- Hilltop: AC programme to define RC drill targets
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shares on issue | 332 million |
| Cash | A$7 million (31 Jul 2026) |
| Debt | Nil |
| Options | 7.5 million |
| Performance rights | 11.5 million |
The Evergreen discovery sits inside a much larger strategic picture. AGC holds a 2,600km² landholding across the South Cobar Basin, anchored by the 38.5Moz AgEq Achilles resource (58% Indicated) confirmed in December 2025. Evergreen, now emerging as a distinct gold-silver opportunity 30km from Achilles, adds a meaningful second resource target to what is shaping up as a multi-asset exploration story with no debt and active drilling across its South Cobar portfolio.
Investors should note that all drill intercepts reported are downhole widths, that true widths remain undetermined, and that the headline intercept carries a 50% core recovery disclosure. This announcement contains forward-looking statements subject to risks and uncertainties.
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