Broken Hill Gold Launches 720km Geophysics Blitz to Hunt Deep Sulphide Gold at White Dam
Key Takeaways
- Broken Hill Gold has commenced 48 line-km of Pole-Dipole IP and 670 line-km of high-resolution ground magnetics at White Dam, directly triggered by the Icebreaker sulphide discovery announced in July and August 2026.
- A second drill rig is mobilising to site this week to begin diamond drilling into the Icebreaker primary sulphide zone immediately, before geophysics results are even finalised.
- Historical drilling at White Dam rarely exceeded 80 metres vertical depth, meaning the sulphide system beneath that threshold is essentially undrilled across six prospects now covered by the geophysics programme.
- The existing oxide MRE totals 165,500oz Au across Hannaford, Vertigo, and White Dam North, with an updated MRE incorporating new drilling results expected in Q4 2026.
- The Curnamona Province IOCG district context includes Kalkaroo (1.1Mt Cu, 3.1Moz Au) approximately 40km north, illustrating the scale of mineralisation the regional system is capable of generating.
Geophysics kicks off at White Dam as Broken Hill Gold chases sulphide discovery at depth
Induced Polarisation and ground magnetics surveys are now underway at Broken Hill Gold’s White Dam Gold-Copper Project, triggered directly by the company’s recent high-grade Icebreaker sulphide discovery (referenced in prior ASX releases dated 23 July 2026 and 27 August 2026). The programme covers 48 line-km of Pole-Dipole IP and 670 line-km of high-resolution ground magnetics across Icebreaker and several regional targets. Surveys are expected to be complete by mid-October 2026, with a second drill rig mobilising to site this week.
Broken Hill Gold (ASX: BH6) holds 100% ownership of the White Dam Gold-Copper Project in South Australia’s Curnamona Province, situated 80km west of Broken Hill. This is not a routine exploration update. The geophysics programme is the direct precursor to a significant step-up in drilling activity, designed to define high-priority sulphide targets at depth before diamond drilling commences.
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What is Induced Polarisation geophysics — and why does it matter for gold-copper hunters?
Induced Polarisation (IP) geophysics measures the electrical chargeability of subsurface rock. When an electrical current is introduced into the ground and then switched off, sulphide minerals retain a residual charge and release it in a measurable way, making them identifiable at depth before a single drill hole is sunk.
This matters at White Dam because the project’s historical exploration was almost entirely focused on shallow oxide mineralisation, which sits close to surface and has largely been mined or tested. Historical drill holes generally did not extend beyond 80m vertical depth, meaning the sulphide zone below that threshold is essentially uncharted territory.
Oxide and sulphide mineralisation behave very differently. Oxide gold tends to be broader and lower grade, formed by weathering processes near surface. Sulphide gold, by contrast, is hosted in fresh rock and is often higher grade, as the Icebreaker discovery is already suggesting.
The Icebreaker sulphide discovery, covered in detail in our August 2026 reporting, provided the first direct evidence that a higher-grade primary system underlies the shallow oxide zones that defined White Dam’s historical exploration footprint.
Complementing the IP work, high-resolution ground magnetics helps map the structural and stratigraphic framework that hosts Iron-Oxide-Copper-Gold (IOCG) mineralisation. The Curnamona Province is an established IOCG district, meaning the magnetic data adds critical geological context for identifying where large mineralised systems are likely to sit at depth.
A multi-front exploration push across White Dam’s prospect portfolio
The geophysics programme covers not just Icebreaker but a broad suite of near-mine targets. The following prospects are included:
- Icebreaker
- Vertigo
- White Dam East
- Mary Mine
- Green & Gold
- Wilkins
Several of these have historical shallow oxide intercepts with no deep drilling conducted to test sulphide potential. That gap represents the core upside case: surfaces have been scratched, but the ground beneath largely remains undrilled.
In parallel, drilling for oxide Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) definition continues at Vertigo North Extended and Hannaford, with results expected to support an updated oxide MRE in Q4 2026. Open pit optimisation studies and mine planning are planned to follow that MRE upgrade.
On the diamond drilling front, the plan is to target the Icebreaker sulphide zone at depth following completion and interpretation of the geophysics, with additional strategic depth drilling planned beneath the Vertigo and Hannaford pits.
The current oxide MRE (JORC 2012, published August 2020) across the White Dam deposits is summarised below:
| Deposit | Category | Quantity (t) | Grade Au (g/t) | Contained Gold (oz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hannaford | Total | 4,600,000 | 0.7 | 101,900 |
| Vertigo | Total | 1,700,000 | 0.8 | 43,300 |
| White Dam North (Icebreaker) | Total | 1,200,000 | 0.5 | 20,300 |
Source: Table 1, BH6 ASX Announcement, 15 September 2026. MRE originally published August 2020.
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MD’s view and what comes next
Matthew Boyes, Managing Director
“I am pleased to have the geophysics team on site so quickly following our recent exciting sulphide discovery at Icebreaker. Given the mineralisation styles observed in initial drilling, we anticipate the Induced Polarisation and high-resolution ground magnetic surveys being instrumental in defining clear, high-priority targets at depth, with initial results expected by mid-October.
“Mobilising a second rig to site this week allows us to immediately commence diamond core drilling into the Icebreaker primary sulphide zone, while also testing targets beneath the historical Vertigo and Hannaford open pits. The diamond core will also support metallurgical testwork across both the Icebreaker sulphides and Vertigo oxide deposits as we systematically advance toward open pit restarts and broader gold-copper resource expansion across White Dam.”
The near-term milestones investors should be tracking are:
- Second drill rig on site — this week (September 2026)
- IP and ground magnetics surveys complete — mid-October 2026
- Diamond drilling into Icebreaker sulphide zone — post mid-October 2026, following geophysics interpretation
- Updated oxide MRE (incorporating Vertigo North Extended and Hannaford results) — Q4 2026
- Open pit optimisation studies and mine planning — to follow MRE upgrade
The broader regional context underlines why the sulphide discovery at Icebreaker carries weight. The Curnamona Province hosts several significant neighbouring IOCG projects, including Kalkaroo (1.1Mt Cu, 3.1Moz Au) approximately 40km north, North Portia (0.1Mt Cu, 0.26Moz Au) approximately 75km north, and Mutooroo (0.2Mt Cu, 82koz Au). These are separate projects and not BH6 assets, but they illustrate the scale of mineralisation the IOCG system in this district is capable of generating.
Broken Hill Gold is pursuing a dual-track strategy. The near-term path targets oxide production from existing resources to self-fund exploration activity. The longer-term focus is the evolving sulphide discovery potential across all White Dam prospects, with Icebreaker now providing the first tangible evidence of what may lie at depth.
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