Rokeby Resources Hits 138g/t Gold at Mt Wills as Resource Update Nears
Key Takeaways
- Hole 26SSDH004 returned 0.3m @ 138g/t gold from 139.2m with visible gold, confirmed by Photon Assay at 138 ppm and fire assay at 132 ppm.
- The hit sits 15m north of historical hole SSDH026 (0.8m @ 208.9g/t) at the same depth, extending the high-grade shoot by at least 15m.
- Holes five and five-B missed the shoot, one ending at undocumented workings at 72.75m and the other passing 10m above the target zone.
- An updated JORC (2012) estimate is anticipated in early November, with holes six to nine to report before mid November, against a 2.4 Mt at 4.02g/t, 320,000-ounce Historical Estimate.
- Rokeby holds 100% of the fully permitted project, but its aggressive 12-month work program is subject to funding that the announcement does not confirm.
138g/t gold hit extends Sunnyside high-grade shoot at Mt Wills
A single 0.3m interval of core at Sunnyside has returned 138g/t gold, with visible gold seen in the sample. Rokeby Resources (ASX: RKB) has received assays from holes four, five and five-B of its maiden nine-hole, 2,180-metre diamond drilling program at the recently acquired Mt Wills gold project in north-east Victoria.
Hole 26SSDH004 returned 0.3m @ 138g/t gold from 139.2m. The drill rig has now completed all holes and demobilised from site.
The company says the result strengthens the historical modelling and adds strike length to the mineralisation. For investors, that matters because the program is targeting known high-grade shoots, and results are expected to underpin a JORC (2012) resource estimate. Drilling commenced on 28 May 2026.
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Drill results: strike extent confirmed, with strong grades
All holes received so far intersected mineralisation coincident with historical resource modelling. Results are now in for the first five holes of the nine-hole program.
The Sunnyside diamond drilling campaign was designed to test known high-grade shoots from historical workings, with the nine-hole program aimed at confirming continuity ahead of a JORC (2012) estimate.
Hole four adds at least 15m of strike
Hole 26SSDH004 sits 15m north of historical hole SSDH026, which reported 0.8m @ 208.9g/t gold from 152.6m. The two holes intersect the mineralisation at the same depth, so the new hole extends a high-grade shoot by at least that distance.
Both Photon Assay and Fire Assay results were received, and management said they continued to confirm the expected orientation of mineralisation. Photon Assay is a laboratory method that analyses a larger sample than traditional fire assay, and here it re-confirmed the fire assay results.
Andrew Haythorpe, Director
“Mt Wills is a rare, develop-ready gold asset that is high-grade, historically significant, and fully permitted for the work now underway…”
Holes five and five-B
Hole 26SSDH005 intersected previously undocumented workings at 72.75m, which terminated the hole. It recorded no significant intercept (NS).
Hole 26SSDH005B was drilled to get past the workings but was deflected and drilled over the top of 26SSDH005. It intersected the target 10m above the anticipated high-grade zone, returning strong alteration and moderate mineralisation, but did not pierce the expected location of the high-grade shoot. That is a modest outcome, though the hole still returned two intercepts, and the high-grade shoot remains a target for later drilling.
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Downhole width (m) | Au (ppm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26SSDH004 | 139.2 | 139.5 | 0.3 | 138 |
| 26SSDH005 | Abandoned at 72.75m, NS | |||
| 26SSDH005B | 71 | 71.35 | 0.35 | 5.86 |
| 26SSDH005B | 127.65 | 127.75 | 0.1 | 4.73 |
All widths are downhole, and true widths have not been determined.
The assay comparison below uses the source’s own column labels. Where the source leaves a cell blank, no value has been assumed.
| Sample ID | Photon Assay (Au ppm) | Fire Assay (Au ppm) | Fire Assay Repeat (Au ppm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| RABA021895 | 138 | 132 | |
| RABA021933 | 5.86 | 5.87 | 5.86 |
| RABA021952 | 4.73 | 4.30 | 4.71 |
What is a JORC resource estimate, and why does it matter?
A JORC (2012) resource is an estimate prepared under the Australasian code for reporting mineral resources, classified by a competent person. A historical estimate is an earlier figure that has not been reported under that code.
The Mt Wills Historical Estimate is 2.4 Mt at 4.02g/t gold for 320,000 ounces. The company states that it is not reported in accordance with the JORC Code, that a competent person has not done sufficient work to classify it as mineral resources or ore reserves, and that it is uncertain it will be reportable as such following further evaluation and/or exploration.
Context comes from the past. Historical mining in the area produced more than 235,000 ounces of gold at grades exceeding 18 g/t (Crohn, 1958).
A JORC (2012) update, if delivered, would give you a more verifiable baseline to judge the project against.
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Next steps and upcoming catalysts
Several results are due over the coming weeks:
- Assays from holes six and seven are imminent.
- Assays from holes eight and nine are anticipated in mid November.
- An updated JORC (2012) estimate is anticipated in early November.
- Multi-element results for holes 26SSDH001 to 26SSDH005B are still to come.
Holes eight and nine have been dispatched to the laboratory.
Management’s stated strategy is a structured program to grow and upgrade the Historical Estimate by leveraging the extensive historical workings and the high-grade shoots they define. Further drilling on the hole four shoot is planned for the next drilling phase.
The company has described an aggressive 12-month work program, subject to funding. The announcement does not state that funding is in place.
Rokeby holds 100% ownership of the Mt Wills Project, which comprises MIN4921 (expiring 13 May 2044) and EL6323 (expiring 28 November 2027). Sunnyside is described as fully permitted.
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