Rox Resources Launches Growth Drilling at Youanmi Targeting 2.2Moz Gold System
Key Takeaways
- Rox Resources has commenced surface diamond drilling at the 100%-owned Youanmi Gold Mine, targeting the United North ore system within an existing resource base of 12.4Mt at 5.5g/t Au for 2,195koz (2.2Moz).
- The program is structured across three sequential phases — Resource Conversion, Resource Growth, and Plunge Exploration — with surface drilling expected to continue into early CY2027 and a second diamond rig planned for deployment from early CY2027.
- Detailed re-logging of historical diamond core identified a "kinematic flip" confirming the southward plunge direction of gold mineralisation at United North, directly informing the July 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate update and improving drill targeting precision.
- The growth drilling program is central to Rox's aspiration of becoming a 150,000ozpa operation, with first gold from Youanmi targeted by mid-2027.
- No assay results have been returned yet — this announcement confirms program commencement, with drill results from the Resource Conversion and Resource Growth phases representing the next material catalyst for investors through CY2026 and into CY2027.
Resource growth drilling gets underway at Youanmi’s high-grade United North ore system
Rox Resources (ASX: RXL) has commenced surface diamond drilling at its 100%-owned Youanmi Gold Mine in Western Australia, targeting the high-grade United North ore system. The program marks a deliberate shift from resource definition into active growth drilling, with the company holding an existing resource base of 12.4Mt at 5.5g/t Au for 2,195koz (2.2Moz).
The drilling effort is central to the company’s aspiration of becoming a 150,000ozpa operation, with the program designed to progressively expand and de-risk the ore system at depth.
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Three-phase drilling strategy targets resource conversion, growth and plunge exploration
The growth drilling program is structured around three distinct objectives:
- Resource Conversion — converting Inferred to Indicated resources to support future reserve increases
- Resource Growth — growing Inferred resources from exploration drill intervals to support continuing incremental resource growth
- Plunge Exploration — testing mineralisation extensions from beneath United North toward Youanmi Main, to support mine life growth aspirations
The sequencing is deliberate. Resource Conversion drilling is completed first, followed by the Resource Growth phase. Plunge Exploration targeting is then refined as new structural data emerges from the earlier drilling programs.
On the timeline, surface diamond drilling has commenced and is expected to continue into early CY2027, with underground drilling ongoing in parallel. A second diamond rig is planned for deployment from early CY2027, adding capacity to accelerate the program.
What structural re-logging revealed — and why it matters for targeting
Before designing the growth drilling program, Rox’s geology team undertook detailed re-logging of historical diamond core. The focus was on structural elements considered critical to understanding where high-grade gold mineralisation is distributed and, crucially, where it travels at depth.
The key finding centred on what geologists call a “kinematic flip.” In plain terms, this refers to geological evidence showing a reversal of movement direction within high-strain zones, which in this case points to the southward plunge direction of gold mineralisation at United North. Think of it as the geological compass that tells the team exactly which direction the ore system continues underground.
Specifically, the analysis confirmed that flipped hanging-wall up movements are associated with the southward plunge of gold at United North. This structural interpretation was subsequently incorporated into underground face and back mapping by the geological team, feeding directly into the database for ongoing grade association analysis.
The findings informed the July 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate update, including new variogram models (statistical tools used to measure how gold grades vary across space) and updated search ellipse orientations for United North. Better structural understanding translates to more precise drill targeting, which in turn improves the probability of resource growth outcomes from each metre drilled.
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CEO outlines the growth roadmap and mine life ambitions
Managing Director & CEO Phill Wilding outlined the strategic rationale in the announcement:
Phill Wilding, Managing Director & CEO
“Over recent months, our geology team has focused on developing a deeper understanding of the United North ore system at Youanmi, supported by the exposure of mineralisation through development drives and additional geological study work.
“The key objective of this work has been to support the planning of future drilling programs to grow the ore system, extend the mine life of Youanmi, and contribute to Rox’s aspiration of becoming a 150,000ozpa operation…
“We have now planned our new growth program, initially focused on resource conversion and growth, before progressing to step out drilling testing the potential down-plunge extensions of the United North mineralisation.
“Should this drilling confirm the potential we see at depth, it could support an updated resource model and mine plan, with the potential to increase production rates and extend the mine life.
“Drilling is fundamental to the growth and sustainability of any mining operation, and Rox remains focused on delivering both at Youanmi.”
The table below summarises the key parameters of the drilling program:
| Program Phase | Objective | Status | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resource Conversion | Inferred → Indicated resources to support future reserve increases | Commenced | CY2026 |
| Resource Growth | Incremental Inferred resource growth from exploration drill intervals | Planned | CY2026 – early CY2027 |
| Plunge Exploration | Down-plunge extensions beneath United North toward Youanmi Main | Targeting phase | CY2026 – early CY2027 |
| Second diamond rig | Accelerate drilling program | Planned | Early CY2027 |
The drilling program sits within the broader directive to deliver first gold from the Youanmi Gold Mine by mid-2027, alongside progress toward the aspirational target of becoming a 150,000ozpa producer. No assay results have been returned yet — this announcement confirms commencement, not outcomes.
The 150,000ozpa production aspiration is underpinned by compelling economics at Youanmi, with the project’s prefeasibility study confirming the financial case for advancing the high-grade ore system toward sustained commercial output.
The next material catalyst for investors will be drill results as the Resource Conversion and Resource Growth phases advance through CY2026 and into CY2027.
For investors wanting to track the drill results as they emerge from the Resource Conversion and Resource Growth phases, our detailed coverage of Youanmi’s 2026 expansion drilling results documents the intercepts and grade distributions from earlier stages of the program alongside Rox’s evolving resource growth narrative.
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