Venus Metals Stage 2 RC Program Targets 45,000–60,000oz Below Bellchambers
Key Takeaways
- Venus Metals has commenced a seven-hole Stage 2 RC drilling program at Bellchambers, directly targeting an Exploration Target zone estimated at 800,000–950,000 tonnes at 1.75–2.00 g/t Au for 45,000–60,000 oz — conceptually larger and higher-grade than the existing certified resource.
- Stage 1 drilling validated the concept with two headline intercepts: 20m at 2.72 g/t Au from 186m and 6m at 2.24 g/t Au from 212m, including a 1m hit at 9.92 g/t Au — grades that materially exceed the current MRE average of 1.27 g/t Au.
- The existing Bellchambers Mineral Resource stands at 766,000 tonnes at 1.27 g/t Au for 31,400 oz (JORC 2012), with Stage 2 assay results representing the next material catalyst for a potential resource upgrade.
- Venus Metals holds a 90% interest in the Bellchambers Mining Lease, with the project located 23 km southwest of Sandstone and 70 km by road from the Youanmi Gold Mine being developed by Rox Resources (ASX: RXL).
- Assay results from the Stage 2 program will determine whether the Exploration Target can be converted toward a formal Mineral Resource estimate, making upcoming releases a near-term news flow catalyst for VMC investors.
Stage 2 RC drilling under way at Bellchambers gold project
Venus Metals Corporation (ASX: VMC) has commenced a Stage 2 Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling program at its Bellchambers Gold Project (Mining Lease M57/671, 90% Venus), located approximately 23 km southwest of Sandstone in Western Australia. The program builds directly on Stage 1 results that returned high-grade intercepts, with seven holes now planned to test the Exploration Target zone below and north of the existing Mineral Resource.
For regional context, the project sits 70 km by road northeast of the Youanmi Gold Mine being developed by Rox Resources Ltd (ASX: RXL), and the adjacent exploration licence E57/984 (90% Venus) abuts Brightstar Resources Ltd (ASX: BTR) tenure at the Two Mile Hill–Shillington Deposit.
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What Stage 1 told us — and why Stage 2 follows
Stage 1 RC drilling at Bellchambers returned two headline intercepts (reported in the ASX announcement of 25 August 2026) that validated the Exploration Target concept and directly triggered the Stage 2 program:
- 26BRC4: 20m @ 2.72 g/t Au from 186m, including 6m @ 5.52 g/t Au from 188m, and 1m @ 9.92 g/t Au from 189m
- 26BRC3: 6m @ 2.24 g/t Au from 212m, including 1m @ 8.26 g/t Au from 216m
These results confirmed mineralisation at depth beneath the known resource footprint, providing the geological basis to advance to a second, more targeted drilling phase.
The high-grade depth results at Bellchambers, including the 9.92 g/t Au intercept from Stage 1, established that mineralisation continues below the existing resource envelope at grades that meaningfully exceed the current MRE average of 1.27 g/t Au.
The existing resource base and what lies beneath
The Bellchambers Global Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), sourced from ASX releases dated 15 August and 31 December 2025, stands at 766,000 tonnes @ 1.27 g/t Au for 31,400 ounces, comprising 8,800 oz Measured, 18,100 oz Indicated, and 4,500 oz Inferred.
Widenbar and Associates has estimated an Exploration Target in the zone below the existing MRE and north of current Indicated/Inferred resources at depth (refer ASX releases 2 January and 5 January 2026): 800,000–950,000 tonnes @ 1.75–2.00 g/t Au for 45,000–60,000 oz Au.
The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target are conceptual in nature. Insufficient exploration drilling has been conducted to estimate a Mineral Resource, and it is uncertain whether further exploration drilling will result in the estimation of a Mineral Resource. The Exploration Target has been prepared in accordance with the JORC Code (2012).
The table below compares the current certified resource with the Exploration Target:
| Category | Tonnage | Grade (g/t Au) | Ounces | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRE Total | 766,000 t | 1.27 | 31,400 oz | JORC 2012 Resource |
| Exploration Target | 800,000–950,000 t | 1.75–2.00 | 45,000–60,000 oz | Conceptual — not a Resource |
The Exploration Target grade range of 1.75–2.00 g/t Au sits meaningfully above the current MRE grade of 1.27 g/t Au, which is why the zone below and north of the existing resource is the focus of Stage 2 drilling.
Understanding RC drilling and why it matters for gold exploration
RC drilling (Reverse Circulation) is a technique where a rotating drill bit breaks rock underground and compressed air pushes the resulting rock chips back to the surface through an inner tube. It is fast, cost-effective, and produces reliable rock chip samples well-suited to gold assaying — making it the standard choice for targeted follow-up work at a project like Bellchambers.
A staged drilling approach is a deliberate, evidence-based sequence. Stage 1 tests a geological concept by drilling a handful of holes to see whether mineralisation exists. When those results come back positive — as they did at Bellchambers — Stage 2 follows up with more holes focused on the specific zones of interest to better define the extent and grade of that mineralisation.
An Exploration Target under the JORC Code is a conceptual estimate used to guide where that drilling should go. It tells the exploration team how much rock and gold might be present in a given zone, based on the geological model, but it is not a certified resource. Stage 2 drilling will either support converting the Exploration Target toward a formal Mineral Resource estimate, or refine the geological model — either outcome adds meaningful information to the deposit story.
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What investors should watch for next
The seven-hole Stage 2 program is now active, and assay results will be the next material catalyst for VMC. If drilling confirms mineralisation consistent with the Exploration Target grade range of 1.75–2.00 g/t Au, there is a potential pathway toward a meaningful resource upgrade above the current 31,400 oz MRE.
Venus Metals holds a broad portfolio of Australian gold, copper, base metals, lithium, titanium, and vanadium exploration projects in Western Australia, along with a significant shareholding in Rox Resources (ASX: RXL). Bellchambers represents one active component of that portfolio, and Stage 2 results will determine whether the deposit can be materially expanded — making assay releases a near-term news flow catalyst for the company.
Ready to Follow the Stage 2 Drilling Results at Bellchambers?
Venus Metals Corporation’s Stage 2 RC program is now active at Bellchambers, targeting a high-grade Exploration Target zone estimated at 1.75–2.00 g/t Au — well above the current MRE grade of 1.27 g/t Au. Assay results from the seven-hole program represent the next significant catalyst for VMC investors watching for a potential resource upgrade beyond the current 31,400 oz base.
Stay ahead of the news flow by exploring Venus Metals Corporation’s full project portfolio and investment profile on Discovery Alert’s VMC investor page. Monitoring upcoming assay releases will be essential to assess whether Stage 2 drilling can convert the Bellchambers Exploration Target into a material resource expansion.