Aureka is a Victorian gold explorer that is aggressively drilling out high-grade extensions at its two gold projects, both of which have established resources and very well understood geology. The company is run by former Head of Mining Research at Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank, James Gurry, and chaired by the former MD and CEO of Lihir Gold, Graeme Hunt. AKA also counts star SX2 geo Kenneth Bush as an early exploration strategy advisor.
The Irvine project sits just 15km away from the powerful Victor Smorgon Group’s Stawell Gold Mine, which historically produced 5.3Moz but currently operates its 850ktpa mill at around 75% capacity and mines slightly above 2g/t ore, from down to 2km underground. Irvine’s 304koz at 2.46g/t Au deposit begins at surface and is composed of many brilliant assays, such as 18.7m at 7.1g/t Au from 196.3m, 10.6m at 6.2g/t Au from 135.7m and 9.4m at 5.3g/t Au from 355.6m.
Next year’s resource update will add a significant portion of the exploration target, which holds an additional 280-420koz at 2-3g/t, by including the latest intercepts such as 10m at 12.1g/t Au from 413m. The strike extent and down plunge continuity at the Resolution Prospect is pretty much exactly what has been seen at a 1.5Moz section of Stawell’s Magdala deposit.
AKA’s other key asset is St Arnaud, which previously produced an incredible 400koz at 15g/t Au and was last mined in 1995, when gold was around US$380/oz. High grade extensions outside of the existing 56.5koz resource are currently being drilled, which are chasing an exploration target for an additional 114koz. Intercepts from earlier in the year include 6.9m at 4.24g/t Au from 422m including 0.75m at 18.6g/t Au from 422.1m, and 3.2m at 4.71g/t Au from 434.0m including 0.6m at 19.9g/t Au from 435.9m. Assays are imminent from a drillhole that hit multiple quartz veins containing 7 instances of visible gold between 115.4 and 124.1m down hole.
Read our latest coverage on AKA
- Operating Mine and Processing Plant Acquisition as AKA Becomes Gold ProducerA highly strategic acquisition of a fully permitted and operational gold mine and processing plant has catapulted Aureka (ASX: AKA) into the league of ASX-listed gold producers, with the cashflow positive 42ktpa Wedderburn mill currently processing 7g/t Au ore from the Fiddlers Creek mine at 86% recovery rates and with 90% payabilities. Full utilisation of… Read more: Operating Mine and Processing Plant Acquisition as AKA Becomes Gold Producer
- MRE Boosted to 455koz at 2.27g/t Au as AKA Targets 1Moz and Near Term ProductionTwo diamond drill rigs are spinning as Irvine’s high impact extensions are targeted while infill drilling continues at St Arnaud in the lead up to production, with Aureka (ASX: AKA) chasing high-priority new discovery areas at refined exploration targets as well as working towards upgrading resource inventory to support near term production. AKA just boosted… Read more: MRE Boosted to 455koz at 2.27g/t Au as AKA Targets 1Moz and Near Term Production
- Resource Upgrade and Scoping Study Imminent at AKA’s High-Grade Gold PortfolioThe numerous high-grade extensions intersected over the past few months at Aureka’s (ASX: AKA)’s St Arnaud project have extended the mineralised area 100m to the north, 140m to the west and 125m vertically in a parallel structure. With near term production potential and high-grade assays that extend from a previously mined pit – which historically… Read more: Resource Upgrade and Scoping Study Imminent at AKA’s High-Grade Gold Portfolio
- Development Plans Tangibly Accelerate as AKA Keeps Hitting High-Grade VeinsThe recent series of high-grade intercepts from Aureka (ASX: AKA)’s flagship Victorian gold projects, which are all outside current resource estimates and include 1m at 65.37g/t Au from 116.2m, including 0.3m at 109g/t Au from 117.2m, and 10.04m at 1.58g/t Au from 189.68m at St Arnaud, as well as 5m at 6.13g/t Au from 489m… Read more: Development Plans Tangibly Accelerate as AKA Keeps Hitting High-Grade Veins
- AKA’s High-Grade Gold Project a Smorgon Mine Essential Takeover TargetJust 15km away from the powerful Victor Smorgon Group’s Stawell Gold Mine, which historically produced 5.3Moz but currently operates at around 75% capacity and mines slightly above 2g/t ore from up to 2km underground, lies Aureka (ASX: AKA)‘s orogenic analogue Irvine – a 304koz at 2.46g/t Au deposit that begins at surface and has an… Read more: AKA’s High-Grade Gold Project a Smorgon Mine Essential Takeover Target
