Strong In-Fill Drilling Results Pave Way for Upgrade of Cornerstone Theia Deposit at Mandilla

Astral Resources NL (ASX: AAR) (Astral or the Company) is pleased to report assay results for a 70- hole (6,512 metre) in-fill RC drill program at the Theia deposit, part of the 100%-owned Mandilla Gold Project (Mandilla), located approximately 70km south of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia (Figure 1).

• Assay results received for a 70-hole (6,512 metre) in-fill reverse circulation (RC) drill program at the cornerstone Theia deposit at the Mandilla Gold Project, with best results including:
  • 8 metres at 1.82g/t Au from 29 metres and 33 metres at 1.82g/t Au from 64 metres, including 2 metres at 25.9g/t Au from 90 metres in MDRC886;
  • 10 metres at 5.33g/t Au from 38 metres including 1 metre at 37.5g/t Au from 43 metres in MDRC908;
  • 6 metres at 1.74g/t Au from 70 metres and 18 metres at 2.54g/t Au from 84 metres including 1 metre at 24.8g/t Au from 93 metres in MDRC906;
  • 7 metres at 0.70g/t Au from 44 metres and 19 metres at 2.12g/t Au from 67 metres including 1 metre at 19.5g/t Au from 71 metres and 1 metre at 14.8g/t Au from 78 metres in MDRC885;
  • 17 metres at 0.73g/t Au from 40 metres and 14 metres at 1.64g/t Au from 83 metres including 1 metre at 12.5g/t Au from 84 metres in MDRC875;
  • 29 metres at 0.67g/t Au from 25 metres and 17 metres at 1.37g/t Au from 64 metres including 1 metre at 14.9g/t Au from 80 metres;
  • 1 metre at 223 g/t Au from 15 metres in MDRCD918;
  • 1 metre at 21.3g/t Au from 12 metres and 22 metres at 0.53g/t Au from 60 metres in MDRC869;
  • 15 metres at 1.27g/t Au from 60 metres in MDRC899;
  • 14 metres at 1.35g/t Au from 96 metres in MDRC894;
  • 2 metres at 5.56g/t Au from 70 metres in MDRC902; and
  • 6 metres at 1.96g/t Au from 69 metres in MDRC910.
• 34-hole (3,750 metre) extensional and in-fill RC drill program completed recently at the satellite Kamperman deposit, with assay results pending.
• The RC rig has now been relocated to Mandilla to complete a 20-hole (3,579 metre) in-fill program at the Iris deposit to support its inclusion in the upcoming Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS). Once this program is complete, a 16-hole (2,540 metre) extensional drill program will be undertaken to test for extensions to the fresh rock gold mineralisation at the Eos deposit.
• As part of the current RC drill program at Mandilla, several dedicated RC holes will be drilled for the purpose of groundwater testing to support the hydrogeological study stream of the PFS.
• A diamond drill (DD) rig will also be mobilised this quarter to complete four deep in-fill holes ahead of an update to the Theia MRE, which is expected in the March Quarter, 2025.

Astral Resources’ Managing Director Marc Ducler said:

“As we move into the December Quarter, far from slowing down ahead of Christmas, we are increasing our exploration and drilling effort on multiple fronts in order to advance the Mandilla PFS as quickly as possible.

“The recent 70-hole/6,512 metre in-fill drill program at Theia was designed to ensure that the Stage 1 and Stage 2 pits, as contemplated in the Mandilla Scoping Study, had the necessary drill density to satisfy the requirement for the Mineral Resources in this area to be classified as Indicated. The assay results from this program will support that outcome.

“Our attention at Mandilla is now turning to an in-fill RC program at Iris, for which 90% of the Mineral Resource is currently categorised as Inferred. This program will focus on the higher-grade portion of the Iris deposit. If this program is successful, further drilling will be undertaken.

“Additionally, four RC pre-collars have been completed at Theia ahead of the expected arrival of a diamond drill rig in late October which will complete four diamond tail in-fill tests to feed into an updated Theia MRE.

“Meanwhile, a 34-hole/3,750 metre RC drill program at Kamperman has recently been completed. This program targeted extensions to the north and north-east of the currently interpreted mineralised envelope. If this drilling is successful in extending the mineralised envelope, then a significant in-fill program will be required.

“The update to the Feysville Mineral Resource is expected shortly. This will kick off several technical work streams at Feysville aimed at collecting the necessary data to allow development of Feysville’s gold deposits as part of the Mandilla PFS.

“This is an exciting time for the Company following the strongly supported institutional capital raise completed in late September. Astral now has the balance sheet strength to accelerate our exploration efforts at both Mandilla and Feysville and complete the necessary project studies as we advance towards becoming a plus 100,000oz pa gold producer in the heart of the Kalgoorlie Goldfields.”

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