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Duketon Mining Limited (DKM) has revealed notable gold intercepts from its inaugural drilling campaign at the Barlee Project in Western Australia, alongside completing the acquisition of the Killarney Gold Project and receiving the Walgoolan base metals tenement grant. These exploration achievements across diverse gold prospects, coupled with strategic asset additions, highlight a dynamic expansion phase in Duketon’s mineral exploration portfolio, backed by $7.5 million in cash reserves to support ongoing development efforts.
Key Points
- Duketon Mining Limited (ASX:DKM) focuses on Western Australian mineral exploration with active gold and nickel projects including Barlee, Killarney, Boodanoo, and Duketon.
- The company completed an expanded 6,000-metre maiden drill program at Barlee, exceeding the initial 4,500 metres, yielding gold intercepts across multiple prospects.
- Notable gold intercepts include 30m @ 1.1g/t Au at Gromit Prospect and 24m @ 0.8g/t Au at Astro Prospect; the Killarney Gold Project acquisition was finalized by issuing 2,000,000 shares to the vendor.
- The Walgoolan tenement, covering 59 km B2 and prospective for base metals and gold, was granted 45km northeast of Merredin; the company holds $7.5 million in cash to fund exploration.
Barlee Project’s Maiden Drilling Yields Multiple Significant Gold Intercepts Across Eight Targets
During the June 2026 quarter, Duketon Mining completed its first-ever drilling program at the Barlee Project, located 230 kilometres north of Southern Cross, Western Australia. The campaign was expanded to 6,000 metres, comprising twenty-eight reverse circulation (RC) holes and sixty-nine aircore holes targeting eight distinct prospects. The drilling results, released throughout the quarter and included in the June 2026 quarterly report, revealed encouraging gold mineralisation.
The Gromit Prospect stood out as a key target, with RC hole 26BAR013 intersecting 30 metres at 1.1 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 12 metres depth, including a higher-grade 9-metre interval at 2.4 g/t Au from 24 metres. This lies roughly 30 metres east of aircore hole 26BAC068, which returned intercepts of 4 metres at 0.53 g/t Au and 8 metres at 0.27 g/t Au. Gold mineralisation at Gromit is linked to quartz veining within weathered mafic sediments, providing a clear geological context.
Astro Prospect Drilling Highlights Deep, High-Grade Gold Mineralisation Zones
At the Astro Prospect, RC hole 26BAR005 intersected 24 metres at 0.79 g/t Au from 24 metres depth, including 12 metres at 1.29 g/t Au from 28 metres and an 8-metre interval at 0.77 g/t Au from 52 metres, which contained 2 metres at 1.97 g/t Au. These multiple mineralised zones within a single hole indicate a complex gold system with expansion potential.
Further drilling approximately 400 metres south on the same line returned 7 metres at 0.74 g/t Au from 76 metres, including a 1-metre high-grade intercept of 4.68 g/t Au from 82 metres, demonstrating mineralisation continuity over a significant lateral distance. These results suggest the Astro Prospect hosts an extensive gold system warranting further resource development.
Odie Prospect Gold Mineralisation Linked to Banded Iron Formation and Structural Features
Located on tenement E77/2717 within Barlee, the Odie Prospect yielded encouraging results with RC hole 26BAR014 intersecting 11 metres at 0.67 g/t Au from 28 metres, including 6 metres at 1.1 g/t Au from 33 metres. The gold mineralisation is spatially associated with a Banded Iron Formation (BIF), a common host in Western Australian greenstone gold deposits, situated at the eastern edge of the Diemals Basin and adjacent to a north-northeast trending structural corridor.
Mineralisation at Odie remains open along strike north and south, with the nearest previous drilling approximately 500 metres north and 300 metres south, presenting immediate follow-up drilling opportunities. Historical holes LBAC0123 and LBAC0120 returned gold intercepts supporting ongoing prospectivity, confirming continuity of mineralisation over sustained exploration periods.
Walgoolan Tenement Granted, Adding Base Metals Potential Near Merredin
Duketon Mining secured tenement E77/3129 at the Walgoolan Project during the quarter, expanding its portfolio by 59 square kilometres. Located 45 kilometres northeast of Merredin, this tenement offers strategic base metals and gold exploration potential. Historical drilling and geochemical data indicate broad zones of silver, gold, lead, and zinc mineralisation.
Notable historical drill hole A47RC003 intersected multiple intervals including 11 metres at 6.11 g/t silver, 0.2 g/t gold, 0.16% lead, and 0.19% zinc from 13 metres, as well as 17 metres at 5.05 g/t silver, 0.2 g/t gold, 0.17% lead, and 0.22% zinc from 26 metres. Another interval included 18 metres at 7.04 g/t silver, 0.1 g/t gold, 0.25% lead, and 0.08% zinc from 61 metres, with a high-grade 7-metre zone at 13.61 g/t silver, 0.52% lead, and 0.17% zinc from 69 metres. Parallel hole A47RC004 confirmed mineralisation continuity across multiple intervals.
Killarney Gold Project Acquisition Finalized via Share Issuance
Duketon Mining exercised its option to acquire 100% of the Killarney Gold Project during the quarter, finalizing a strategic expansion of its gold portfolio. The project includes tenements M58/365 and P58/1843, initially secured under an option agreement announced in April 2025 with a $50,000 option fee for 12 months exclusivity. The option was exercised on 18 May 2026 by issuing 2,000,000 fully paid ordinary shares to the vendor, transferring full ownership without cash expenditure.
This acquisition complements the encouraging drill results at Barlee and exemplifies Duketon’s capital-efficient portfolio growth strategy, preserving cash for exploration while expanding its gold project base across Western Australia.
Boodanoo Gold Project Drilling Yields No Significant Gold Assays
Assay results from the reverse circulation drilling at the Boodanoo Gold Project did not reveal gold grades above the 0.2 g/t threshold during the quarter, indicating no significant mineralisation from this drilling phase. While contrasting with positive Barlee results, these findings provide valuable geological data for target evaluation within the project.
The outcome highlights the importance of Duketon’s diversified exploration approach, balancing multiple projects at varying development stages. The company continues to prioritise prospects with stronger potential, such as Barlee and Killarney, aligning exploration resources accordingly.
Duketon Nickel Project Resource Supports Long-Term Strategic Portfolio
In addition to gold exploration, Duketon Mining maintains the Duketon Nickel Project, located 130 kilometres north of Laverton, Western Australia, as a longer-term asset. The Rosie deposit hosts a JORC 2012-compliant mineral resource of 2.77 million tonnes at 3.27% nickel equivalent, with over 72% classified as Indicated and the remainder as Inferred, reflecting solid geological confidence.
This nickel resource provides strategic commodity diversification for the company, complementing its gold-focused near-term activities. The project remains inactive during current exploration phases, allowing capital concentration on higher-priority gold assets. The defined nickel resource underscores Duketon’s capability to advance projects toward resource delineation and future development options.
Strong Cash Position of $7.5 Million Enables Ongoing Exploration
As of 30 June 2026, Duketon Mining held total cash and shareholdings valued at $9.0 million, including $7.5 million in cash and $1.5 million in shares. This liquidity supports ongoing exploration and corporate operations throughout the financial period, enabling sustained activity across multiple projects including Barlee and Killarney.
The company’s financial position reflects prudent management of exploration expenditures and operational independence, avoiding immediate capital market reliance. The increased Barlee drill program from 4,500 to 6,000 metres exemplifies management’s confidence in key prospects. Cash reserves will guide the scale and timing of future drilling, particularly at Astro, Gromit, and Odie prospects.
Strategic Western Australian Goldfields Location Underpins Exploration Success
Duketon Mining’s projects are strategically situated within the prolific Western Australian goldfields, a globally significant gold-producing region with extensive mining history. The Barlee Project’s location 230 kilometres north of Southern Cross positions it within a proven gold mineralisation zone. The Killarney acquisition further extends the company’s footprint in established gold regions, while Walgoolan adds base metals potential near Merredin.
Geological diversity across the portfolio includes quartz-vein-hosted gold in weathered mafic sediments at Barlee and Banded Iron Formation-hosted mineralisation at Odie, enhancing discovery potential. Duketon’s systematic drilling and concentrated regional focus facilitate efficient exploration management and timely assessment of mineralisation continuity across key structural settings.
