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Highlights
- Barton Gold identifies extensions 50 to 100 meters below the 223 deposit at Tunkillia.
- Aiming to optimize capital and operating costs for long-term value.
- Tunkillia is on track to become South Australia's largest undeveloped gold-only project.
Barton Gold (ASX:BGD) has announced a major discovery at its Tunkillia gold project, located in South Australia. The company recently completed over 5,000 meters of reverse circulation drilling at the 223 deposit, revealing mineralization extending deeper than previously estimated, at depths of 50 to 100 meters below the modelled pit floor. This significant finding supports the potential for resource expansion and a deeper open-pit mining operation at Tunkillia.
The results are part of Barton’s ongoing Optimised Scoping Study (OSS), which is designed to fast-track the project towards a pre-feasibility stage. The drilling results indicate that the 223 deposit, which was initially modeled to reach a maximum open-pit depth of 256 meters, could extend deeper, unlocking further growth potential for the project.
Barton Gold’s Managing Director, Alexander Scanlon, expressed his enthusiasm for the new data, stating, “We are pleased to confirm further extensions of Tunkillia mineralisation below the ‘main pit’ floor modelled in our July 2024 initial scoping study.” The ongoing OSS will focus on optimizing both capital and operating costs to maximize the long-term value of the project.
With a growing understanding of the deposit’s potential, Barton has already started re-modelling the Tunkillia Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). The company is working alongside several third-party technical specialists to reassess metallurgical and comminution test work, mine scheduling, mill throughput rates, and other key factors such as capital and operating cost modelling. These efforts aim to create a more refined and efficient open-pit design and improve the overall feasibility of the project.
Tunkillia is South Australia’s largest undeveloped gold-only project. Barton has successfully increased the MRE to 1.5 million ounces of gold in 2024, including a new discovery at the Area 51 deposit. The initial scoping study highlighted the potential for a 5.0 million tonnes per annum operation, capable of producing 130,000 ounces of gold and 311,000 ounces of silver annually, with an attractive all-in sustaining cost of $1,917 per ounce of gold.
These developments position Barton Gold as a key player in the South Australian mining sector, with the potential to deliver substantial value for stakeholders and the broader gold market.
