Astral Resources Extends Theia Deeps at Mandilla with Broad Gold DD Intersections

Astral Resources (ASX: AAR) has returned further broad gold intersections from deep diamond drilling (DD) beneath the Theia Deposit at its 100%-owned Mandilla gold project in Western Australia, extending mineralisation beyond the April 2026 mineral resource estimate (MRE) shell.

The standout result was 52.75 metres at 4.67g/t gold from 445.25m, with the interval containing several narrow high-grade zones including 0.34m at 477g/t gold.

Astral also reported 45m at 1.39g/t gold from 389m and 25m at 1.68g/t gold from 546m, with all three of those key intersections located outside the current MRE shell.

The latest assays, which came from three holes across 1,817.3m of drilling, reinforce Astral’s view that the Theia mineral system remains open at depth and has scope for further extensions along strike.

Continued success has prompted Astral to expand the Theia Deeps program from an original six holes for 3,000m to 21 holes for 11,000m, with 13 holes completed so far.

Deep Drilling Builds Scale

One of the deeper holes returned multiple broad zones that combined to 136m at 0.76g/t gold from 470m including the 25m interval, with Astral identifying potential for further vertical extension and up-dip mineralisation to the south.

Another hole returned 45m at 1.39g/t gold and 64m at 0.57g/t gold beneath the current resource shell, while the 52.75m intersection further south supported the potential for a significant high-grade depth extension.

“These latest assay results […] have all demonstrated broad zones of high-grade gold mineralisation beyond the base of the current April 2026 mineral resource shell,” managing director Marc Ducler said.

“Exploration is also planned to recommence at the Feysville project’s Kamperman deposit during the September quarter to follow-up drilling from earlier this year that included an exceptional 14m at 6.79g/t gold.”

“These programs position Astral for a very active second half of 2026.”

Resource Growth Work

Theia is the cornerstone deposit at Mandilla with about 1.4 million ounces of gold, while the wider project has an April 2026 MRE of 53.5 million tonnes at 1.0g/t gold for 1.74 million ounces.

Both DD and reverse circulation (RC) rigs are operating at Mandilla, with the expanded deep program targeting further high-grade extensions and RC drilling focused on infill work within the Theia Stage 1 open pit.

Astral has completed 193 holes for 19,445m of a planned 431-hole, 44,400m RC program, while assays remain pending for another deep hole where logging recorded quartz veining and visible gold that appears to align with the existing resource model.

Visual observations are not a substitute for laboratory assays, and Astral cautioned that visible mineralisation does not establish grade or provide information on potential impurities.

Alongside exploration, Astral is advancing the Mandilla definitive feasibility study, with additional metallurgical test work, geotechnical work, and infill drilling underway.