Viking Mines Uncovers New High-Priority Gold Target at Riverina East

Exploration Breakthrough at Riverina East

Viking Mines Limited has announced a promising development at its Riverina East Project in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields. The company has recovered a total of 120 gold nuggets weighing 54.7 grams within a defined 600 by 500 metre area, dubbed the "Nugget Patch." This discovery highlights a high-priority target zone that aligns with a newly identified east-west structural trend, a departure from previous north-south drilling orientations.

Adding to the excitement is the recovery of a unique rock specimen containing extensive coarse-grained disseminated gold. Laboratory tests are currently underway to determine whether this gold is of primary origin, meaning it could be part of a high-grade bedrock deposit rather than secondary alluvial or supergene mineralisation. The results, expected next quarter, could significantly influence the project's exploration strategy.

Structural Insights and Drilling Results

The east-west trend of the nugget distribution coincides with a break in magnetic geophysical data, suggesting proximity to a previously untested gold-bearing structure. This contrasts with earlier drilling efforts that focused on north-south structures and did not intersect high-grade mineralisation. Phase 3 reverse circulation drilling at the Southern Structural Target and Bifrost South confirmed the presence of gold-hosting structures, but assays returned only low-grade results, with the highest intercept at 1.7 grams per tonne over one metre.

Viking Mines’ Managing Director Julian Woodcock emphasised the significance of these findings, noting that the combination of coarse gold nuggets, some weighing up to 4.9 grams, and the disseminated gold in the rock specimen points to the potential for a high-grade primary gold structure. The company plans to pivot its exploration focus to test this new east-west orientation with targeted drilling and comprehensive fieldwork, including mapping, sampling, and geochemical surveys.

Strategic Location and Next Steps

The Riverina East Project is strategically positioned along the prolific Zuleika Shear Zone, near major gold camps such as Ora Banda Mining’s Riverina/Mulline Camp and the Davyhurst Camp. The proximity to established processing infrastructure enhances the project's attractiveness and potential for economic development.

Upcoming activities include detailed laboratory analysis of the gold-bearing rock specimen, expanded prospecting to delineate the nugget patch's full extent, and planning for a new drilling campaign aimed at the east-west structural target. Viking Mines has also completed a high-resolution drone magnetic survey over the Bifrost area, which will refine structural interpretations and guide future exploration.

While the current drilling results have not yet revealed high-grade mineralisation, the identification of a new structural orientation and the presence of coarse gold nuggets provide a compelling case for further exploration. Viking Mines is positioning itself to unlock the full potential of this underexplored gold corridor.