Apollo Hill Gold Resource Grows with 900m Iris Trend Extension and New Drill Rigs
Saturn Metals has mobilised additional drilling rigs at its Apollo Hill Gold Project following promising assay results that extend the high-grade Iris Trend by 900 metres and highlight potential to grow the 2.24 million ounce resource.
- Additional RC drill rigs mobilised to accelerate resource growth
- Iris Trend extended by 900 metres with high-grade gold intersections
- Significant in-fill drilling supports bulk mining potential
- Step-out diamond drilling extends gold system 250 metres down-dip
- Next Mineral Resource update and Definitive Feasibility Study planned for 2026
Context and Strategy
Saturn Metals Limited (ASX – STN) has announced a strategic ramp-up of drilling activity at its 100%-owned Apollo Hill Gold Project near Leonora, Western Australia. This move follows a series of encouraging assay results from recent reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling programs. The company has contracted additional RC rigs to accelerate both resource growth and step-out drilling, aiming to expand and upgrade the existing 2.24 million ounce gold resource.
Extending the Iris Trend
Central to this drilling campaign is the Iris Trend, a higher-grade mineralised structure located to the north of the Apollo Hill deposit. Recent step-out drilling has successfully extended this key ore-hosting structure by approximately 900 metres, with notable intercepts such as 3 metres at 3.87 grams per tonne gold, including 1 metre at 8.87 grams per tonne. These results reinforce the potential for shallow, higher-grade mineralisation on the edge of the current resource pit, which could positively influence development plans.
In-fill Drilling and Resource Confidence
Alongside step-out drilling, Saturn has been conducting in-fill drilling within the main Apollo Hill Mineral Resource. This work aims to convert Inferred Resources into the higher-confidence Indicated category ahead of the Mineral Resource Estimate update scheduled for early 2026. Results such as 121 metres at 0.58 grams per tonne from surface underscore the deposit’s bulk mining potential and support the company’s plans for a Definitive Feasibility Study later in 2026.
Down-Dip Extensions and Future Potential
Diamond drilling targeting down-dip extensions has also yielded promising results, extending the gold system by 250 metres below the current resource pit shell. Intercepts include 11 metres at 0.75 grams per tonne gold from 510 metres depth, with higher-grade zones within this interval. These deeper extensions provide important insights for long-term infrastructure and strategic planning, suggesting the resource could grow beyond current boundaries.
Looking Ahead
Saturn Metals’ Managing Director Ian Bamborough highlighted the significance of these results, noting the immediate follow-up drilling warranted by the first-pass success along the Iris Trend. The mobilisation of additional rigs is expected to accelerate news flow and resource definition in the coming months. With a strong pipeline of drilling and a clear pathway to resource upgrades and feasibility studies, Apollo Hill remains a compelling project in Western Australia’s goldfields.
Bottom Line?
Saturn Metals’ expanded drilling program at Apollo Hill sets the stage for a resource upgrade and feasibility study that could reshape the project’s development trajectory.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the upcoming Mineral Resource update impact the overall resource size and classification?
- What are the implications of the deeper down-dip extensions for mine planning and economics?
- Could the higher-grade Iris Trend extensions materially improve project feasibility and timelines?
