Dulcie Drilling Confirms 0.3–0.8 Moz Gold Target in First Eight Holes
Zenith Minerals’ initial drilling at Dulcie North confirms the continuity and scale of a shear-hosted gold system, aligning closely with its Exploration Target and setting the stage for a maiden JORC resource estimate.
- First eight drill holes at Dulcie North confirm broad, consistent gold mineralisation
- Exploration Target of 0.3–0.8 million ounces supported by assay results
- 78-hole, 12,621-meter drilling program completed with assays pending for 70 holes
- Strategic 3 km southern extension includes active heap-leach operations, reducing development risk
- Pathway established towards JORC-compliant Inferred Resources at Dulcie and Dulcie North
Exploration Breakthrough at Dulcie North
Zenith Minerals Limited (ASX, ZNC) has announced encouraging early results from its Consolidated Dulcie drilling program in Western Australia, with the first eight holes at Dulcie North delivering gold mineralisation consistent with the company’s Exploration Target. These results provide a critical validation of Zenith’s geological model, confirming the presence of a broad, shear-hosted gold system extending along a six-kilometre corridor that includes Dulcie, Dulcie North (DN), and Dulcie Far North (DFN).
The initial assay highlights include intercepts such as 6 meters at 1.42 grams per tonne gold from 126 meters depth and 15 meters at 1.06 grams per tonne from 46 meters, demonstrating both grade and width align with expectations. This continuity supports Zenith’s confidence in converting the Exploration Target of 0.3 to 0.8 million ounces (10 to 24 million tonnes at 0.9 to 1.1 g/t Au) into a JORC-compliant Inferred Resource.
Strategic Consolidation and De-risking
The Consolidated Dulcie Gold Project now covers contiguous granted mining licences spanning over six kilometres of strike length within the Southern Cross–Forrestania Greenstone Belt. A key development is the recent acquisition of the Dulcie Subsurface Rights Area, a 3 km southern extension that hosts active heap-leach operations. This acquisition not only expands Zenith’s control over the gold corridor but also significantly de-risks future development by validating permitting pathways and demonstrating proven mineralisation amenable to mining.
With 78 reverse circulation holes drilled for a total of 12,621 meters, Zenith has completed a comprehensive program designed to test strike and depth extensions of the mineralised zones. While assays for 70 holes remain outstanding, the early results already underpin a clear pathway to resource definition and potential project advancement.
Geological Confidence and Next Steps
Zenith’s Managing Director, Andrew Smith, emphasised the significance of these results, stating that the drilling confirms the scale and continuity of the gold system in line with the Exploration Target. The geological model, supported by both historical and recent drilling data, suggests a structurally controlled, shear-hosted gold system with mineralisation hosted in quartz veins at contacts between tholeiitic metabasalts, banded iron formations, and ultramafics.
Looking ahead, Zenith plans to integrate the remaining assay results to refine the geological model and deliver a maiden JORC-compliant resource estimate for Dulcie and Dulcie North in 2026. The company’s systematic approach and strategic land consolidation position the Consolidated Dulcie Gold Project as a cornerstone asset within the region’s prolific gold belt.
Bottom Line?
As assay results continue to flow, Zenith’s Consolidated Dulcie Project could soon transition from promising exploration to a defined resource, reshaping its growth trajectory.
Questions in the middle?
- How will the pending assay results from the remaining 70 holes impact the final resource estimate?
- What are the timelines and milestones for converting the Exploration Target into a JORC-compliant resource?
- How might the existing royalties and third-party interests affect the project’s economics and development plans?
