Xpedra Resources is preparing its largest drilling campaign yet at the Springfield project in central New South Wales, aiming to expand a shallow gold system already mapped across 400 metres of strike.
Phase Three Drilling Plans
The upcoming phase three program will involve 40 to 50 reverse circulation holes totaling between 4,000 and 5,000 metres, marking a significant increase from the 31 holes drilled for 3,471 metres since March. Land access and a drilling contractor have been secured, though work remains contingent on final approval from the NSW Government, expected in the coming days.
“For the first time, we will begin systematically testing a 1.1-kilometre-long corridor immediately north of the 400-metre-long zone of shallow continuous mineralisation that we have delineated to date,” said managing director Scott Funston. Historical exploration identified extensive gold and arsenic anomalies along this northern corridor, but it has not yet been tested with drilling at depth.
Targeting Extensions and Higher-Grade Zones
The northernmost hole drilled by Xpedra returned 11 metres at 2.03 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 52 metres and 5 metres at 3.30 g/t from 85 metres. The company notes that mineralisation remains open to the north, aligning with historical anomalies. Drilling will also test beneath the known system, where continuity has been established from surface to about 150 metres vertically, with mineralisation remaining open at depth along the entire drilled strike.
Earlier results included a 64-metre intersection at 1.34 g/t gold from 140 metres, including 21 metres at 2.41 g/t from 167 metres. Shallow intercepts included 24 metres at 2.97 g/t from surface. The program will specifically target strike and depth extensions of higher-grade zones, particularly the 13-metre interval at 10.21 g/t gold within a broader 94-metre intersection.
While gold prices have fluctuated, trading at US$4,125.90 an ounce on the London market as of October 20, the metal’s investment appeal continues to support exploration activity. The World Gold Council reported second-quarter demand of 1,269 tonnes, largely unchanged from the previous year, with investment expected to drive growth in the latter half.
Xpedra’s immediate focus is securing final regulatory approval before commencing drilling. The company aims to determine whether Springfield’s shallow gold system extends both northward and deeper, building on the encouraging results from earlier phases.
