Ora Banda Mining has unveiled a significant new mining corridor at its Round Dam prospect, located just 15 kilometres south of the company's successful Davyhurst gold operations in Western Australia. The discovery comes from recent reverse circulation drilling that has delivered exceptional high-grade results, pointing to a previously overlooked mineralised system.
Stunning Drill Results Reveal New Gold System
The company's drilling program has identified six subparallel, continuous gold targets along an emerging trend, suggesting the presence of a brand-new mineralised system that historical mining operations had missed. The standout intercepts from the drilling campaign are particularly impressive.
One hole returned a 12-metre section grading 21.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold within a broader 14-metre interval averaging 18.5 g/t gold from a depth of 75 metres. Another drill hole produced an even more spectacular result with a 5-metre slice assaying 48.6 g/t gold as part of a wider 7-metre hit grading 35 g/t gold from 137 metres depth.
Multiple High-Grade Targets Along 7-Kilometre Corridor
The results indicate a substantial 7-kilometre corridor containing multiple high-grade mineralised shoots, some of which are shallow enough to enhance surface mining opportunities near the company's Davyhurst Mill. Additional wide intercepts have further bolstered the potential for bulk tonnage open pit mining operations.
These include a 33-metre section grading 4.6 g/t gold from 104 metres depth, a 26-metre interval going 2 g/t from 110 metres, and a 32-metre run averaging 0.9 g/t gold from 110 metres. The company has focused its latest drilling efforts on this 7-kilometre section within an 18-kilometre trend that extends from its Waihi prospect in the north to the Salmon Gums target in the south.
Part of Broader $73 Million Exploration Strategy
The Round Dam results represent another highlight in Ora Banda Mining's ongoing $73 million FY26 exploration strategy, which targets projects with the potential to become operational mines in relatively short timeframes. This approach supports the company's organic growth strategy, as explained by managing director Luke Creagh.
"Today's Round Dam results are another highlight in the company's ongoing $73 million FY26 exploration strategy to target projects with the potential to become mines in short order, supporting the company's organic growth strategy," Creagh stated.
Major Infrastructure Investments Underway
Ora Banda Mining has recently approved $63 million in key investments to increase capacity across its Davyhurst Mill operations. The centrepiece of this investment is a $10 million commitment to advance front-end engineering and design (FEED) work as the company progresses plans to expand processing capacity.
The company aims to increase the current 1.2 million tonne per year (Mtpa) processing capacity to three million tonnes, as outlined in its definitive feasibility study (DFS). Ora Banda is currently refining the final design specifications and capital expenditure requirements for the new mill, which will sit alongside the existing 1.2Mtpa plant, with construction expected to be completed early in the June quarter.
Waihi Development to Become Third Mining Operation
The next significant development will be a $30 million capital injection to commence open-pit mining at the Waihi project, located just three kilometres from the Davyhurst processing plant. This development will establish Waihi as the company's third mining operation, supplying ore to the existing mill.
Waihi's Golden Pole lode has recently produced a series of outstanding results, including a best intercept of 7 metres assaying 27.4 g/t gold, which included a 2-metre section grading at a spectacular rate of almost three ounces to the tonne of gold. Ora Banda plans to release a resource update for Waihi in the June quarter, incorporating these latest drilling results.
The Waihi project represents a high-grade, multi-deposit system with a 2020 resource estimate of 914,000 tonnes grading 2.4 g/t for 71,000 ounces of gold. This development forms part of Ora Banda's strategic approach to building a sustainable mining operation in Western Australia.
Strategic Positioning for Long-Term Success
Ora Banda Mining is executing a savvy long-term strategy by injecting capital into existing infrastructure, pursuing organic growth through focused exploration, and positioning itself for larger production runs. In a mining sector where execution capability and operational longevity are crucial, this comprehensive commitment appears to represent a solid step toward transforming Davyhurst into a genuine multi-mine operation with the potential for multi-million-ounce gold production.
The combination of new discoveries, infrastructure investment, and strategic development positions Ora Banda Mining as a company to watch in the Australian gold mining sector, particularly as it works to unlock the full potential of its Western Australian assets through systematic exploration and development.
