First Development Resources plc (AIM: FDR) has commenced a fully funded 2,000-metre drilling programme at its Lander West Gold Project in Australia’s Northern Territory, targeting extensions to previously confirmed gold mineralisation in bedrock.
The Australia-focused exploration company confirmed that Phase I, Stage II reverse circulation drilling is now underway, following encouraging results from its initial exploration programme at the Red Handed prospect.
Stage I drilling identified seven metres grading 0.40 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from a depth of 50 metres, including a higher-grade interval of two metres at 0.98g/t gold in drill hole 26LWR08.
The results confirmed gold mineralisation within the bedrock, providing a basis for further drilling to determine its extent and geological continuity.
The new programme will target approximately 2,000 metres of drilling, focusing on extensions along strike and down dip from the existing mineralised intersections.
Exploration will seek to identify higher gold grades, wider mineralised zones and evidence that the mineralisation continues beyond the areas already tested.
The programme will also investigate additional priority targets identified through geological mapping, geochemical sampling and geophysical surveys.
First Development Resources has retained flexibility to adjust drilling locations and depths, allowing field observations and emerging geological information to guide exploration as work progresses.
Chief Executive Tristan Pottas said the company was building on its initial discovery by investigating how far the mineralisation extends and whether gold grades improve.
He confirmed that the exploration strategy combines previous drilling results with geological, geochemical and geophysical data to refine targets.
Pottas also plans to join the technical team on site to support operational activities and oversee progress during the drilling campaign.
For investors, the commencement of Stage II drilling represents the next exploration milestone at Lander West, with the programme designed to establish whether the initial gold intersections form part of a larger mineralised system.
However, the project remains at an early exploration stage, and further drilling and laboratory analysis will be required to determine the size, grade continuity and potential economic significance of the mineralisation.
Attention will now turn to drilling progress and subsequent assay results, which will help guide future exploration decisions and determine whether Lander West warrants more extensive resource definition work.
