Minerals 260 opens Bullabulling’s next growth phase
Minerals 260 has moved its Bullabulling gold project in Western Australia into its next phase of exploration and production readiness as it targets first gold in late 2028.
The new program will focus on growing Bullabulling’s 6.2-million-ounce mineral resource estimate (MRE), advancing regional exploration across the company’s expanded tenure and preparing the project for mining.
Resource growth drilling will target near-surface mineralisation and strike extensions between the Kraken deposit and Endeavour prospect, as well as north of the Dicksons deposit.
Auger drilling has defined gold anomalies extending approximately 1km south-east of Kraken and 1.1km along strike from Endeavour, which Minerals 260 acquired an interest in through its joint venture with Geko Explore.
The company plans to undertake first-pass, wide-spaced reverse-circulation (RC) drilling between Kraken and Endeavour, alongside infill drilling at Endeavour, with further drilling to support a potential maiden MRE for the prospect.
Historical drilling at Endeavour has indicated multiple stacked mineralised lodes and gold-bearing laterite similar to Bullabulling, including intercepts of 16m at 1.3 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 47m and 7m at 2.7g/t gold from 47m.
Wide-spaced RC drilling will also test a coherent 1km-long gold anomaly north of Dicksons, where historical exploration has been limited. Minerals 260 will simultaneously complete further auger drilling across recently acquired tenure to the north and north-east.
The company has also identified higher-grade trends within the existing MRE that could enhance the resource or support production during Bullabulling’s early operating years. These targets were defined by integrating drilling results, structural interpretations, historical mining information and observations of visible gold.
Regional exploration has commenced across Minerals 260’s broader 1160-square-kilometre tenure package, with geochemical, geological and geophysical data to be used to generate and prioritise further drilling targets.
Minerals 260 managing director Luke McFadyen said the company’s recent work had substantially improved its understanding of the project.
“Our drilling program completed over the past 15 months has significantly advanced our understanding of the Bullabulling mineral system, and we will apply that improved understanding across our next phase of exploration and operational readiness,” he said.
“Bullabulling has already demonstrated its significant scale, and our focus remains not only on growing the MRE by identifying near-surface mineralisation along strike to the north and south, but also exploring the region and preparing for targeted commencement of production in late 2028”.
The company has now completed a 26,000m grade-control drilling program across two areas of the Phoenix deposit scheduled to contribute to the early years of production.
Bullabulling, located 25km west of Coolgardie, hosts a 190-million-tonne resource grading 1g/t gold.
Minerals 260’s recent pre-feasibility study outlined a potential 19-year operation, with its definitive feasibility study and final investment decision targeted for the March quarter of 2027.