Auric Mining has mobilised drill rigs at its Munda gold project near Widgiemooltha, 82 kilometres south of Kalgoorlie, launching a multi-stage drilling campaign aimed at expanding the project's resource base, supporting an ore reserve estimate, and laying the groundwork for a planned return to full-scale mining in 2027.

The program follows receipt of all required regulatory approvals and builds directly on the success of the Munda starter pit, which wrapped up production having exceeded its output budget by 46 per cent, recovering 8,886 ounces of gold.

What the Munda drilling program involves

The current campaign comprises 135 reverse circulation (RC) holes across 12,900 metres, targeting the western strike extension of the existing Munda resource where the orebody remains geologically open. Holes will probe for gold mineralisation to depths of 120 metres below the proposed open pit footprint.

Earlier drilling along the same western trend delivered encouraging high-grade results, including an intersection of 13 metres grading 14.62 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 60 metres depth, as well as 5 metres at 3.46g/t gold from 87 metres and 4 metres at 3.34g/t gold from 46 metres. The target mineralisation sits within mafic volcanic rocks adjacent to an ultramafic contact — the same geological setting that hosts the broader Munda deposit.

Alongside the RC program, four geotechnical diamond drill holes have commenced to refine pit wall designs. That work will feed directly into an ore reserve estimate expected later this year, as the project transitions into detailed mine planning and engineering.

Grade-control drilling to follow in August

A significantly larger grade-control drilling program is scheduled to begin in August, targeting the upper benches of the proposed Main Pit. That phase involves an 89,000-metre program tightening geological and grade data to a 5-metre-by-5-metre spacing — a resolution designed to reduce grade uncertainty and sharpen mining efficiency ahead of the 2027 restart.

Auric Mining managing director Mark English said the strong performance of the starter pit gave the company the confidence to push ahead aggressively. "The outstanding production from the Munda starter pit provides confidence to aggressively pursue this major resource and grade control program prior to the recommencement of mining in 2027," he said.

Grade-control drilling conducted during the starter pit phase is understood to have validated the project's geological model, contributing to a subsequent 32 per cent increase in the Munda resource, which now stands at 192,000 ounces.

Scoping study sets out a $812 million production pathway

A recently released scoping study outlines a five-year development scenario based on mining 2.7 million tonnes grading 1.75g/t gold for approximately 155,000 contained ounces. Forecast production sits at 141,254 ounces, with projected revenue of approximately $812 million.

Any success from the current drilling campaign could extend both the scale and the mine life of the proposed operation beyond those figures.

Burbanks plant and a broader regional strategy

The Munda expansion forms part of a wider hub-and-spoke strategy centred on Auric's refurbished Burbanks processing plant near Coolgardie. Securing greater ore inventory at Munda is seen as key to underpinning long-term access to Burbanks — a significant advantage in a region where mill access remains one of the industry's most persistent constraints.

Munda is expected to serve as the cornerstone feed source for Burbanks, supplemented in time by ore from the company's Lindsay's gold project and other regional prospects. Auric is executing this strategy across Western Australia's established Goldfields corridor, where infrastructure, processing capacity and experienced workforces give brownfields developers a meaningful head start.