Barton Gold Holdings Limited has completed its "Phase 2" resource upgrade drilling campaign at the Tunkillia gold project in South Australia, concluding the intensive program with 38,760 metres of reverse circulation and diamond drilling across 311 holes.

This milestone brings the total drilling conducted across the project's first and second phases to 57,653 metres. The completed Phase 2 program represents a material expansion from its original scope; the company had initially planned for 30,000 metres of drilling but increased this to 40,500 metres to accommodate new findings and target further potential mineralisation.

The company has transitioned its primary focus for its South Australian assets from early exploration to advanced resource definition and feasibility study stages. Work is now underway on a Pre-Feasibility Study for large-scale gold production at the site, which Barton expects to publish in the first quarter of 2027. The current objective of this technical work is to upgrade mineralisation within the project’s optimised open pits to JORC "Indicated" category, with high-value material in the "S1" starter pit targeted for "Measured" classification.

“Firstly, I would like to thank our incredible Barton team for their massive efforts. Our drilling programs of the past 5 months have included 4 rigs across 3 different project sites, which all then converged on Tunkillia’s ‘Phase 2’ drillout."

“Results to-date have generally exceeded expectations, with positive surprises in some zones offering material upside potential. We look forward to sharing a significant number of assays, and Resources upgrades, in the coming months.”

— Alex Scanlon, Managing Director

The company maintains a multi-project strategy in South Australia, with the Tarcoola Gold Project also held as a core asset alongside the Tunkillia project. Barton has stated that initial assay results from the Phase 2 program have generally validated existing models, with some intersections indicating grade upside potential.

Read the full announcement: Tunkillia Upgrade Drilling - 39,000m Phase 2 Complete