Hawthorn Resources Limited has commenced an Aircore drilling program of up to 25 holes for a total of 2,000 metres at the Pinjin East project in Western Australia.

The program tests an historical gold-in-soil anomaly extending for more than 800 metres along interpreted ultramafic contacts within a greenstone sequence. The anomaly features values exceeding 50 parts per billion gold, including five soil results above 500 parts per billion and a peak return of 10,900 parts per billion, or 10.9 grams per tonne gold. Individual holes are planned to depths of up to 100 metres or refusal to examine the regolith profile and underlying bedrock.

Pinjin East forms part of the Anglo Saxon gold joint venture in Western Australia, which is structured as a joint venture with Gel Resources Pty Ltd. Hawthorn Resources finalised an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the nearby Anglo Saxon gold project in January 2026 and reviewed Scoping Study development options. The company also anticipates the approval of a Mine Development and Closure Plan to enable the recommencement of open pit mining at the deposit.

The target area is supported by historical reverse circulation drilling on its margins, including intersections such as 8 metres at 0.96 grams per tonne gold from 96 metres and 1 metre at 1.19 grams per tonne gold from 46 metres.

“Pinjin East represents a high-priority gold target immediately east of the proven high-grade Anglo Saxon deposit. The +50 ppb gold anomaly extends for more than 800 metres and contains multiple high-tenor zones, including a peak soil result of 10.9 g/t gold. The scale and tenor of the anomaly, together with significant historical gold intercepts around its margins, provide a strong basis for further drill testing.”

“The 25-hole Aircore program is designed to test for shallow bedrock mineralisation beneath the soil anomalies and better define the geological controls on mineralisation. Of particular interest is the potential to identify shallow, high-grade satellite gold deposits that would support the impending redevelopment of the nearby Anglo Saxon open pit mine. Positive results from this aircore program would provide targets for follow-up RC drilling.”

— Brian Thornton, Managing Director and CEO

Assay results from the current Aircore campaign are pending. Meanwhile, regional activity in the district includes recent drilling results reported at the Pinjin project by Kalgoorlie Gold Mining Limited.

Read the full announcement: Drilling commencement at Pinjin East