Santana Minerals Limited (SMI) has released strong assay results from its latest infill drilling campaign at the Bendigo-Ophir gold project in New Zealand. The new data, focused on the Rise and Shine (RAS) orebody, aims to refine grade models and boost geological confidence in the initial zone slated for future open-pit mining.

The standout result comes from infill hole MDD528, which returned a significant intercept of 24.4m at 10.9 g/t gold from 165.7m depth. The hole also hit a deeper, sub-parallel zone that yielded 2.0m at 89.5 g/t gold, a result the company noted contained abundant visible gold. These findings effectively tighten the existing drill spacing to 20m, providing more granular detail within the deposit's high-grade core. Two additional infill holes, MDD526 and MDD527, also returned results that align with previous modeling, further confirming the continuity of mineralization across the target area.

Management believes these latest drill intercepts serve to de-risk the initial mining area as the company pushes toward production.

"More fantastic results enhancing and further de-risking our first mining area. Every hole we drill into our high-grade core just gets better. We continue however, to wait for the regulators in NZ to deliver our mining consents as expected under the Fast-track Act so this fantastic gold discovery and development option can provide for our shareholders, the community and the prosperity of the Country."

— Damian Spring, Exec. Director & CEO

The company remains in an active phase of site preparation, with the ongoing infill drilling program designed to continue delineating the high-grade core of the RAS orebody. These efforts are expected to support a future transition from exploration to active development. Currently, the project is awaiting the receipt of necessary mining consents under the New Zealand Fast-track Act. This regulatory approval is the final hurdle before the company can formally move into the development stage and begin operations at the site.

The successful demonstration of continuity in these recent holes provides a more robust foundation for the project’s mine planning, particularly as Santana works to convert its current exploration success into a viable, long-term mining operation. By reducing drill spacing in the high-grade core, the company is positioning itself to optimize its extraction schedule once the anticipated permits are granted by the government. The focus remains on maintaining this momentum while navigating the remaining administrative requirements for the project.

Read the full announcement: Bonanza Gold Hits from RAS Stage 1 Area