St Barbara is increasing its Nova Scotia exploration budget to A$4.1 million for the 2027 fiscal year, a 64% rise from the A$2.5 million spent in fiscal year 2026. The company has also doubled the size of its exploration workforce to support the expanded program.

The work program, which runs through June 2027, includes up to 105 reverse circulation and interface reverse circulation drill holes totalling 4,400 metres. This testing focuses on resource extensions at 15-Mile, alongside exploration at Dufferin, Lower Seal Harbour, Isaacs Harbour, Patton, Falcon, and Little Meander.

Beyond drilling, St Barbara is conducting high-resolution magnetic surveys and structural reviews across its deposits to refine future drill targets. The company is also undertaking a surface sampling program of more than 2,000 samples across 14 priority areas, due for completion by September 2026.

“St Barbara has previously announced the acquisition and pegging of attractive areas of known gold mineralisation that hosts numerous targets within 75 kilometres around the 15-Mile Processing Hub Project in Nova Scotia, while continuing to advance our development of the currently defined eleven year plus production centre. We can now share the high intensity work program that we have had underway commencing in the last quarter that will extend to June 2027. This 64% increase in exploration spend and doubling of the exploration team will allow us to maximise the opportunities we have in Nova Scotia.”

— Andrew Strelein, Managing Director and CEO

The regional work complements the restart of the Touquoy mine, which is scheduled for December 2026. Data from the current programs, including a prospectivity study of the Meguma Terrane, will be used to prioritize the company’s pipeline of 58 exploration targets through the remainder of the 2027 fiscal year.

Read the full announcement: Accelerating Nova Scotia Gold Exploration Activity