Riversgold lifts Northern Zone oxide gold recovery to above 90pc

• Metallurgical testwork by cyanide bottle roll shows gold recoveries from two oxide samples of 93.67% and 90.64%
• The average gold recovery from the five samples is 92.56%
• All assay results returned, providing clear direction for future drilling to connect the west and east mineralised zones

Special report: Metallurgical testing at the Northern Zone gold project has delivered recoveries above 90%, supporting Riversgold’s progress toward its first resource estimate.

The testwork by cyanide bottle roll has highlighted gold recoveries on a single composite and duplicate sample of 93.67% and 90.64% respectively with an average of 92.16%.

Riversgold (ASX:RGL) has further validated the metallurgical potential of its Northern Zone asset, with cyanide bottle roll tests from 2022 and 2025 returning an average gold recovery of 92.56%.

Full suite of assay results

Final assays from an 11-hole aircore drilling campaign are also in with two holes intersecting near-surface mineralisation — highlighting targets for follow-up drilling.

A selection of the best drill results from this year’s RC holes include:

• 7m at 3.62g/t gold from 39m;
• 5m at 4.37g/t gold from 37m; and
• 15m at 0.75g/t gold from 35m.

Standout hits received from this year’s aircore drilling include:

• 10m at 8.89g/t gold from 46m;
• 7m at 3.14g/t gold from 47m; and
• 5m at 1.26g/t gold from 46m.

The explorer said the drilling continued to intersect the mineralised host porphyry over an increasing footprint and consistently validated the broader gold mineralisation mode.

Background on Northern Zone

RGL’s Northern Zone project, 25km east of Kalgoorlie in WA, has been compared with Saturn Metal’s (ASX:STN) Apollo Hill project which holds a resource estimate of 118Mt at 0.53g/t gold for 2.03Moz.

It serves as a benchmark for RGL’s aspirations at Northern Zone, which has the potential to be even larger.

RGL has also identified a possible ore processing scenario thanks to Black Cat Syndicate’s (ASX:BC8) use of a turn-key funding, development and processing package at the Myhree/Boundary open pits about 7km north of Northern Zone.

Other work includes the company engaging Kalgoorlie-based structural consulting group Xirlatem to review and relog four diamond holes drilled across a 600m traverse to confirm the structural and geological model.

‘Excellent outcome’

RGL chairman David Lenigas said the metallurgical testwork using cyanide bottle roll had closely replicated the original 2023 work reported when the company was doing due diligence on the project.

“Gold recovery results between 90.64% and 94.7% for five samples, that average 92.56% gold recovery, is an excellent outcome and bodes well for our plans to scope out potential starter pits for toll treatment like nearby oxide pit operations such as BlackCat Syndicate’s Myhree mine,” he said.

“We now have all the results back from the recent RC and aircore drilling programs which illustrate the main oxide mineralisation has the potential to link the west and east mineralised zones.

“The structural and geological modelling being undertaken by Xirlatem will add to the solid basis for the maiden MRE and will inform future drilling,” Lenigas added.

This article was developed in collaboration with Riversgold, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.