• Significant gold assays returned from the first hole of Astral's ongoing 9-hole (5,500m) deep diamond drilling program
• Drill-hole AMRCD263 intersected gold mineralisation to a depth of 614.4 metres downhole and 210 metres below the current Mineral Resource Estimate
• Higher-grade zones of gold mineralisation include 127.27m at 1.20g/t Au, 81.46m at 1.35g/t Au, and 15.70m at 3.40g/t Au

Astral Resources NL (ASX: AAR) is pleased to report assay results for the first hole of an ongoing 9-hole (5,500m) diamond drilling program at the Theia Deposit, part of the 100%-owned Mandilla Gold Project in Western Australia. The first hole, AMRCD263, intersected gold mineralisation to a depth of 614.4 metres downhole and 210 metres below the current Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), with a total intersection of 358.23m at 1.03 g/t Au from 256.17m. Several higher-grade zones were recorded, including 9.41m at 1.93g/t Au, 15.70m at 3.40g/t Au, 127.27m at 1.20g/t Au, 81.46m at 1.35g/t Au, and 5.75m at 2.00g/t Au. This mineralisation occurs largely outside the current 1.4Moz Theia MRE and confirms the continuation of the mineralised system at depth, indicating considerable potential to continue growing the deposit. Geological logging of the hole showed quartz veining, trace sulphides, and visible gold, all of which have previously been strong indicators of economic gold mineralisation at Theia. The diamond drilling program is advancing rapidly, with the third hole (AMRCD264) completed and the fourth hole now underway.

The diamond drilling program is advancing rapidly, with the third hole (AMRCD264) completed and the fourth hole now underway. The mineralisation intersected in AMRCD263 occurs largely outside the current 1.4Moz Theia Mineral Resource Estimate and confirms a significant extension of the mineralised system at depth, indicating considerable potential to continue growing the Theia deposit.