Novo turns drill rods to test high-grade Aussie gold and antimony

Novo Resources is intensifying exploration across its Australian gold and antimony projects, with a maiden reverse circulation (RC) drilling program underway at Sherlock Crossing in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. 

The 1000-metre, eight-hole Sherlock program targets high-grade gold-antimony mineralisation at the historic Clarke Mine, where prior rock chip sampling nailed 146.7 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 4.7 per cent antimony. 

Drilling aims to confirm vein continuity, extend mineralisation along a 300m strike and explore a 1.5-kilometre antimony soil geochemical anomaly to the south. Executive co-chairman and acting chief executive officer Michael Spreadborough says results from the program are expected by mid-October 2025. 

At the nearby Wyloo project, Novo is preparing for RC drilling after mapping and sampling confirmed a polymetallic vein system with peak values of 482g/t silver, 1.29 per cent antimony, 0.93g/t gold, 2.6 per cent copper, 9.7 per cent lead and 15.95 per cent zinc. 

The company has identified a 150m-long vein array that trends under cover, associated with a rhyolite dome and adjacent fault zone. Heritage surveys are in train to enable drilling in the second half of the year. 

“We’re incredibly excited to commence RC drilling at our Sherlock Crossing Project in the West Pilbara. This marks a significant milestone in our exploration strategy, and we’re eager to test the high-grade Au-Sb mineralisation targets we've identified,” Spreadborough said.

Novo also has a farm-in/joint venture partnership with Northern Star Resources at the Egina gold project, southeast of Sherlock Crossing. 

Air core drilling has started at the Farno JV area within Egina to test structural zones near De Grey Mining’s 13.6-million-ounce Hemi gold project. It offers strong potential for discovery through further RC and diamond drilling.

Novo also has fieldwork underway at its Tibooburra gold project in NSW after it picked up shallow high-grade results in previous drilling at the project’s Clone prospect, including 12m at 5.90g/t gold from 16m depth. 

Work includes downhole televiewer surveys and relogging of historic core at its Clone and New Bendigo shows to refine structural controls, alongside mapping at Pioneer to define new drill targets for a follow-up RC program. 

Novo also has a 1750m RC drilling program slated for the final quarter of the year at its John Bull gold project in NSW, subject to regulatory and landholder approvals. 

The program will target four key areas where prior sampling yielded 67.9g/t and 29g/t gold from sheeted quartz veins in northwest- and northeast-trending mineralised structural zones, pointing to potential for high-grade mineralisation.

Novo’s Balla Balla project in the coastal Pilbara also shows promise. Recent air core drilling highlighted promising polymetallic anomalies along the extensive Sholl Shear Zone. Follow-up assays and spectral imaging are planned for the final quarter of the year to guide further exploration. 

With $7 million cash in the exploration kitty and $34 million in investments, Novo is well-funded to pursue its multiple high-potential targets across Australia’s premier mining jurisdictions.

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