Argent Minerals (ASX:ARD) reports drilling has extended ‘high-grade’ silver mineralisation beyond its existing 142.8-million-ounce (Moz) silver equivalent mineral resource at the Kempfield Project in New South Wales.
Four diamond holes were completed between April and mid-June 2026, testing growth opportunities around the 63.7 million tonnes (Mt) @ 69.75 grams per tonne silver equivalent (AgEq) resource.
AKDD217 delivered the standout result, intersecting 18.2m @ 187.3g/t silver (Ag) from 168m beyond the current resource boundary. This result includes individual assays up to 705g/t Ag and 442g/t Ag.
AKDD217 also returned a broad 158.7m mineralised interval from surface @ 17.9g/t Ag, 0.44% lead (Pb), 0.63% zinc (Zn), and 0.09g/t gold (Au), including multiple ‘higher-grade’ zones.
AKDD216 tested depth extensions at Lode 200, intersecting 29.8m @ 34.6g/t Ag from 60m and 3.9m @ 70.4g/t Ag from 42.3m. The same hole includes 1.4m @ 154g/t Ag. Lode 200 accounts for 28Mt of the current mineral resource.
AKDD215 confirmed polymetallic mineralisation in the sparsely drilled Gap area between Lodes 100 and 300. Drilling intersected 25m of base metal mineralisation from 63m, including 9m @ 6g/t Ag, 1.04% Pb, 2.28% Zn, and 0.25g/t Au.
AKDD219 confirmed multiple mineralised zones within an under-drilled portion of Lode 200, including 21.5m @ 18.9g/t Ag, 0.70% Pb, and 0.80% Zn from 127m.
CEO Mike McKevitt says the program tested whether the system extended beyond areas covered by historical drilling.
“AKDD217 has intersected high-grade silver beyond the current Lode 100 resource boundary, AKDD216 has extended mineralisation at depth beneath Lode 200, and AKDD215 and AKDD219 have confirmed mineralisation through areas where previous drilling was limited,” McKevitt explains.
The results form part of a systematic 1,880m campaign announced in January 2026. Meanwhile, assays from five additional holes are pending, expected over the coming six weeks.
Mineralisation remains open along strike and at depth, with further drilling planned across the Gap area and southern extensions of Lodes 100 and 200.
The Kempfield resource comprises 65.8Moz Ag, 125,192 ounces Au, 207,402 tonnes Pb, and 420,373 tonnes Zn, near Orange in the Lachlan Fold Belt.
Argent Minerals is an Australian explorer advancing a portfolio of silver, gold, and base metals assets.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Argent Minerals
