Aureka (ASX:AKA) is conducting a drone airborne magnetic geophysical survey at its flagship Irvine Project in Victoria to further define subsurface geological features and establish the structural architecture.
The survey will support optimal deployment of ongoing diamond drilling at Irvine, which Aureka describes as composed of rocks with contrasting magnetic susceptibility.
Aureka says the survey is intended to better define potential drill targets associated with prominent magnetic features, including several untested prospects on the western flanks of Irvine. This includes areas proximal to the historical New Eaglehawk and Native Youth mines
Managing Director James Gurry says this is the “right time to fly this survey” following the completion of nearly 7,000m of diamond drilling in 2025.
“It has been great to host investors on site in recent days with so much concurrent activity including diamond drilling on the ground, drone survey overhead and further soil sampling on company-owned land,” Gurry says.
Exploration Manager Jozef Story says that since his engagement with Aureka, the geology settings of the company’s tenement package were “clearly understood”.
“However significant upside and growth potential remains by unlocking the structural understanding and mineral controls at the localised deposit scale,” Story says.
“This was demonstrated in October last year when targeted drilling successfully identified the highly prospective tenacity mineralised structure that delivered exceptional gold intercepts at Irvine.
“To enhance the localised structural setting and mineral controls we are upgrading the coarse nature of the regional magnetic dataset via the capturing of a new tightly spaced drone magnetic survey.
“This will improve the prospect scale granularity of the current dataset and better refine the structural architecture and define subsurface geological features to guide our current exploration efforts and identify additional targets throughout the Irvine Project.”
Aureka is an Australian explorer focused on advancing gold projects in Victoria.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: Aureka
