Middle Island Resources (ASX:MDI) has planned reverse circulation (RC) drilling at two gold prospects in Serbia, following soil sampling that defined large‑scale targets at Zabrnjica and Beli Potok.
The company completed infill soil sampling programs at both prospects within the Ober exploration licence, part of the Priboj Project in Serbia’s Western Tethyan Mineral Province.
At Zabrnjica, 132 soil samples on a 50m by 100m grid returned assays up to 80 parts per billion gold (Au) and defined a core anomaly extending 450m by 200m within a broader 500m by 500m zone.
Meanwhile, rock-chip sampling returned grades of up to 0.94 grams per tonne Au from float samples and 0.28g/t Au from outcrop samples.
The Beli Potok prospect shows two zones of anomalous gold‑in‑soil within a 1,000m by 500m area, with rock-chip samples returning up to 0.44g/t Au from float material and 0.38g/t Au from outcrop.
“Recent work has returned further encouraging exploration results from the Zabrnjica and Beli Potok prospects, reporting two extensive, coherent gold-in-soil anomalies supported by gold-bearing altered quartz-veined sediments,” Executive Chairman Daniel Raihani says.
“These targets represent compelling targets for initial RC drilling and expand the pipeline of prospective gold targets within our Serbian portfolio, reinforcing our view that this previously unexplored region has potential to host large-scale replacement-style gold systems.”
Both prospects show characteristics analogous to large‑scale replacement‑style gold systems, including broad geochemical footprints, altered sedimentary host rocks, and quartz veining. The company notes that the same features are present at systems such as Donlin Creek in Alaska, US.
Middle Island Resources acquired its Serbian portfolio in September 2025, comprising 13 licences covering 590km2 across the Bobija, Timok, and Priboj project areas.
The Western Tethyan Mineral Province hosts major deposits, including Zijin Mining Group’s (SHA:601899) Čukaru Peki Project and Rio Tinto’s (ASX:RIO) Jadar Project.
Middle Island has also planned copper‑focused exploration at the Jelaca prospect within the Priboj licence. The exploration will target volcanogenic massive sulphide mineralisation associated with a 900m by 400m copper‑in‑soil anomaly, where rock-chip samples have returned up to 10.3% copper.
Drilling at Zabrnjica and Beli Potok awaits licence renewal and land access approvals, which are progressing.
Middle Island Resources is an Australian mineral explorer focused on advancing a portfolio of precious and base metals projects in Serbia.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Middle Island Resources
