Rua Gold (TSX-V:RUA) aims to bring the Auld Creek Gold-Antimony Project in New Zealand into production with tendering underway to support a preliminary economic assessment.
Permitting-related activities are currently ramping up, with the company targeting inclusion on the list of projects eligible for New Zealand’s fast track process in H1 2026.
Community and regulatory consultations have also begun and will intensify throughout 2026. Subject to a successful referral application, Rua Gold is targeting submissions of the fast track application by the end of 2026.
Meanwhile, three drill rigs are operating from this month, accelerating progress and testing extensions 400m north of the Fraternal lode and 250m northwest of the Bonanza lode.
Further drilling has increased the strike length of the deposit a further 250m to 870m length, which remains open along strike to the north and at depth via plunging ore shoots.
Rua Gold notes scout drilling is also being mobilised to test the full 2,500m strike length of the surface gold-arsenic-antimony soil geochemical anomalies at the project.
This news comes after recent results returned 3m @ 21.27 grams per tonne gold-equivalent from 137m, including 2m @ 27.4g/t gold-equivalent; and 3.4m @ 4.18g/t gold-equivalent from 152.7m.
CEO Robert Eckford says ongoing drilling is expanding the scale and confidence on the mineralised system as the company advances towards mine permitting.
“Our confidence in this permitting regime was reinforced by the approval of OceanaGold’s (TSX:OGC) Wharekirauponga Gold-Silver Project in December 2025,” Eckford says.
RSC Consulting has been engaged to prepare an updated technical report, which will be released in February 2026.
The company says Auld Creek represents one of at least six known occurrences of gold-antimony and historical underground workings stretched over a known 30km length in the Reefton Goldfields.
Rua Gold is a mineral explorer strategically focused on discoveries in New Zealand.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Rua Gold
