Sunshine Metals (ASX:SHN) has commenced a 4,528m reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at its Sybil Epithermal Gold Project in Queensland.
The 72-hole program targets three areas across the project. These areas form part of the Ravenswood Consolidated Project, located 135km west of Townsville and 140km north of Charters Towers.
Drilling has commenced at the Francis Creek East target, located 1.7km east of the company’s successful 2025 Francis Creek campaign. The previously undrilled outcropping epithermal vein network has returned rock chip samples up to 28.1 grams per tonne gold (Au).
“Francis Creek East has never been drilled before and is a significant step off into the unknown,” Managing Director Damien Keys says.
“Francis Creek drilling itself will look to expand on our successful first program that included a best intersection of 4.4m at 57.51g/t gold on the A Vein. We will be testing extensions to A Vein mineralisation, as well as first detailed drilling on the Main (shallow), B, C, D, E, and F Veins.”
Francis Creek and Blue Range: From surface to depth
The program includes 20 holes for approximately 1,070m at Francis Creek East and 44 holes for around 3,080m at Francis Creek. Sunshine will also test Blue Range with eight holes for about 375m, located 6km north of Francis Creek.
Blue Range has previously reported rock chip samples up to 20.4g/t Au.
Francis Creek drilling will follow up on delineation of gold mineralisation in the A Vein. This will test northwestern and southeastern extensions where surface rock chip samples support potential for further mineralisation.
The company’s 2025 diamond drilling program at Francis Creek returned gold intersections in 12 of 14 holes, including 4.4m @ 57.51g/t Au from 23.6m and 5.2m @ 9.01g/t Au from 52m.
Results from the 14-hole, 1,177.4m program have been incorporated into an updated geological interpretation of the A Vein, confirming that it dips steeply to the north.
Sybil is analogous to the nearby Pajingo epithermal system, which has produced approximately 4 million ounces of gold since 1986. Both systems are of Carboniferous age, hosted in competent volcanic units, and exhibit similar vein textures and compositions.
Keys says cultural heritage surveys are planned at the Burdekin Veins target for initial drill testing in 2026. Concurrently, the company has completed geological mapping at the Cisco and Pancho targets.
Sunshine Metals expects to complete drilling in September 2026, with results from Francis Creek East RC drilling anticipated in August and September. Results from Francis Creek follow in September, and Blue Range in October.
Write to JC Villarba at Mining.com.au
Images: Sunshine Metals
