Evolution Mining Limited has announced exceptional results from recent underground exploration drilling at its Ernest Henry copper-gold operation in Queensland, Australia.
The company’s extensional drilling program has yielded the highest-grade gold intercept ever recorded at the mine, highlighting significant growth potential for the operation.
The drilling campaign focused on the Bert and Ernie Junior orebodies and returned impressive mineralised intercepts.
The standout result came from drill hole EH1402, which intersected 51.7 metres (43.0 metres estimated true width) grading 4.12 g/t gold and 1.65 per cent copper from 93.5 metres depth.
This intercept represents the highest-grade gold result ever recorded at Ernest Henry.
Other notable results include:
- 37.3 metres (26.0 metres estimated true width) grading 1.03 g/t gold and 1.59 per cent copper from 469.7 metres (EH1395)
- 72.1 metres (69.0 metres estimated true width) grading 0.59 g/t gold and 0.88 per cent copper from 134.0 metres (EH1385)
Glen Masterman, Evolution’s Vice President Discovery, expressed enthusiasm about the findings: “Drilling results from Bert continue to reinforce the significant growth options at Ernest Henry. Located adjacent to the north wall of the pit, Bert represents a potential production target that could be mined independently of the underground materials handling system.”
The company reports that both the Bert and Ernie Junior orebodies remain open, indicating strong potential for future mineral resource growth.
Evolution Mining plans to conduct further drilling during the 2025 fiscal year to extend the mineralisation footprint at Bert.
These results underscore Ernest Henry’s position as a key asset in Evolution’s portfolio.
The mine, which transitioned from open pit to underground operations in 2011, has consistently been a strong performer for the company.
In the 2023 fiscal year, Ernest Henry produced 64,725 ounces of gold and 47,348 tonnes of copper.
The latest drilling success comes as Evolution Mining continues to invest in extending Ernest Henry’s mine life.
The company recently approved a Feasibility Study for the Ernest Henry Mine Extension Project, which aims to extend operations to at least 2040.
As Evolution Mining advances its exploration and development efforts at Ernest Henry, these latest results suggest a promising future for the operation, potentially leading to increased production and extended mine life in the coming years.
