Viking Mines Uncovers Nuggety Gold Zone Ahead of Drilling at First Hit Project

Viking Mines (ASX: VKA) has pinpointed a high priority target area at its First Hit Project in Western Australia, where metal detecting has uncovered more than 900 grams of gold nuggets within a single square kilometre. The findings have sharpened the company's exploration focus ahead of a planned maiden drilling campaign at the Beasley prospect, which lies along the high grade First Hit trend.

The concentration of gold nuggets was discovered within a zone measuring 1.2 kilometres by 800 metres, situated approximately 1.5 kilometres northwest of the historical First Hit mine. According to Viking, the location of these nuggets coincides with a magnetic high anomaly interpreted to represent an extension of the mineralised structure that hosts the First Hit deposit.

The company’s field team has collected over 270 individual nuggets from surface using hand-held metal detectors. While the average weight per nugget was approximately 3.4 grams, some individual pieces weighed as much as 11.5 grams. Significantly, the area has not previously been tested by drilling, despite its proximity to known mineralisation.

Managing Director Julian Woodcock said the presence of these nuggets provides “a strong vector” toward primary gold mineralisation. “The extensive surface gold nugget distribution and coincident magnetic response presents a compelling target,” he noted. Woodcock also confirmed that preparations are well advanced for the first ever drill program at Beasley, with rig mobilisation expected in the coming weeks.

In addition to the nugget discoveries, the company has completed an airborne magnetic survey that highlights the structural controls along the First Hit trend. This data supports Viking’s belief that the same structural corridor hosting the First Hit mine extends northwest under shallow cover, encompassing Beasley and the newly defined nugget zone.

The Beasley prospect is now being prepared for reverse circulation drilling, which will test both the surface nugget dispersion and underlying magnetic anomalies. The drilling will be the first subsurface test of this highly prospective part of the First Hit Project, which is located in the prolific Youanmi gold district.

Importantly, the First Hit Project sits in a region well known for high grade gold discoveries. The historical First Hit mine itself produced over 30,000 ounces at a grade of more than 7 grams per tonne before closing in the early 2000s. Viking believes the structural trend that controlled mineralisation at the mine continues along strike and remains underexplored.

The next steps at Beasley will involve refining drill collar locations and finalising access ahead of drilling commencement. With over 900 grams of gold already recovered from surface and a clear geophysical target in place, Viking is positioning itself for a potentially significant discovery.