Arika’s (ASX ARI) ‘Exceptional’ 21m Gold Hit Deepens the Story at Laverton

Key Highlights:

• 21m at 4.65g/t gold in deepest hole drilled to date
• High-grade core of 3m at 19.39g/t gold
• Mineralisation now confirmed over 350m strike
• Second drill rig mobilising as assays pending
• Shares rise 9% on strong volume
  
   

Arika Resources Ltd has reported a 21 metre intercept grading 4.65 grams per tonne gold at its Yundamindra project in Western Australia’s Laverton region. Within that zone sits a higher-grade core of 3 metres at 19.39 grams per tonne.

The result, announced Wednesday, comes from hole 25AYRC148, drilled to a depth of 329 metres. It is the deepest hole ever completed on the project.

Shares climbed 9.09 percent to 3.6 cents by mid-afternoon, with nearly 30 million shares changing hands.

Source: MarketIndex 

Breaking the Depth Barrier

For exploration companies, depth matters.

Finding gold near surface can point to open pit potential. Discovering it persists and strengthens at depth can change the scale of the story entirely.

Managing Director Justin Barton described the intercept as “staggering,” noting that both grade and tenor appear to be increasing as drilling pushes deeper. In practical terms, that suggests the system is not tapering off.

Mineralisation has now been confirmed over 350 metres of strike and remains open in multiple directions. In mining language, open means the gold has not yet been drilled out to its limits.

The Numbers That Catch Attention

Two holes in particular stand out.

• 25AYRC148: 21m at 4.65g/t gold, including 3m at 19.39g/t
• 25AYRC157: 16m at 2.94g/t gold from just 12 metres below surface
  
   

The shallow intercept indicates accessible mineralisation near the top of the system. The deeper hit hints at underground potential.

Grades above 3g/t are generally considered robust in Australian hard rock gold projects. For context, many operating open pit mines run at lower average grades, while underground operations often target higher-grade zones to justify development costs.

From Speculation to Structure

The significance of this result lies not only in the grade but in its implications.

Until now, Yundamindra had been viewed as an early-stage exploration play. Deep, consistent mineralisation begins to shift that narrative toward something more structured.

Barton has flagged the potential for a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate, often a key milestone for small-cap explorers. A formal resource provides the first official measure of contained gold and can underpin valuation discussions.

However, this is still exploration. Results must be replicated across multiple holes to confirm continuity and geometry.

The Laverton Factor

Arika’s ground sits within the Laverton Greenstone Belt, one of Western Australia’s most prolific gold districts. The region hosts multi-million-ounce deposits including Sunrise Dam and Wallaby.

Being in the right geological neighbourhood does not guarantee success. But structural trends in this belt have historically delivered large underground systems.

The fact that Arika’s deepest hole returned one of its strongest intercepts will inevitably attract attention from investors familiar with the district’s history.

Momentum Building

The company is not slowing down.

A second drill rig is being mobilised to accelerate exploration. Thirty-nine holes covering approximately 5,500 metres remain at the laboratory awaiting assays.

That pipeline suggests steady news flow in coming weeks.

At a market capitalisation of around $40 million, Arika remains firmly in the small-cap bracket. The stock has traded between 1.6 cents and 4.8 cents over the past 12 months, underscoring its volatility.

The Risks Remain

Gold exploration is inherently uncertain.

While the intercept is compelling, further drilling is required to confirm scale and economic viability. Commodity price fluctuations and development costs will also shape the project’s future.

For now, the result marks a technical milestone. The deepest hole drilled has not only intersected gold but done so at grades that strengthen the geological model.

Markets tend to respond when uncertainty narrows.

On Wednesday, Arika delivered data that reduces some of that uncertainty. Whether it evolves into Western Australia’s next underground story will depend on what the next round of assays reveals.

But for a company that went back to finish a pre-Christmas hole, the start to 2026 has been anything but routine.