High-Grade Gold-Antimony Drill Results in Reefton: 2025 Update

Meta Description: Discover the latest 2025 Reefton Goldfield drilling results—see high-grade gold-antimony resource updates, exploration analysis, and industry impact for critical minerals in New Zealand.

“Reefton’s 2025 drilling revealed gold grades exceeding 10 g/t, highlighting a significant resource boost in New Zealand.”

Executive Summary: 2025 High-Grade Gold-Antimony Update

In April 2025, Rua Gold Inc. announced a compelling update on its gold-antimony exploration in New Zealand, specifically at Auld Creek, part of the historic Reefton Goldfield on the South Island. The diamond drill assay results demonstrate robust gold grades (Au) and significant antimony (Sb) concentrations, underscoring the strategic nature of this critical mineral supply and its rising demand globally.

Recent Reefton Goldfield drilling results from holes ACDDH026, ACDDH027, and ACDDH028 confirm broader zones and higher-grade intersections at depth, with remarkable gold equivalent (AuEq) figures. The high-grade gold resource on the South Island, continuous mineralization at significant depths, and supporting surface soil geochemistry analysis all point toward the enduring potential of the Reefton district and position New Zealand as an emerging leader in both gold and critical antimony production.

As we provide this in-depth 2025 update, we contextualize the technical data, market drivers, and exploration insights within the larger trends defining the global critical minerals industry. From the geology of plunging ore shoots to technological innovations in sample analysis and recovery, this post offers a comprehensive guide for investors, industry stakeholders, and those interested in the future of resource development in Oceania.

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Reefton Goldfield Drilling Results: Exploration and Context

The Reefton Goldfield is recognized for its rich history, having produced over 2 million ounces (Moz) of high-grade gold since its discovery. Situated on New Zealand’s South Island, this district is experiencing renewed attention due to Rua Gold’s successful drilling campaign at Auld Creek. The intersection of gold and antimony mineralization at increasing depths not only enhances inferred resource estimates but also strengthens the district’s reputation for yielding metals vital to global supply chains.

This 2025 update covers the latest exploration beneath the existing resource envelope, with current drilling focused on plunging ore shoots and testing mineralized extensions both north and south of the main Fraternal shoot. Detailed diamond drill assay results provide quantitative support for the expanding high-grade resource, underpinned by robust technical information, QA/QC sampling protocols, and meticulous surface geochemistry analysis.

Drill Results & Exploration Highlights Table

Key insights from the latest Reefton Goldfield drilling results are summarized below, helping readers quickly assess the magnitude and quality of ongoing gold-antimony exploration in New Zealand:

*Note: Only representative highlights from the April 2025 update shown. See technical disclosure for detailed intervals and grades.

Surface Soil Geochemistry Analysis & Mineralization Extensions

Using modern surface soil geochemistry analysis techniques, Rua Gold has mapped arsenic and antimony anomalies across Auld Creek, confirming the continuity and extension potential of both the Fraternal north and Bonanza northeast prospects over a 2.5km strike length. These results support the presence of mineralized shoots traceable along extensive distances, representing significant upside for future resource expansion.

• Soil samples collected via a grid system (20x100m) target the C horizon for consistency and representativity.
• Samples are dried, sieved (<180µm), and analyzed via Olympus Vanta pXRF for an initial vector, then with ALS Brisbane (Au-TL43 method) for low-level gold (down to 1ppb Au).
• Field duplicates and robust QA/QC procedures ensure data integrity, elevating confidence in the subsequent targeting and drilling phases.
• Arsenic soil geochemistry overlays (see Figure 3 reference) visually reinforce zones of highest mineralization for follow-up exploration, optimizing resource allocation.

These techniques not only confirm the system’s traceability but also guide drilling, reducing both time and cost in extending the resource envelope.

“Antimony concentrations in recent Reefton cores reached up to 2%, underscoring its rising strategic value in critical minerals.”

Auld Creek Mineralization Update 2025 – Key Intercepts

• ACDDH026: 2.1m @ 1.25g/t Au from 175m depth
• ACDDH027: 9.0m @ 5.9g/t AuEq¹ (5.2g/t Au & 0.16% Sb) from 159m
• ACDDH028: 1.25m @ 48.3g/t AuEq (13.3g/t Au & 8.1% Sb) from 210m
• Higher grade antimony (Sb) confirmed in ACDDH024 and ACDDH025, notably on the Fraternal shoot
• Improvement in gold grade with depth observed in latest drilling
• Southern plunge and northerly extensions now being systematically evaluated

Notably, the gold grades on the Fraternal shoot trend southward, with current programs testing intervals 80-100m below the known resource, before pivoting northward. Both ore shoots, Bonanza and Fraternal, remain open at depth—demonstrating clear ongoing exploration potential.

Gold Equivalent Formula Explained

Understanding the gold equivalent formula is crucial in quantifying the value of polymetallic mineralization. Rua Gold applies the formula:

AuEq = Au (g/t) + 4.3 x Sb (%)

Where:
– AuEq: Gold Equivalent grade
– Au (g/t): Gold grade in grams per tonne
– Sb (%): Antimony grade as a percentage
– The 4.3 multiplier accounts for relative prices and metallurgical recovery:
Gold price: US$2065/oz, Antimony price: US$34,300/tonne, and 85% recovery
– An approximate 30% discount is applied to reflect conservative market values and processing factors

This formula enables normalization of assay results from diamond drill holes and ensures consistent valuation across otherwise complex multi-metal samples, which is particularly important given the volatile spot prices of antimony in the current market.

High-Grade Gold Resource – South Island, New Zealand

The Reefton Goldfield is a standout on New Zealand’s South Island, historically yielding high grades ranging from 9 to 50 g/t Au. The Auld Creek shoot, in particular, is characterized by:

• Resource-hosted plunging ore shoots (Bonanza & Fraternal), outcropping at surface and open to at least 160m vertically
• Inferred resource:
  700,000 tonnes @ 3.1g/t Au, 1.1% Sb (67,000oz gold, 8,000 tonnes antimony)
  (Approximately 110,000oz AuEq3)
• Four currently targeted shoots, up from two in the previous resource estimate
  (soil geochemistry supports likely further mineralized zones over 2.5km)
• Strategic position between the historic Globe Progress and Crushington Group of mines (combined historic output of 933,000oz @ 14g/t Au)
• Despite three old adits, Auld Creek’s reefs have never seen commercial production—presenting untapped opportunity with contemporary mining methods and demand conditions

These characteristics firmly establish Auld Creek as one of the most significant high-grade gold resources on the South Island and an anchor for strategic gold projects in New Zealand.

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Antimony: Critical Mineral Supply & Global Trends

Antimony (Sb), typically sourced from stibnite, is now classified as a critical mineral by a growing roster of global governments due to its strategic industrial applications and acute supply vulnerability. In 2024, China (the world’s largest Sb producer) introduced export controls on processed antimony, sharply raising market anxiety and emphasizing the need for alternative antimony sources.

• New Zealand designated antimony as a critical mineral in January 2025, reflecting growing domestic recognition of strategic resource security.
• In the past year, antimony prices surged from US$11,350 per tonne (Jan 2024) to over US$50,000 per tonne (April 2025).
• The US, EU, UK, Japan, Canada, and Australia have all similarly prioritized antimony in their critical mineral lists.
• Demand is ascending due to uses across:
  • Renewable energy (battery storage technologies)
  • Defense systems
  • Semiconductors and fire retardants

The rise in exploration and resource development in New Zealand directly supports resilience and diversification for global antimony critical mineral supply chains. Rua Gold’s successes in the Reefton district therefore have implications well beyond Oceania, offering a potential lifeline as nations adjust to evolving trade barriers and market pressures.

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Technical Information and Sample Analysis

Rua Gold adheres to rigorous standards of technical disclosure and procedural transparency, with qualified professionals overseeing sampling, analysis, and result integrity throughout. Key highlights include:

• Drill Core QA/QC:
  • Samples prepared by SGS Laboratories (Westport & Waihi); crushed/pulverized to 85% passing 75µm.
  • Gold determined by 50g fire assay with AAS finish (SGS Code FAA505); Sb by Sodium Peroxide Fusion with ICP-MS.
• Soil Sampling QA/QC:
  • Systematic grid, detailed logging (sample ID, horizon, soil color, location, etc.), GPS-marked and photographed.
  • Samples dried, sieved, and subsampled (30-50g for analysis), with duplicates every 20th sample for validation.
  • Primary in-house analysis (Olympus Vanta pXRF), then shipped to ALS Brisbane for gold trace assay (aqua regia with ICP-MS, detection limit 1ppb).
  • Data management via SQL database and Isogonal QA validation system.

This robust framework is designed to minimize uncertainties and ensure results validity, supporting confident decision-making for ongoing and future exploration events.

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Industry Trends & Plunging Ore Shoots Exploration

The latest Auld Creek mineralization update 2025 reveals how systematic, data-driven exploration is reshaping perceptions of district-scale potential. Rua Gold’s program demonstrates that:

• Plunging ore shoots exploration beneath the known resource consistently yields higher gold grades and narrower, yet richer, zones of antimony mineralization
• Soil geochemical trends (arsenic/antimony) reliably vector extension targets, confirmed with drill intercepts
• Current efforts focus southward (deeper Fraternal shoot) and will soon target the northern/northeastern extensions (Fraternal North and Bonanza NW prospects)
• The Reefton Goldfield drilling results remain among New Zealand’s most exciting, confirming the system’s open-ended nature

These industry trends are set against a backdrop of rising metal prices, environmental scrutiny, and technological adoption—factors which are fundamentally shaping the new era of mineral resource development across Oceania.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

About RUA GOLD & Strategic Gold Projects New Zealand

Rua Gold is a strategic gold explorer in New Zealand, boasting a majority position in the Reefton district. Key credentials include:

• Control over 120,000 hectares of tenements in the high-grade Reefton Goldfield, South Island
• Auld Creek and Glamorgan projects—flagships for high-grade gold and antimony discoveries
• Management team with a track record of advancing projects from discovery to world-class mine production

Adjacent to historically major gold mines and within globally significant mineral belts, Rua Gold’s assets are foundational for future gold-antimony resource development in New Zealand.

For more about Rua Gold and their technical disclosures, visit their SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

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Conclusion: Future Directions for Gold-Antimony Exploration in Reefton

The 2025 Reefton Gold-Antimony drill results showcase not only the technical advancement of modern exploration, but also the vital role New Zealand is poised to play in the evolving landscape of global critical mineral supply. As plunging ore shoots yield higher grades and surface soil geochemistry guides expansion, the Auld Creek project’s continued progress is a powerful signal for stakeholders and policy makers.

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We will continue to monitor further updates on Reefton Goldfield drilling results, Auld Creek mineralization developments, and New Zealand’s positioning in gold and critical antimony, providing analysis and industry news as events unfold.

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