Arika Resources: Upsizing Exploration in WA’s Premier Gold Corridor.
- Noel Ong
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Announcement:
Arika Resources (ASX: ARI) has doubled down on discovery with a 40% expansion of its upcoming drilling campaign across the Yundamindra and Kookynie Gold Projects. With a strengthened balance sheet and an ambitious exploration strategy, the company is stepping firmly into the spotlight of Western Australia’s gold narrative.
When it comes to finding gold in Western Australia, the Laverton and Leonora regions are one of the few cornerstone mineralisation regions of the Eastern Goldfields. I don't have that much practical experience in this area other than my first job at Bronzewing Gold Mine, which was only the beginning when I was working in 1992.
What I lack in hands-on experience, I have had over 30 years of understanding that this region is fertile. Anyone who has been in this industry for as long as I have would be well versed with the numerous discoveries in the region that Arika has the Yundamindra and Kookynie projects (Figure 1).
On paper, the Arika projects are greenfield long shots—but they are historically productive, geologically endowed, and now under the stewardship of a company that has the cash to apply modern science to unearth forgotten riches.
Figure 1: Project location plan showing Arika’s Yundamindra and Kookynie Projects in relation to major gold deposits, operating mines and neighbouring tenure. (source: Arika Resources Limited)
The recent $5 million capital raise has allowed Arika to lift its initial drill campaign to 10,000 metres, encompassing air-core, RC, and diamond drilling. The company’s focus remains on systematic, cost-effective testing, starting with the high-grade Pennyweight Point, Landed at Last, and the F1-Fault prospects within Yundamindra’s “Eastern” and “Western” Corridors. A multi-purpose rig will ensure flexibility to react to assays as they land.
Arika’s Managing Director, Justin Barton, commented:
“Given the scale of the opportunity in front of us and the sheer number of targets to test, the team has decided to upsize the program and secure a multi-purpose rig to facilitate a cost-effective and flexible program,”
“This will give us the ability to switch seamlessly between different drilling methods and react quickly to results as we receive them across the wide range of prospects we are testing.”
Yundamindra Project—Structural Interpretation
Yundamindra continues to impress with thick, high-grade intercepts, highlighted:
14m @ 15.48g/t Au from 46m (YMRC077)
30m @ 3.86g/t Au from 89m (YMRC069)
36m @ 2.14g/t Au from 104m (25YMD001)
Figure 2: Yundamindra Project structural interpretation from geophysics data showing a plethora of historical gold workings & prospects over TMI (RTP).(source: Arika Resources Limited)
This area sits along strike from the $44M Guyer JV between Gold Road and Iceni Gold, reinforcing the district’s prospectivity.
Pennyweight Point—Assay Highlights
On the western flank, the Landed at Last prospect—part of the aptly named “Yellow Brick Road” corridor—is yielding impressive results from shallow depths:
30m @ 2.26g/t Au from 26m (YMRC050)
14.8m @ 3.10g/t Au from 87m (25YMD003)
Kookynie Project - Historic Cosmopolitan Gold Mine
Arika has initiated the first modern review of the historic Cosmopolitan Mine in over 40 years. The mine once yielded 331,000 ounces at 15g/t Au, ranking it among the most profitable in WA’s gold mining history.
Soil geochem programs over Ithaca, Wandin, and Mulga Plum have been completed. These programs used ultra-detailed aeromagnetics to map structures obscured by surface cover. Results are expected soon.
Figure 3: Kookynie Project Showing key prospects in relation to operating mines and other gold occurrences. (source: Arika Resources Limited)
Samso’s Concluding Comments
The first time I saw the Arika story I was not really interested and definitely not looking to put the story on the Samso platform. For some reason, I signed up for its webinar, and as I patiently listened to the story, I was intrigued by several things. The first was that they are cashed up, and most importantly, the Pennyweight project looked interesting. There is no doubt that there is a lot of work left to do, but it has some smoke.
The problem I have with these projects that have what I call "really good smoke" is what does the company know that we, the retail investors, don't know? I have been in many conversations with members of the company where the topic was about how they knew something that the public didn't, or they were just doing this to keep things "turning over" while they looked for better projects, etc. I don't know anyone in Arika, so these are my own thoughts and concerns when I see something in the presentation that I like.
In saying all those negative narratives, there is something classic and rejuvenated about the Arika story. In a market where investors often chase the next exotic play, I like that Arika is building quietly but confidently on well-endowed ground. This is the sort of methodical, geology-first strategy that often gets overlooked in the noise, yet historically it’s the one that pays off. It is also the strategy that is least practiced in this industry.
With over 180km² of tenure, strategic access to regional infrastructure, and a pipeline of high-priority targets—both brownfield and greenfield—Arika isn’t just chasing ounces. They appear to be building a long-term footprint in one of Australia’s premier gold belts.
The road to success will be if management has the patience and perseverance to continue down this path. Historically, companies like Arika don't "hang around" like Gold Road Resources or De Grey Mining's story. These two have been the success story in 2025.
The market may not have fully priced in the upside yet, but if the assays continue to impress, that won’t stay the case for long.
As the saying goes, fortune favours the prepared. And Arika looks more than ready.
Happy Investing and remember, always DYOR.
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