The June 9, 2026 press release reported exploration results from the 2026 surface campaign at Wainikoro, with highlights as follows(dU are counts from the detectOREtm system that allows rapid bulk analyses in the field.
Beyond the Headline
The June 9, 2026 press release reported exploration results from the 2026 surface campaign at Wainikoro, with highlights as follows(dU are counts from the detectOREtm system that allows rapid bulk analyses in the field. Comparison of these types of results by the Company on previous core and soil datasets with fire assay results indicates they correlate quite well; however, this methodology is not JORC or Ni43-101 compliant, hence must be treated with caution):
- Multiple in-situ low-sulphidation epithermal quartz veins were identified in rock, including a chalcedonic quartz vein at 1,157 dU (~1.16 g/t Au estimated) with surrounding float up to 3,397 dU (~3.40 g/t Au estimated).
- Additional headline surface values — 2,728 dU (~2.73 g/t Au est.) from a chalcedonic-banded quartz vein in bedded tuff; 1,364 dU (~1.36 g/t Au est.) from the adjacent silicified polymictic breccia; 916 dU and 904 dU from silicified host rocks.
- Trench results from channel sampling returned values up to 1,446 dU (~1.45 g/t Au estimated); a 13-metre channel interval at TR26-011 averaged 275 dU (~0.28 g/t Au estimated) within silicified fault-controlled structures.
- Arsenic-in-soil anomalies, magnetic-low features and surface vein samples converge on an approximately 1,800 m NW–SE corridor within the central magnetic-low feature.
- Beyond the central approximately 1,800 m corridor, additional arsenic-in-soil anomalies across the Wainikoro area coincide with discrete magnetic-low features in the recently completed 6,212 line-kilometre airborne magnetic survey, extending the magnetic-low-controlled target footprint across Wainikoro.
- Induced polarization (IP) survey at Wainikoro planned for July 2026 mobilisation; certified Fire Assay results from VA26-DH18 and VA26-DH19 pending (per the 22 April 2026 news release).
- 9,994 soil samples collected to date in the 2026 program with a further 5,390 samples planned across magnetic-driven grids based on the recently completed airborne magnetic survey.
Going forward, Kalo plans the following work:
Follow-up trenching at the newly identified in-situ chalcedonic quartz vein and adjacent silicified breccia and quartz-vein targets at Wainikoro.
- Induced polarization (“IP”) surveys at Wainikoro, with IP planned for July 2026 mobilisation, to test the subsurface geometry of magnetic-low features and the structural intersections defined in the 27 May 2026 reinterpretation.
- Final integration of the 6,212 line-kilometre high-resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric dataset into the project-wide structural and geological model; further work at Aurum Prime, including any further drilling, is pending completion of that integration.
- At Coqeloa, a detailed caldera-scale BLEG (bulk leach extractable gold) stream-sediment sampling programme is planned together with systematic geological mapping, to advance the area in parallel with Wainikoro.
- Receipt and interpretation of certified Fire Assay results from VA26-DH18 and VA26-DH19 at Wainikoro (pending; per the Company’s 22 April 2026 news release).
- Refinement, ranking and prioritisation of drill-ready targets across the Vatu Aurum Project, in support of the next phase of drilling — which the Company has confirmed will not commence until the airborne magnetic dataset is fully integrated into the exploration model.
Comments
The property is certainly very prospective for low to immediate sulphidation epithermal gold deposits but is at an early grassroots stage. Baseline geological, geophysical and geochemical work to date has outlined two major target areas: Aurum Prime and Wainikoro, with potential for a third one at Cogeloa. Limited drilling at Aurum Prime has returned significant results from two reconnaissance drill holes, but much more drilling is required to fully evaluate the potential. The use of detectOREtm has provided useful rapid infield analytical data, but the reported results need to be confirmed by conventional fire assays. Final integration of all the geological, geophysical and geochemical data as indicated in the work plan of the Company will be critical to defining drill targets. The extent and scale of the geophysical/geochemical anomalies and the presence of multiple epithermal quartz veins, vein breccias and altered host rocks at surface is very positive. The challenge will be to locate the core of these epithermal systems to outline potentially economic deposits. Definitely an interesting one to follow.