Catalina Resources Ltd (CTN.AX) Rock Chips and Soils Strengthen Kirkalocka Gold Targets

Perth, Oct 1, 2026 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Catalina Resources Limited (ASX:CTN) announced that it has refined priority gold targets at Capra, Avis and Two Mile Bore following interpretation of its ~1,500-sample soil program and recent rock chip results.

The results have strengthened multiple areas for drill testing which is scheduled for November. New rock-chip assays up to 3.64 g/t Au at Avis and coherent gold anomalies at Capra and Two Mile Bore confirm that these prospects remain inadequately tested by historical drilling.

At the Tallering Project, exploration is also progressing at Santy, with new rock-chip assays pending and follow-up analysis showing a W-Bi-Mo spatial association within previously reported 0.31% WO3 mineralisation. Drilling at Santy is also planned for November, subject to heritage and tenement approvals.

HIGHLIGHTS

- ~1,500 soil assays strengthen priority gold targets across Kirkalocka ahead of November RC drilling.

- Avis returns rock chips up to 3.64 g/t Au, with strong gold-in-soil anomalies extending beyond historical workings where rock chips returned up to 9.89 g/t Au (sample 17959).

- Coherent gold-in-soil anomalism at Capra coincides with prospective geology, interpreted structures and supporting rock-chip results, defining a priority target largely untested by historical drilling.

- Strong gold-in-soil anomalism at Two Mile Bore remains inadequately drill tested, despite nearby historical drilling returning 1m @ 4.66 g/t Au from 34m (CWRC6807800-002).

- Micro-XRF mapping highlights a spatial W-Bi-Mo association within a previously reported sample (SY09) at the Santy tungsten-polymetallic system.

Executive Director, Mr Ross Cotton commented:

"The work at Kirkalocka has done exactly what we wanted it to do - refine our targets and give us clear areas to drill. At Capra, Avis and Two Mile Bore, the combination of soil geochemistry, rock-chip results and geological interpretation has strengthened our confidence in the targets.

The focus now shifts to drilling. Kirkalocka is scheduled for RC drilling in November giving us the opportunity to test the extent and continuity of gold mineralisation across these priority areas.

At Santy, the focus is also on November drilling, with new rock-chip assays pending and further work underway on the tungsten mineralisation."

Gold Targets Refined Ahead of Drilling

Kirkalocka is a key part of Catalina's Mid-West gold strategy, with the Project located immediately adjacent to the Kirkalocka Gold Mine and its 2.0 Mtpa processing plant.

Catalina's exploration strategy is focused on building gold scale across its surrounding tenure and establishing a potential pathway to development through nearby infrastructure.

Recent exploration at Kirkalocka has significantly advanced Capra, Avis and Two Mile Bore as priority gold targets for drilling (Figure 1*). This in turn highlights the broader regional gold potential, with multiple coherent geochemical anomalies associated with prospective geological and structural corridors providing a pipeline of targets for RC drilling.

With target refinement now complete, Catalina is ready to commence RC drilling in November following completion of heritage clearance.

Capra

The main cluster of anomalous gold-in-soil results broadly follows the east-west-trending BIF/chert sequence, which inflects to a north-northeast orientation in the east where it appears to be fault-offset. The strongest gold anomalism, including values exceeding 100 ppb Au, occurs near the southern termination of an outcropping felsic volcanic unit where it is interpreted to be faulted against the BIF/chert sequence.

The distribution of elevated gold values suggests a possible stratigraphic control associated with the BIF/chert units, with much of the exposed sequence displaying elevated gold anomalism. Gold values generally decrease downslope to the south of the main anomaly, suggesting that some dispersion of mineralised regolith may have occurred in this direction.

Further south, lower-order gold anomalism defines northeast and northwest-trending patterns that may reflect conjugate structural controls on mineralisation. These interpreted structures are not readily evident in aerial imagery and will be assessed through further geological and structural interpretation.

Recent rock-chip sampling returned gold values including 0.269 g/t Au (KK005), 0.256 g/t Au (KK006) and 0.104 g/t Au (KK004). Historical rock-chip results include 0.912 g/t Au (CHGR040), 0.195 g/t Au (CHGR042) and 0.104 g/t Au (CHGR068), with these results occurring along the same northeast-trending target corridor defined by the soil anomalism.

Historical drilling at Capra has been limited. Integration of recent geological mapping, rockchip sampling and soil geochemistry has further refined the target and identified areas for firstpass RC drill testing. Six RC holes are planned across two drill fences oriented approximately perpendicular to the strike of the BIF, targeting coincident soil and rock-chip gold anomalism that remains inadequately tested by historical drilling (Figure 2*).

Avis

Soil geochemistry has defined a broad northeast-southwest-trending zone of elevated gold values containing two areas of stronger anomalism. Four soil samples returned values exceeding 200ppb Au. The orientation of this geochemical trend differs from the predominantly north-south structural grain mapped at Avis and is therefore being assessed in conjunction with the geological and structural interpretation. Importantly, some of the strongest soil anomalies are spatially separate from the historical workings, providing additional areas for follow-up.

Recent rock-chip sampling targeting historical workings returned up to 3.64 g/t Au (KK009), with additional results of 0.361 g/t Au (KK012), 0.238 g/t Au (KK007) and 0.077 g/t Au (KK011). Historical rock-chip sampling in the vicinity of the workings returned up to 9.89 g/t Au, including 2.59 g/t Au (17955), 9.89 g/t Au (17959) and 1.34 g/t Au (CHGR086). Six RC holes have been designed to test the geological and structural setting associated with the historical workings and adjacent gold-in-soil anomalism (Figure 3*).

Two Mile Bore

Integration of recent and historical soil geochemistry has identified two principal zones of elevated gold anomalism south of Two Mile Bore. Earlier soil sampling also defined a northsouth zone of anomalism near 584000E that appears to extend northeast and coincides with a magnetic ridge interpreted to represent the main Cuddingwarra Shear.

The northern target comprises a distinct cluster of elevated gold-in-soil results located on the western flank of the main magnetic ridge. The anomaly extends broadly northeastsouthwest and includes a more localised east-west-trending zone of elevated gold values.

Historical drilling within this area returned gold anomalism in five holes, including the following intersections from CWRC-6807800-002:

- 1m @ 4.66 g/t Au from 34m
- 1m @ 0.64 g/t Au from 30m

Review of historical drilling indicates that the strongest gold-in-soil anomaly has not been adequately drill tested. Two east-west-oriented RC drill traverses are therefore being considered to test the northern anomaly and its relationship with the interpreted Cuddingwarra Shear and associated cross-cutting structures (Figure 4*).

Tallering Project: Santy - Tungsten Mineralogy Investigation

Exploration is also advancing at the Santy prospect within Catalina's Tallering Project, where drilling is planned to commence in November following heritage clearance. Recent fieldwork included additional rock-chip sampling across the prospect, with assay results pending.

In parallel, further technical analysis has been completed on previously reported tungstenbearing rock-chip sample SY09 (0.31% WO3) to characterise the distribution of the tungsten mineralisation.

Ultraviolet (UV) short wave light examination was undertaken on previously reported sample SY09 (0.31% WO3) to test for scheelite (CaWO4), which fluoresces under shortwave UV. A fluorescent response was not observed, suggesting scheelite is unlikely to be the primary tungsten mineral in SY09. Further mineralogical work is planned to identify the host mineral.

Micro-XRF mapping of a selected area of SY09 hand specimen was completed by Portable Spectral Services (PSS), Perth, using a Bruker M4 TORNADO PLUS micro-XRF mapper, to characterise the distribution of W, Bi and Mo and Cu. W, Bi and Mo are spatially in the scanned area, and Cu was not detected in the area of the strongest association (Figures 5-7*).

The micro-XRF maps are qualitative, showing relative X-ray counts and not elemental grades or mineral identification. Results are from a single hand specimen and should not be taken as representative of mineralisation at Santy or as an indication of extent of grade continuity.

Further analytical details are provided in Appendix B (JORC Table 1*).

Next Steps

The focus now shifts to drilling. RC drilling at Kirkalocka is scheduled to commence in November, targeting Capra, Avis and Two Mile Bore following heritage clearance.

At Santy, assays from the recent rock-chip program are pending, with further mineralogical work planned to identify the tungsten host in sample SY09. RC drilling is planned for November to test the IP anomaly.

*To view tables and figures included in the announcment, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/YDM72358

About Catalina Resources Ltd

Catalina Resources Ltd (ASX:CTN) is a mineral exploration company focused on discovering and advancing gold and multi-commodity projects in tier-one jurisdictions. Backed by a technically experienced team with deep industry knowledge, Catalina is committed to creating value through focused exploration across highly prospective and underexplored regions in Western Australia.

The company's core assets are located in the Central Yilgarn and Laverton regions, two of the most historically productive and geologically endowed gold provinces in the country. Both projects have demonstrated the potential to host significant mineralisation, with early-stage drilling already delivering promising results.

  

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