Key Highlights

  • Drill hole 26TH015 returned 67 metres at 1.68% TREO from surface, including 12 metres at 2.56% TREO from 5 metres.
  • East Tundulu had never been drill tested and lies more than 1 km east of the primary Nathace Hill target zone.
  • Near-surface mineralisation may allow shallow follow-up drilling to assess grade and extent at lower cost.
  • Further high-grade TREO intervals have been identified in drill holes in the north-eastern area of Nathace Hill.

AuKing Mining Limited (ASX:AKN) has reported high-grade rare earth results from the first Reverse Circulation Drilling program at its Tundulu Project, in an announcement dated 4 November 2026. The standout results come from East Tundulu, an area the company says had not been drill tested before, and they extend the known mineralised footprint of the wider Tundulu complex.

Drill Results at East Tundulu

Hole 26TH015 was designed to test a significant magnetic low identified in AuKing's earlier airborne survey, and it was drilled back towards Tundulu Hill. The hole returned 67 metres at 1.68% total rare earth oxides (TREO) from surface. Within that interval, the company reports 12 metres at 2.56% TREO from 5 metres and 3 metres at 3.21% TREO from 12 metres.

Several other narrower intervals within the same hole also returned elevated grades, including 2 metres at 3.53% TREO from 25 metres. The company notes that the higher grades are concentrated near the surface, which is the basis for its proposal to test the area with shallow drilling.

The company describes the hole as testing a target where no drilling had previously been undertaken. The mineralised interval begins close to surface and continues to depth, and the release does not describe how these grades compare with other holes in the Tundulu complex.

Nathace Hill Update

New assays from drill holes in the north-eastern area of Nathace Hill have also returned further intervals of high-grade TREO. The announcement highlights two holes, 26NH023 and a second hole, where results are described as significant.

Together, the Nathace Hill and East Tundulu results suggest that the mineralised system extends beyond the original target zone. The announcement describes this as a major expansion of the known footprint, although the extent of that expansion will depend on further work.

The Nathace Hill results are described as a continuation of earlier work on the same complex. Because the holes were drilled in the north-eastern area, the findings suggest the mineralised zone may extend in that direction, although the announcement does not quantify the extent.

Exploration Implications

The company plans to use the near-surface zone to assess grade and extent through shallow follow-up drilling. Because the mineralisation begins close to the surface, the company states that this approach could be more cost-effective than deeper testing.

The release also supports testing additional carbonatites across the wider Tundulu complex, reflecting a broader exploration strategy in the area.

The reference to a major expansion of the known footprint reflects the company's view of the new results rather than a measured outcome. Additional carbonatites across the wider complex have yet to be drilled, and the release presents testing them as a next stage of work.

Sampling Method and Assay Basis

The results are reported from reverse circulation drilling, a method that produces rock chips from which assays are prepared. The company reports TREO as the combined grade of the rare earth oxides in each interval, and the intercepts quoted are drawn from specific holes. The release lists several narrower intervals within the main hole, which shows variation in grade with depth. The announcement does not describe density, recovery or metallurgical testing, which would be needed for later stages of evaluation.

Final Word

The assays confirm rare earth mineralisation in an area that had not been drilled, but results from individual holes do not establish the size, continuity or Economics of a deposit. Further drilling and assay work will be needed before any resource could be estimated. The announcement provides grades and intervals for specific holes and does not present a resource or a production schedule.