Aguia Resources Hits 128.5 g/t Gold at Santa Barbara, Highest Ever Recorded
Aguia Resources delivers record gold grades at Santa Barbara
Aguia Resources has reported the highest gold values recorded to date at its Santa Barbara Gold Project in Colombia, with channel sampling returning 128.5 g/t Au over 16cm and 60.7 g/t Au over 30cm from newly accessed sublevels of Vein #1. Several additional samples exceeded one ounce per tonne gold, reinforcing the high-grade nature of the deposit ahead of a diamond drill program planned for Q4 2026.
The results come from Shaft 2, where two shafts beneath Vein #1 have been completed with production sublevels and mine faces established. Construction of Shafts 3, 4 and 5 is underway, signalling ongoing underground development at the Colombian gold project.
Timothy Hoskings, Managing Director and CEO
“The high consistency and distribution of multi-ounce gold grades across these veins underscores why we are moving decisively into deeper exploration, to assess the full scale of this system.”
The company’s focus remains on expanding production of high-grade run-of-mine (ROM) ore above 10 g/t Au while development continues into the lower levels of the mine.
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Understanding high-grade gold exploration
Channel sampling is a systematic technique used in underground gold exploration to assess the grade and width of mineralised veins. A continuous groove is cut across the vein, and the material is collected for assay analysis. This method provides a representative sample of the gold content within the vein structure.
Grades exceeding one ounce per tonne are considered exceptionally high-grade in global gold mining terms. For context, many large-scale gold operations mine material grading between 1-3 g/t Au. Multi-ounce grades represent the upper tier of global gold discoveries.
High-grade, narrow-vein gold deposits can be economically attractive even at modest scales due to the concentration of value per tonne of material moved. When gold is concentrated at multi-ounce levels, fewer tonnes are required to generate equivalent revenue compared to lower-grade bulk tonnage deposits.
Shaft 2 delivers the project’s highest recorded gold values
Shaft 2 channel sampling returned the highest gold values recorded to date at Santa Barbara. The headline results underscore the high-grade potential of the Vein #1 sublevels:
- 128.5 g/t Au over 16cm (Sample 298984)
- 60.7 g/t Au over 30cm (Sample 298985)
- Multiple additional samples exceeding 1 oz/t gold
Two shafts beneath Vein #1 have been completed, with production sublevels and mine faces established. Construction of Shafts 3, 4 and 5 is underway, demonstrating the company’s commitment to expanding underground access across the mineralised system.
| Sample ID | Au (g/t) | Width (m) | Panel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 298984 | 128.48 | 0.16 | Shaft #2 N |
| 298985 | 60.7 | 0.30 | Shaft #2 N |
| 298980 | 57.2 | 0.12 | Shaft #2 S |
| 298981 | 39.61 | 0.22 | Shaft #2 N |
| 298982 | 30.32 | 0.16 | Shaft #2 S |
Stope 1 and Vein #2 reinforce grade consistency
Stope 1 returned very high-grade material from its final residual zone before work shifted to new production faces. The reported grades from the closing zone demonstrate the consistency of multi-ounce gold within the vein system:
- 63.9 g/t Au
- 53.5 g/t Au
- 51 g/t Au
- 46.2 g/t Au
- 33.15 g/t Au
This zone is now permanently closed due to narrow vein widths and its proximity to surface. The closure reflects standard practice in selective narrow-vein mining where economic extraction becomes constrained by geological and engineering factors.
Development of Vein #2 continues, with three sublevels above the main drift and four active mine faces. Vein samples remain consistent at grades above 10 g/t Au, reinforcing the grade continuity observed across multiple veins and stopes at Santa Barbara.
Consistent multi-ounce results across multiple veins and stopes suggest grade continuity, a key risk factor for narrow-vein gold deposits. When high-grade zones connect predictably across vertical and lateral dimensions, it materially reduces exploration risk and supports confidence in the broader mineralised system.
Production focus and development strategy
The May and June development works support the current breast mining methods employed at Santa Barbara. Breast mining is a selective underground technique where high-grade veins are extracted in narrow panels, allowing precise targeting of mineralisation.
The company’s production focus is on expanding production of high-grade ROM ore above 10 g/t Au while development continues into the lower levels of the mine. This dual approach — production from established zones and exploration of deeper targets — positions the company to generate near-term cash flow while advancing the exploration thesis.
Follow-up work will focus on supporting production while new development advances in other areas of Vein #2. This staged approach balances operational discipline with exploration upside.
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What comes next for Santa Barbara
Aguia has a diamond drill program planned for Q4 2026, representing the next material catalyst for the project. The current channel sampling results provide drill targets and confidence ahead of that campaign, with the high-grade zones in Shaft 2 and Vein #2 expected to guide drill hole planning.
In its 22 April 2026 ASX announcement, the company compared Santa Barbara’s current development stage to the Buritica’s Yaragua Mine in 2008. Investors should understand this is an early-stage system with exploration upside rather than a producing asset with defined reserves.
The company has issued a cautionary statement noting that results are based on small sample sizes, there is variability and uncertainty associated with early-stage or selective mining, and sample results are no guarantee of future production. This framing is standard for exploration-stage gold projects where material risk remains around scale, continuity and economic viability.
The Q4 2026 drill program represents the next catalyst for investors to monitor. The high-grade channel results provide a foundation for drill targeting, but systematic drilling will be required to assess the full scale of the mineralised system and its potential to support a commercial operation.
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