Australian company Strickland Metals, which has been exploring for gold and other valuable metals on Serbia’s Rogozna Mountain near Novi Pazar since last year, announced the discovery of a 702.5-meter continuous zone of gold and zinc mineralization at the Gradina deposit, along with another impressive result of 365 meters from a second drill hole.
These remarkable findings include the longest recorded mineralized interval ever drilled at Gradina and one of the largest within the Rogozna project, whose total resource potential is estimated at the equivalent of 230 tonnes of gold, further confirming the site’s vast potential, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Strickland Metals’ goal is to define the first mineral resource estimate for Gradina by the end of the year. Twin diamond drill holes, positioned in the southern part of the deposit, delivered exceptional results and revealed a potential growth corridor still open toward the southeast, indicating the possibility of further gold and zinc discoveries.
“This hole produced one of the most impressive results we’ve ever seen at Rogozna,” said Paul L’Erpiniere, CEO of Strickland Metals.
The standout drill hole, starting at a depth of 274 meters, contained an average grade of 0.9 g/t gold and 0.6% zinc across the entire 702.5-meter interval. Within that section, several higher-grade zones were identified: 48.9 meters at 2.1 g/t gold and 4.1% zinc, 17 meters at 3.6 g/t gold and 2.4% zinc, 12 meters at 4.3 g/t gold, and 80 meters at 2.3 g/t gold starting from a depth of 632.8 meters.
A nearby hole also yielded exceptional results, intersecting 365.8 meters of mineralization averaging 1.5 g/t gold and 0.9% zinc from a depth of 287.7 meters. Within that, there were several rich sections, including 152.6 meters at 2.1 g/t gold and 1.9% zinc, with intervals such as 11.3 meters at 3.8 g/t gold, 28 meters at 3.1 g/t, and 40 meters at 2.7 g/t, highlighting the strength and continuity of the mineralization.
According to L’Erpiniere, the 2025 drilling campaign continues to deliver record-breaking results, with drill hole ZRSD25212 ranking among the most impressive on the Rogozna project.
The latest exploration at Gradina is part of Strickland’s 50,000-meter diamond drilling program for 2025, which currently employs seven rigs across the Rogozna concession area—three at Gradina and four targeting new prospects nearby.
With $41.8 million in cash (as of September), Strickland Metals is well funded to sustain its operations and release further results, which are expected in the coming weeks. If upcoming assays show similar outcomes, the southern zone of Gradina could become the crown jewel of Strickland’s Serbian gold story, the company said, as reported by Australian media.
