PLC Resources begins satellite geo-spectral survey at Abbotts Gold Project

Perth, Western Australia – In a strategic move to advance its exploration efforts, PLC Resources has commenced a sophisticated two-stage satellite geo-spectral survey across its Abbotts Gold Project, situated in the highly prospective Murchison region of Western Australia. This undertaking, announced on October 15, 2026, marks a significant application of modern remote sensing technologies aimed at enhancing the precision and efficiency of gold exploration.

The Abbotts Gold Project: A Strategic Location for Gold Exploration

The Abbotts Gold Project encompasses an area of approximately 205 square kilometers, holding four key tenements within a geological setting renowned for its gold prospectivity. The Murchison region is an integral part of Western Australia’s Archean Yilgarn Craton, a geological province celebrated globally for its significant gold endowments. This craton hosts numerous world-class gold deposits, often associated with major structural corridors and specific host rock lithologies, making the systematic exploration of areas like Abbotts critical for new discoveries.

The project's location in such a prolific gold province underscores the potential for new finds, particularly of the orogenic gold deposit type. Orogenic gold deposits, typically found in ancient mountain belts, are characterized by their association with regional-scale structures such as faults and shear zones, and are often accompanied by distinct hydrothermal alteration mineral assemblages. Identifying these alteration footprints and structural controls is paramount for successful exploration in these terrains.

Leveraging Geo-Spectral Technology: The Survey's Scope and Objectives

The geo-spectral survey, being conducted by specialist firm Geo Spectra, is designed to provide PLC Resources with a detailed, project-wide understanding of the geological landscape that is difficult, if not impossible, to achieve through traditional ground-based methods alone. The primary objective is to accurately map alteration minerals and geological structures that are indicative of, or linked to, orogenic gold mineralization within the project area.

Executive Director Simon Phillips articulated the strategic advantage of this approach, stating, “This survey gives us a project-wide view of Abbotts that we can’t get from the ground alone.” He further emphasized, “Hyperspectral and high-resolution satellite data can help map alteration minerals and fine-scale structures that may be associated with gold mineralisation, across all four of our tenements at once.” This comprehensive perspective is invaluable for guiding subsequent, more resource-intensive exploration phases, such as drilling.

A Two-Stage Approach to Precision Targeting

The survey is structured into two distinct stages, each employing different satellite technologies to progressively refine exploration targets. This phased approach allows for efficient regional screening before focusing high-resolution efforts on areas of greater prospectivity.

Stage One: Regional Screening with Advanced Satellite Data

The initial phase of the program involves regional screening over both the 205km² project site and an additional 300km² of surrounding land. This broad coverage ensures that potential extensions of mineralized systems or entirely new targets adjacent to the current tenements are not overlooked. This stage utilizes a combination of advanced satellite imagery:

• Hyperspectral EnMAP Imagery: EnMAP (Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program) provides hyperspectral data, which means it captures hundreds of narrow, contiguous spectral bands across the electromagnetic spectrum. This capability allows for highly detailed identification and mapping of specific minerals based on their unique spectral signatures.
• Multispectral ASTER and Sentinel-2 Data: ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) and Sentinel-2 (part of the European Union’s Copernicus program) provide multispectral data, capturing broader spectral bands. While less detailed than hyperspectral, they offer excellent resolution and coverage for identifying broader mineralogical and geological features.

The key targets for mapping in this phase include specific alteration mineral assemblages and structural features known to be associated with gold mineralization. These include the identification of:

• Iron Oxides: Often indicative of hydrothermal fluid interaction and alteration.
• Clay Minerals: Such as sericite, kaolinite, and illite, which are common alteration products around gold deposits.
• Sulphates: Can be associated with certain types of hydrothermal systems.
• Silicification: The introduction of silica, a common feature in many gold-bearing veins and altered host rocks.
• Fine-scale Structural Controls: Mapping of faults, shears, and other structural discontinuities that act as conduits for mineralizing fluids.

Furthermore, this stage will incorporate digital elevation models (DEMs) alongside high-resolution data to support the identification of these critical faults and shears, which are often the primary controls on gold mineralization in orogenic settings.

Stage Two: High-Resolution Refinement

Following the comprehensive regional analysis of Stage One, the second phase will shift to a more focused approach. This stage will deploy high-resolution WorldView-3 satellite imagery to conduct a more detailed investigation of the specific areas identified as highly prospective during the initial phase. WorldView-3 is a commercial Earth observation satellite that provides imagery at an exceptionally high resolution, down to 31 centimeters. This ultra-high resolution allows for the identification of very fine-scale features and subtle alterations that are crucial for pinpointing specific drill targets.

The objective of Stage Two is to provide unparalleled detail, enabling the refining and ranking of specific targets with a high degree of confidence. This precision is vital for optimizing subsequent drilling programs, ensuring that capital is deployed to the most promising locations.

Building on Previous Exploration Success and Integrated Data

The current geo-spectral survey is not an isolated effort but rather an integral part of PLC Resources’ broader, systematic exploration strategy at Abbotts. It builds upon and complements previous exploration activities, including a high-resolution airborne magnetic survey that would have provided insights into the subsurface geology and structural framework. Additionally, the company has recently completed reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the Rochefort Gold Prospect within the Abbotts project, for which assay results are currently pending.

The integration of diverse datasets – geological mapping, geophysical surveys (magnetic and geo-spectral), and geochemical sampling (high-grade soil sampling and drill assays) – represents a best-practice approach in modern mineral exploration. As Mr. Phillips noted, combining the “recent airborne magnetic success with previous high-grade soil sampling and the upcoming drilling results at Rochefort” allows for future fieldwork and air core drilling programs to be “focused on the strongest targets.” This multi-disciplinary approach significantly reduces exploration risk and increases the probability of discovery.

Market Implications and Efficiency in Exploration

For the broader mining industry and investors, PLC Resources’ deployment of advanced satellite geo-spectral technology at Abbotts highlights a growing trend towards more data-driven and efficient exploration methodologies. Traditional exploration can be time-consuming and expensive, particularly in vast and remote areas. Satellite surveys offer several compelling advantages:

• Cost-Effectiveness: While an initial investment, satellite data can cover large areas rapidly and at a lower cost per square kilometer compared to extensive ground-based geological mapping or soil sampling grids.
• Efficiency and Speed: Data acquisition and initial processing can be much faster, enabling companies to quickly identify and prioritize targets. PLC Resources expects to receive its results and a prioritized target map within four to six weeks, a rapid turnaround for such a comprehensive survey.
• Reduced Environmental Footprint: Remote sensing reduces the need for extensive ground disturbance in early-stage exploration.
• Access to Remote Areas: Satellites can gather data from challenging or inaccessible terrain, opening up new exploration frontiers.

The ability to map alteration minerals directly from space is a game-changer. These minerals are often formed by hydrothermal fluids associated with gold deposition. By identifying these "fingerprints" of mineralization on a broad scale, companies can narrow down vast exploration areas to specific zones with higher potential, thereby optimizing subsequent, more expensive drilling campaigns.

The Path Forward: From Data to Drill Bit

The immediate next step for PLC Resources is the reception and thorough analysis of the survey results, including the eagerly anticipated prioritized target map. This data will be meticulously integrated with all existing geological, geophysical, and geochemical information. The goal is to develop a robust ranking of targets that demonstrate the strongest combined indicators of gold mineralization.

With several Programs of Work (POWs) already approved for follow-up drilling, PLC Resources is poised to move swiftly from data interpretation to on-the-ground exploration. The company plans to focus its subsequent fieldwork and air core drilling efforts specifically on those areas exhibiting the most compelling mineral alteration and structural features identified by the geo-spectral survey. This systematic and targeted approach is designed to maximize the chances of making a significant gold discovery at the Abbotts Gold Project, reinforcing its position as a promising asset in Western Australia's dynamic gold sector.