Dittmer Project
The Dittmer Project is located 20km west of Proserpine in North Queensland and comprises two granted MLs, one ML application and three granted EPMs covering an area of 513km2. Ballymore has successfully identified an extension to the historic high-grade orebody and is engaged in studies with the aim of re-opening the Dittmer Mine, which operated during the 1930 – 50s at a reported gold head grade of 151 g/t Au.
The project has numerous gold and copper targets ranging from high-grade historic gold mines such as the Dittmer Mine and the Mount Hector Goldfield, to large porphyry copper deposits such as Andromache. The Dittmer Mine area had never been drill tested before Ballymore acquired the Dittmer tenements in 2020 and drilling by the Company has recognised that the historically mined Duffer Lode has been displaced at depth with a repetition identified within 30m of the historic mine workings. Ballymore has re-opened and refurbished the historic mine workings and is systematically applying modern exploration methods to test these historic gold fields with the aim of identifying extensions to the historic workings that provide bulk gold and copper targets.
Regional potential summary
The historic Dittmer Mine forms one of several old high-grade workings along a 2km north-northeast trending corridor which is also crosscut by a series of structures with associated historical workings. Field work, including mapping, rock chip, soil and stream sediment sampling, was completed by Ballymore in 2023 to assess Dittmer’s size potential.
Other nearby workings are primarily shallow, open pit mines that operated between the 1890’s and 1930’s and mined at average grades of up to 567 g/t (e.g. Loch Neigh Mine) with copper grades not reported. Despite the presence of extensive workings in the area, this corridor has undergone little or no modern exploration.
Stage 5 underground drilling completed
Ballymore completed the Stage 5 underground drilling at Dittmer with each hole intersecting the targeted fault extension of the Duffer Lode, reporting quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite veining. Results are continuing to be received, and the Company recently reported the highest-grade result to date in drill hole DTDD056, which delivered an intersection of 6.60m @ 13.67g/t Au from 139.4m including 0.4m @ 221.3 g/t Au from 143.5m. All drill holes in the program have been logged with selected intervals of drill core cut and submitted to the laboratory with further results pending.
Land Court of Queensland recommends Dittmer Mining Lease and proposed Environmental Authority for approval.
The Company applied for new mining lease ML 100351 on 20 July 2023, covering extensions to known mineralisation at the Dittmer Project. As part of the application process, the matter was referred to the Land Court of Queensland for a recommendation to the Minister for Natural Resources and Mines whether the MLA ought to be granted and to make recommendations as to the appropriate EA conditions. Having heard the proceedings regarding the application for mining lease and objections under the Mineral Resources Act 1989 and the Environmental Protection Act 1994, the President of the Land Court of Queensland, Member P.G. Stilgoe OAM, delivered her decision on 11 July 2025, and issued the following orders (paraphrased):
The Court recommended that:
1) MLA 100351 be approved by the Honourable Minister responsible for the Mineral Resources Act 1989 (Qld)
2) That the draft Environmental Authority EPSL 00460513 be issued pursuant to the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld)
Following this decision by the Land Court of Queensland, the Court’s recommendations will now be considered by the relevant Queensland state ministers with a final decision on the new Mining Lease expected in the near future.
