Kalo Gold Corp. has reported the results of its 2026 exploration programme at the 100%-owned Vatu Aurum gold project on Vanua Levu, Fiji, while outlining plans for drilling to begin in January 2027. The company said work during the year focused on improving its geological model and selecting targets for follow-up drilling.
#Exploration programme develops project-wide model
Vatu Aurum covers 367-square-kilometre. During 2026, Kalo Gold completed mapping, sampling, trenching, ground geophysics, LiDAR, aerial photography and a 6,212 line-kilometre helicopter magnetic survey.
The company also used the detectORE™ field gold-testing system at site. Kalo Gold said the combined results were incorporated into an updated geological model in May, which interprets Vatu Aurum as a connected, multi-phase volcanic and hydrothermal system. The company identified intersections of major fault structures as priority areas for target selection.
Kalo Gold said it delayed additional drilling until the airborne magnetic survey had been completed and integrated with the exploration model, followed by further ground geophysical work. The company described the approach as an effort to direct drilling towards more defined targets.
#Aurum Prime results
At Aurum Prime, Kalo Gold said gold has now been confirmed in three separate volcanic pipes. The area includes the 2025 discovery hole, which returned 22.12 metres at 12.80 g/t gold, with a true width of 20.70 metres.
Hole VA26-DH17 returned 16.90 metres at 3.25 g/t gold, including 9.00 metres at 4.66 g/t. Kalo Gold said the true widths were approximately 95% of the reported lengths. The company interprets the gold as extending from near surface into the volcanic pipe, although most of the interpreted fluid pathways remain untested at depth.
A gravity survey completed in the fall has added information for future drilling at Aurum Prime. Kalo Gold said the area remains part of its exploration pipeline, while Wainikoro is being prioritised for the planned January programme.
#Wainikoro corridor remains untested at depth
Wainikoro, located about 5 kilometres from Aurum Prime, emerged as a principal exploration focus during 2026. Kalo Gold traced gold-bearing quartz veins at surface along a trend about 1.8 kilometres long, and two reconnaissance drill holes returned anomalous gold at depth. One intercept in VA26-DH19 measured 1.5 metres at 1.61 g/t gold; the reported length is downhole and the true width is not known.
Surface work also produced a result of up to 8.78 g/t gold from a vein float sample. Trenching indicated that the gold was associated with bedrock. In September, seven rock samples from one previously unsampled outcrop returned up to 7.83 g/t gold and 108 g/t silver, with five samples above 2 g/t gold.
Geophysical work outlined a corridor about 4.3 kilometres long that remains open along strike, with gold occurrences recorded at several points. Kalo Gold said the corridor is defined by geophysics, with surface gold and anomalous gold in two drill holes, but that its continuity, width and grade remain untested.
A detectORE™ field-screening test on a grab sample at Kope Road North returned 16,361 dU (~16.36 g/t gold estimated). Kalo Gold stated that this is not a certified assay and is subject to laboratory fire assay. The company also reported that a further detectORE™ result extended surface gold occurrences along the full length of the corridor. DetectORE™ results are semi-quantitative and are not equivalent to certified gold assays.
Kalo Gold said drilling at Wainikoro is intended to test prioritised targets and establish the grade, width and continuity of gold mineralisation at depth. The company said Wainikoro was selected because only two holes had been drilled there, the ground surveys provided additional information about structures at depth, and elevated gold-screening responses were observed along the margins of resistivity highs and lows.
#Preparation for January drilling
Kalo Gold said its team will interpret the Wainikoro survey data alongside mapping, sampling and trenching results through November and early December. The company also plans to trench the most promising targets and complete about 1.6 kilometres of road upgrades, three culverts and gravel surfacing.
According to Kalo Gold, drilling is planned to begin in January 2027, with one rig expected to operate through the wet season on the highest-priority Wainikoro targets. The company said Aurum Prime and Coqeloa provide further exploration opportunities behind Wainikoro.
#Funding and project status
Kalo Gold said it closed the final tranche of its financing on January 19, 2026, for total gross proceeds of approximately C$12.45 million. The financing comprised about 38.9 million units at C$0.32. Each unit included one share and one-half of a warrant, while each whole warrant was exercisable at C$0.50 for three years.
The company had more than C$7 million in unaudited cash at August 31, 2026. Kalo Gold expects to finish 2026 with approximately C$5 million after planned year-end work, but said the projected December 31, 2026 cash balance is management’s financial outlook and actual cash balances may differ materially because of expenditure changes, timing, unforeseen costs, foreign exchange fluctuations or other factors affecting cash flows.
Kalo Gold said no current mineral resource or mineral reserve has been established at Vatu Aurum. The company also stated that encouraging assays, alteration and geophysical responses do not establish an economic gold deposit, and that drilling is required to determine the continuity and extent of mineralisation.
#Operational and sustainability information
Kalo Gold reported that Digbee awarded the company and the Vatu Aurum Project an overall rating of BBB on its first submission. The company said there had been no fatalities, disabling injuries or lost time incidents since exploration began in 2010.
Kalo Gold also reported that over 90% of staff during the first eight months of 2026 were Fiji nationals, that the site team reached nearly 100 people, and that about 70% of current project procurement was sourced locally. The company said access and compensation agreements were in place with landowners for all exploration activities. It added that the assessment identified areas for improvement before its next submission in September 2027.
#Key Takeaways
- Kalo Gold reported expanded geological and geophysical work across the 367-square-kilometre Vatu Aurum project in Fiji.
- Gold has been confirmed in three volcanic pipes at Aurum Prime, while the Wainikoro area contains a 4.3-kilometre geophysical corridor with surface gold occurrences and anomalous gold in two drill holes.
- Kalo Gold said the continuity, width and grade of mineralisation along the Wainikoro corridor remain untested.
- The company plans to begin drilling at Wainikoro in January 2027, subject to further target interpretation, trenching and infrastructure work.
- No current mineral resource or mineral reserve has been established at Vatu Aurum, and detectORE™ results are not equivalent to certified gold assays.
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