Arkle Resources PLC announced that Group Eleven intends to expand drilling at the Stonepark Zinc Project from approximately 3,000 m to approximately 15,500 m. Group Eleven is the Operator of Stonepark in which Arkle holds a 22.36% interest. Arkle co-discovered the Stonepark zinc deposit in County Limerick - now Ireland's second largest undeveloped resource - in a joint venture with Teck Ireland. Teck Ireland's interest was acquired by Group Eleven.
Group Eleven (in which Glencore is a 13% shareholder) continues to advance the project alongside Arkle. Stonepark is formed of five contiguous prospecting licences covering an area of 148 km² and is adjacent to Glencore's Pallas Green zinc project, one of the world's largest undeveloped zinc-lead deposits at 45.4 Mt. Stonepark has an Inferred Mineral Resource of 5.1 Mt grading 11.3% combined zinc and lead (8.7% Zn, 2.6% Pb) - and the deposit remains open along and across strike.
It is higher grade and shallower (190-395 m depth) than the neighbouring Pallas Green deposit (8.4% Zn+Pb). Ireland is ranked number one in the world for zinc discovered per square kilometre. It is home to some of the world's largest and highest-grade zinc deposits, including Tara (120 Mt+ mined since 1977, Europe's largest zinc mine), Lisheen (22.3 Mt at 11.7% Zn), and Galmoy (8Mt at 12% Zn).
Six zinc mines have been permitted and operated over the past 60 years, and every major Irish zinc discovery has been profitably mined. Majors active in Ireland include Boliden and Glencore. The joint venture's thesis is that the Carrickittle area within the Stonepark project may host a "mirror image" of the mineralising system that created Glencore's adjacent Pallas Green deposit on the opposite side of the Limerick Volcanic Complex.
In 2022, drilling at Carrickittle West intersected the first major fault structure directly drilled in the Limerick region - a fault with 150 m of vertical displacement and zinc mineralisation on both sides. Three follow-up holes were drilled on Stonepark ground in late 2024, totalling 1,372 m at depths of 350-550 m. Results released in 2025 demonstrated proximity to strong mineralisation. Group Eleven's recent focus has been on nearby exploration at its Ballywire prospect (on a wholly owned Group Eleven licence, southeast of Stonepark) indicating high-grade zinc-lead-silver mineralisation over a 2.6 km trend that remains open in all directions.
Group Eleven plans step-out drilling around the known resource at Stonepark as well as a follow-up drill programme on the Carrickittle West prospect (within the Stonepark licence) and its announced intention to drill approximately 15,500 m at Stonepark is welcomed by Arkle's Board.
