St Barbara (ASX:SBM) accelerated exploration across its Nova Scotia portfolio in Canada, prioritizing a down-plunge underground mining assessment below the Old Austen Mine open-pit ore reserve depth limitations and along strike at the Mill Shaft West prospect, according to a Monday Australian bourse filing.

The company said drill testing at both targets is planned for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2027 through the first quarter of fiscal 2028, with a drill program now being designed specifically to test the Old Austen Mine down-plunge prospect and along strike at Mill Shaft West.

The company is set to complete a magnetic survey across 22 square kilometers around the Old Austen Mine in early October, with a comprehensive structural review to follow in the second half of fiscal 2027 to refine drill targets.