Southern Cross Gold Consolidated (ASX:SX2) increased the number of diamond drill rigs operating at its Sunday Creek gold-antimony project in Victoria, as it advanced exploration programs on-site, according to a Tuesday Australian bourse filing.

Two further diamond drill rigs will mobilize to the project next week to increase the total number of drill rigs operating on-site to eight.

It is conducting an induced polarisation geophysical survey at the project and it is scheduled to finish in April. Fleet Space Technologies is conducting an orientation real-time ambient noise tomography passive seismic and gravity survey at Sunday Creek.

A large-scale 2,200 soil sample program is also underway, with 45% completion. This program will infill previous sampling and expand coverage.

It noted that antimony ores and concentrates are exempt from the trade tariffs levied by the US.