Turaco Gold Ltd. has reported high-grade drilling results at its Afema project in south-east Côte d’Ivoire, underscoring strong potential to expand the existing 4.65-million-ounce resource.
The latest exploration assays come from 13 diamond drill holes targeting extensions at the Adiopan-Asupiri deposit, which currently hosts an open-pit constrained mineral resource estimate (MRE) of 1.28 million ounces.
Extensional drilling at Adiopan delivered significant shallow intercepts at impressive gold grades, including 15 metres at 4.72 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 122 metres, including six metres at 8.71g/t gold, 18 metres at 2.71g/t gold from 113 metres, and a broad intercept of 66 metres at 1.07g/t gold from 77 metres.
Step-out drilling also extended mineralisation along strike to the north by approximately 150 metres, returning 15 metres at 2.74g/t gold from 146 metres.
Meanwhile, deeper drilling returned five metres at 5.28g/t gold from 293 metres, which geologists interpret as a northern extension of the parallel Asupiri West structure, an area that remains untested for 700 metres to the south.
The Adiopan-Asupiri deposit has seen rapid growth, with its resource expanding by over 50 per cent in the past 12 months.
Turaco Managing Director Justin Tremain noted that the new results build directly on the momentum of the Afema pre-feasibility study (PFS) released in June.
“Just over a month after releasing the Afema PFS, which highlighted the strong economics underpinning development of the 4.65Moz Afema Project, we are already showing clear potential for further resource growth,” Tremain said.
“Over the coming months, we expect a steady flow of drilling results from Woulo Woulo, Adiopan, Begnopan and Anuiri. This drilling is focused on extending mineralisation and increasing the resource estimates across each of the deposits.”
With mineralisation remaining open in all directions, Turaco plans to conduct follow-up drilling aimed at expanding current PFS open-pit boundaries and evaluating underground targets down-plunge.