Ariana Resources PLC (AIM:AAU) managing director, Kerim Sener, described as 'impressive' initial drilling results from the Hizarliyayla area of the Salinbas Project in Turkey.
Notable highlights include intercepts of 23.1 metres (m) at 0.34 grams per ton (g/t ) gold (Au), 2.83 g/t silver (Ag) and 0.13% zinc (Zn); 18.6m at 0.22 g/t Au, 1.18 g/t Ag and 0.15% Zn; and 3m at 0.88 g/t Au, 37.97 g/t Ag and 2.00% Zn.
The grade of precious metals appears to increase with the depth of penetration, suggesting the potential for Hot Maden-type mineralisation below 600m from the surface.
Sener said: "These are an impressive set of initial drilling results from the Hizarliyayla prospect.
"We have long suspected the potential of the Hizarliyayla area since it was first systematically mapped by our team in 2017.
"Surface sampling undertaken since that time, including some of the brilliant new geological work by our team in 2022, continued to reaffirm our view that the mineralisation and alteration encountered at surface represented a high-level expression of a substantial hydrothermal system.
"Consequently, we recognised the requirement to undertake deep drilling of this prospect and these initial results continue to underpin this understanding."
The Ariana MD highlighted the difference in elevations between Hizarliyayla and the Hot Maden deposit, emphasising that drilling holes exceeding 600m in depth might be necessary to uncover a potential Hot Maden-type discovery.
He added: "Despite the mineralised intercepts being typically fairly narrow and deep, these broader observations regarding the prospectivity make these some of the most exciting exploration drilling results that we have ever announced."
The Hizarliyayla Project, southwest of the Salinbas deposit, spans 1,500m by 800m and exhibits argillic to advanced-argillic alteration with disseminated pyrite, silica and minor gold from the surface.
The drilling programme began in late 2022, and to date, 2,548m have been drilled, with around 3,000m of additional drilling planned.
The ongoing exploration aims to gain a better understanding of the mineralized system and potentially identify feeder zones akin to the Hot Maden copper-gold system, another of Ariana's Turkish assets.
A gold producer, the company is looking to further add value with the drill bit.