Mako Gold Ltd (ASX:MKG) has identified several new multi-kilometre manganese-rich zones and confirmed the continuity of manganese mineralisation following a detailed geological mapping and rock chip sampling program at its Korhogo Project in Côte d’Ivoire.
The program was undertaken at the project’s Ouangolodougou permit, which is 70 kilometres north of the operating Lagnonkaha manganese mine, and is one of two permits that make up the 100%-owned Korhogo Project.
Mako intends to further advance the project with metallurgical testing and a geophysical IP survey to assist in future drill targeting.
Meanwhile, exploration activities continue at the company’s flagship Napié Gold Project, with ongoing geological mapping and rock chip sampling. That program commenced at Tchaga North in December 2023 and resulted in the discovery of a new high-grade gold zone last month, including rock chip results of up to 80 g/t gold.
Ouangolodougou rock chip sampling
The mapping and rock chip sampling program confirms continuity of manganese mineralisation along significant entire strike lengths of all three zones, with widths up to 400 metres wide on surface. Structural mapping has shown that the manganese units are sheared and steeply dipping.
Mako collected 122 rock chip samples on outcropping manganese mineralisation over an area of around 8 kilometres by 4 kilometres, adding to the original 22 samples reported last April.
Portable XRF (pXRF) analysis of the total 143 samples collected returned average manganese values of 14.7% with values up to 25% manganese.
A comparison of manganese results from previous samples shows that the lab XRF results are consistently higher, averaging 34% higher than the pXRF readings done on pulps on site. This strongly suggests that the pXRF results underestimate the actual manganese metal content.
The company has started a complementary IP geophysical survey over a 1.2-kilometre by 1.2-kilometre block and a single 2.5-kilometre line to further delineate the manganese deposit.
Preliminary metallurgical testing will evaluate options for a recovery of coarse manganese at saleable grade for steel production World-class engineering consultancy Ausenco has been chosen to conduct and oversee the metallurgical testing.
Select new (yellow) pXRF analysis and previous (white) pXRF and laboratory analyses of rock chip sampling. Drill holes from recent 500m RC drill program are shown as circles.
Adding further potential to discovery
Mako managing director Peter Ledwidge said: “The low-cost mapping and rock chip sampling program on our Korhogo Project has been very successful. The identification of several new manganese-rich zones adds further potential to the already significant discovery.
“The results achieved with this sampling program confirm the continuity of manganese mineralisation over significant strike lengths as we prepare to further advance the project with metallurgical testing and a complementary geophysical IP survey that will greatly assist in future drill targeting.
“Advancing the Korhogo Project in this manner allows our experienced team to continue their successful exploration and discovery of new prospects on our flagship Napié Project.”
Napié Project
At the Napié project — the company’s priority focus — a geological mapping and rock chip sampling is ongoing in new prospective areas. This will assist in generating new drill targets, following the discovery of new high-grade gold zones that were identified by mapping.
Geological mapping and rock chip sampling commenced late last year at Tchaga North, with a new high-grade gold zone discovered last month with rock chip results up to 80 g/t gold.
The high-grade drill result, high-grade rock chip results and the presence of artisanal mining suggest this area is a high-grade gold target for drilling.
The small amount of drilling done to date at Tchaga North was predominantly towards the east, yet the orientation of the high-grade quartz veins is predominantly east-west. This presents new targets for future drilling where drilling will be oriented towards the north perpendicular to the newly identified structures.
Mako says that particular focus is on the western contact between the greenstone and granite where limited drilling returned values up to 1 metre grading 45 g/t gold.
Further, more detailed mapping and rock chip sampling is ongoing at the artisanal mining site where rock chip results returned values up to 9.5 g/t gold in the reject piles, as well as results including 79.50 g/t, 60.66 g/t, 44.73 g/t, 9.40 g/t, 7.45 g/t and 6.29 g/t at other localities.
Management site visits
Mako advises that its managing director and general manager Exploration are planning an extended trip to the projects. The purpose of the trip is:
- Boots on the ground evaluation with Mako's chief geologist to better understand the new east-west structures which returned high-grade rock chip samples, and to evaluate new high-grade gold zones.
- Conduct on-ground due diligence of the Goldridge’s Konan Project with the aim of completing the potential transaction.
- Review the trench mapping and sampling and IP survey on the Korhogo Manganese Project.
- Review potential new opportunities for company growth strategy.
Mako Gold projects on simplified geology and manganese mines in Côte d’Ivoire