Ariana Resources PLC (AIM:AAU) has hailed the results from field trials using detectORE, a new sample analytical system, at the Dokwe Project site in Zimbabwe.
Using the new technique Ariana said it received gold analytical results in up to 15 hours (dry sample).
More than 1,000 samples were tested and cross-checked by an ISO-accredited laboratory with gold correlations from detectORE versus laboratory results ranging from 'good to excellent (0.72 to 0.99 R2)'.
Ariana has now set up a fully operational low-cost and relatively mobile detectORElaboratory in Zimbabwe, with a second coming online in Türkiye in the coming weeks.
Kerim Sener, Ariana’s managing director, commented: "We are incredibly impressed with the results of this trial of the detectORE system developed by Portable PPB in Perth, Australia.
"The system has demonstrated itself to be considerably cheaper and faster than conventional analytical methods, which involve shipping to commercial laboratories, more extensive sample preparation and more complex steps in analysis.
"Crucially, the results of the detectORE analyses correlated extremely well with conventional fire-assay results.
"We are now looking forward to implementing the same system based out of our Ankara office so that we can utilise this methodology for all of our routine gold exploration analysis requirements in our South-East European area of operations.
"Ariana is the first company in Zimbabwe and Türkiye to have implemented this game-changing technology.
“We have again shown that the company remains a pioneer of the very latest technologies in our exploration programmes.
“This has had the effect of ensuring our gold discovery cost remains at the internationally low level of around US$11 per ounce.”
Ariana also published results for 2023 that underlined the importance of Dokwe with the plan this year to advance into a project feasibility study.
The company is merging with the Rockover Holings, Dokwe's majority owner, and once this is complete will dual-list on the Australian Stock Exchange.
Pre-tax profits in the year to December were £59,000 (2022: £5.01 million).