Ariana Resources PLC (AIM:AAU) has hailed a review of drilling results at its Dokwe gold project in Zimbabwe, with one of the five holes showing evidence of significant gold mineralisation.
This hole, named DPD126, intercepted two metres at 17.11 grammes of gold per tonne of earth (g/t Au) from a depth of 176m in an area being called the Eastern Zone within Dokwe North.
The hole bridged a gap between previous intercepts and provided a strike length of around 270m, the company said in a detailed statement.
Another hole, DPD127, confirmed the continuity of mineralisation, with intercepts including 8m at 4.32g/t Au from 116m, 5m at 5.14g/t Au from 142m, 10m at 1.64g/t Au from 160m, through to 5m at 4.30g/t Au from 213m, and 36m 2.38g/t Au from 261m.
Ariana said a third, DPD128, confirmed grade continuity on the northeastern limits of the mineralisation, which remains open at depth and northwards along strike.
The results are from a recent review conducted by Ariana’s exploration team of five geotechnical holes drilled in 2021 as part of the 2022 Dokwe North pre-feasibility study to generate geotechnical information for a planned open pit and had not been assayed before.
The results from the assay drilling are being incorporated into a revised Dokwe North mineral resource estimate.
Managing director Dr Kerim Sener said the assay results “further reinforce our understanding of the geology and resource potential of this high-value asset. Most importantly, one of the drill holes confirms the presence of significant gold mineralisation occurring within an area now referred to as the Eastern Zone, demonstrating considerable strike continuity of over 270m for this zone alone, in addition to pointing towards the further depth extent of the deposit.”
He added: "While our geological model has continued to evolve with the addition of new assay and other geological and geochemical data, our confidence in defining the structural controls on mineralisation has increased substantially. This will result in an even more robust resource model for our feasibility study programme. Furthermore, there is now substantial evidence that the high-grade zones within the deposit are shear-controlled and suggest the potential for depth continuity.”
Sener said results from 2,000 soil samples collected late last year for portable XRF analysis from areas surrounding the Dokwe North and Central zones will be released when they are ready, which he expects in the coming months.
Ariana noted that the five holes were angled down the proposed open pit slopes and unlike most holes drilled to date, were not orientated on the normal fence pattern and are useful to confirm that the orebody modelling assumptions are not biased by the drilling pattern, and to provide additional data on parts of the resource model not previously assessed.
