Skylark Minerals (ASX: SKM) has agreed to acquire a portfolio of gold assets in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa, for approximately A$6 million. The package establishes Skylark as a West African explorer with immediate scale and exposure to one of the region’s more developed, investment-friendly jurisdictions.
The portfolio is anchored by the Zaranou Project in the country’s southeast, which hosts an Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 364,600 ounces at 1.8 g/t gold (JORC 2012). Despite mineralisation defined over 8 kilometres of strike, historical drilling has tested the system to average depths of just 62 metres, with mineralisation remaining open along strike and at depth. Multiple untested, drill-ready targets have been defined across approximately 47 kilometres of soil anomalism.
Licences and interests
- Zaranou (51%, earning up to 100%): One granted EL covering 287 km², about three hours by road from Abidjan. Zaranou spans around 47 km of prospective strike; drilling to date averages approximately 62 metres depth.
- Maphai (100%): EL application over 398km², along strike from Zaranou and roughly two hours from Abidjan within a well-established mining district.
- Vavoua (option to acquire up to 100%): Two contiguous licences—Vavoua North and Vavoua South—covering 537km², located ~20 km northeast along strike from the operating Abujar Mine.
Rationale and outlook
Skylark says the acquisition provides an immediate platform for accelerated exploration and resource growth, with district-scale prospectivity at Zaranou and additional discovery potential at Maphai and Vavoua.
The company views the entry terms as accretive and consistent with its strategy to acquire high-quality, under-valued assets that can deliver value through systematic exploration and technical work.
Executive chair Nikolai Zelenski said the deal “delivers scale, quality and immediate growth potential” in a stable gold jurisdiction, adding that Zaranou offers a strong foundation with clear pathways to grow the resource.
He said Skylark continues to assess complementary opportunities and expects this to be the first of several steps in building a broader West African gold portfolio.