Aurum Resources Ltd (ASX:AUE) has reported a new round of strong gold intercepts from step-back diamond drilling at the Tchaga deposit, part of its 0.87-million-ounce Napié Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire. The latest results come from 18 holes for 5,479 metres within the company’s ongoing 30,000-metre program aimed at expanding Mineral Resources.
The campaign continues to validate broad and high-grade zones outside the current 0.54-million-ounce Tchaga resource (1.16 g/t Au), with mineralisation now confirmed over more than 2.3 kilometres of strike and remaining open along trend and at depth. Drilling has also tested down to more than 400 metres vertical, well below the limits of the existing model.
Aurum says the work reinforces the potential to grow the Napié inventory ahead of a scheduled Mineral Resource update in Q1 CY2026.
Aurum’s Napié Gold Project.
Standout drill results
Among the strongest new intersections were:
- 5 metres at 10.09 g/t gold from 209 metres, including 1 metre at 49.10 g/t (NADD062).
- 10.8 metres at 4.52 g/t from 73 metres, including 1.9 metres at 23.45 g/t (NADD060).
- 6 metres at 3.82 g/t from 226 metres, including 1 metre at 22.37 g/t (NADD064).
These were supported by broader zones of lower-grade mineralisation, including 50 metres at 0.62 g/t from 363 metres (NADD062) and 36.7 metres at 0.66 g/t from 93.3 metres (NADD076).
Plan view showing new drill results (yellow) for Tchaga.
Managing director Dr Caigen Wang said the results highlight both scale and grade potential at Tchaga.
“We are hitting multiple broad shallow, open-pitable gold intercepts from this latest round of step-back diamond drilling at Napié’s Tchaga deposit,” he said.
“Most of these intercepts are outside of the current MRE and have been drilled on a 100-metre line spacing, and in places down to over 400 metres’ vertical depth, well below the current MRE. Within this we are seeing a higher-grade core of around 400m strike, which includes our previous result 17m @ 9.38 g/t gold from 236m.”
Oblique Cross Section looking northeast (+/-25m) showing new drill results (yellow) for Tchaga.
Growth pipeline building into 2026
Aurum continues to expand its exploration capacity, with a company-owned fleet rigs active across Côte d’Ivoire. The company plans more than 130,000 metres of drilling at Boundiali and Napié in CY2025, including 100,000 metres at the flagship 2.41-million-ounce Boundiali Project.
Location of Aurum’s Boundiali and Napié gold projects in Côte d'Ivoire.
“Our unique advantage is our owned and operated fleet of 12 diamond drill rigs, which allows us to aggressively and cost-effectively test these major gold systems, and we continue to drill with two rigs at Napié in parallel with our aggressive program at Boundiali,” Wang said.
Two major Mineral Resource updates for Napié and Boundiali are scheduled for Q1 CY2026, alongside a pre-feasibility study for Boundiali.
Historical drilling at Tchaga underscores the deposit’s consistency and grade distribution, with past intercepts including 13 metres at 20.82 g/t gold from 32 metres, 9 metres at 22.73 g/t from 36 metres and 17 metres at 9.38 g/t from 236 metres.
Next steps
Drilling is continuing at Tchaga with further assays due through the remainder of CY2025. True widths for the shallow, wide gold intercepts are estimated at 65–80% of reported downhole lengths.
“As we close out CY2025, we have a strong cash balance of $43 million, a clear development pathway with the Boundiali PFS under way, and resource growth from major updates at both projects pending,” Wang said. “This places Aurum in an excellent position to continue to deliver substantial shareholder value in 2026.”
Read more: Aurum hits 70.78 g/t gold at Boundiali, expands drilling fleet ahead of resource updates