Enegex (ASX: ENX) has outlined a new aircore (AC) drill target at its Tougbe permit in Côte d’Ivoire after power auger drilling, combined with historical AC data, defined a mineralised footprint about 650 metres long and more than 100 metres wide, covering roughly 10 ha.
The company said the target area carries an average all-of-hole gold value of 0.34 g/t Au across auger and historical AC results, which it interprets as evidence of a broad mineralised system suitable for follow-up drilling.
“This initial auger program has successfully defined a high-quality, large drill target at Tougbe for follow-up by AC drilling. I am very pleased that the results from the auger program confirm and in places improve on the wider-spaced historical AC drilling results. The combined auger and AC results suggest that the gold mineralised system is broad, which is exactly the target type we are pursuing in our Cote D’Ivoire exploration programs," managing director Paul Roberts said.
"Elsewhere, we have recently completed the trenching program on the Gogo permit and expect to receive results in the coming weeks, with RC drilling likely to follow in March following completion of the Tougbe AC program. We are also pleased to note receipt of the decree documents for four more exploration permits. We expect to start work on those areas in the coming months.”
Shallow auger hits lift confidence in the system
Enegex reported several standout auger holes based on all-of-hole averages, including:
- TOAU0038: 18 metres @ 1.59 grams oper ton (g/t) Au, including 8 metres @ 3.22 g/t Au from 0 m
- TOAU0016: 10 metres @ 1.17 g/t Au, including 7 metres @ 1.65 g/t Au from 0 m
- TOAU0012: 15 metres @ 0.77 g/t Au, including 5 metres @ 2.26 g/t Au from 10 m to EOH
- TOAU0033: 18 metres @ 0.63 g/t Au, including 7 metres @ 1.40 g/t Au from 2 m
The auger program comprised 70 holes for 1,129 metres, with composite sampling generally in 4 metre intervals, tightened where geology suggested higher potential.
Legacy aircore intercepts support broader target zone
Within the same area, Enegex highlighted historical vertical AC intercepts including:
- TEWA335: 39 metres @ 0.71 g/t Au, including 8 metres @ 3.42 g/t Au from 24 metres
- TEWA348: 32 metres @ 0.62 g/t Au, including 8 metres @ 2.32 g/t Au from 8 metres
- TEWA336: 33 metres @ 0.60 g/t Au, including 9 metres @ 1.44 g/t Au from 24 metres to EOH
Combined vertical power auger and historical AC results, Tougbe permit.
Enegex said the mineralisation orientation cannot be resolved from the vertical auger results alone but is interpreted as steeply dipping, NE-trending quartz-vein related mineralisation in metasedimentary rocks. This interpretation underpins plans for angled AC drilling to better assess true widths.
Drilling timetable: 3,000m of angled AC planned
The company plans about 3,000 metres of angled AC drilling to follow up the newly defined target zone, with the program expected to begin in early February.
In parallel, Enegex has started a separate 160-hole power auger program on an undercover structural target west of the AC target, where alluvial cover has limited prior exploration. The company also flagged new artisanal workings elsewhere on Tougbe, with rock-chip sampling planned.
Locations of AC drill target and new power auger drill program.
Broader Côte d’Ivoire exploration expands
Away from Tougbe, Enegex said it has completed 376 m of trenching across five trenches on the Gogo permit, with results pending, and identified a new structural target east of the Bonoubana trend for upcoming soil sampling.
The company also reported receiving decree documents granting four additional exploration permits—Tougbe East, Gogo West, Toumodi and Dimbokro—with reconnaissance mapping and BLEG stream sediment sampling planned in the coming months.