Asara Resources Ltd (ASX:AS1, OTC:GMRMF) has extended high-grade gold mineralisation at its Massan deposit within the company’s flagship Kada Gold Project in Guinea, returning 54 metres at 2.3 g/t gold from 42 metres in a step-out hole targeting a northeast-trending structural corridor.
The standout intercept from drillhole MSRC26-013 forms part of the company’s Phase 2 Inferred Extension programme and confirms the continuation of the NE–SW trending D2 structure where it intersects the primary north–south D1 trend — an area that has seen limited effective drill testing to date.
The hole ended in mineralisation, with no deeper drilling yet completed to the northeast beyond this point.
Kada gold project drill collar plan map showing potential strike extensions beyond the current MRE.
Structural model gains further support
MSRC26-013 returned:
- 54m @ 2.3 g/t gold from 42m, including:
- 12m @ 3.6 g/t from 42m
- 4m @ 3.7 g/t from 58m
- 4m @ 4.8 g/t from 68m
- 4m @ 4.6 g/t from 78m
- 6m @ 1.2 g/t from 90m
The hole was designed to test whether the mapped regional D2 structure extended beyond limits defined by historical drilling at Massan. Previous shallow air core drilling in the area was sub-optimally orientated relative to the interpreted structure.
Cross section C-D indicating the existing MRE 2023 Indicated and Inferred classifications, the 2023 pit shell (US$1,800), and recent drilling results (Intercept cut-off grade ≥0.3 g/t Au, intervals ≥2m in length, intervals are reported with ≤3m of continuous internal dilution).
Chief executive officer Matt Sharples said the result strongly validated the company’s geology-driven exploration approach.
“In addition to the strong results from the latest batch of Phase 1 drilling, the Phase 2 MSRC26-013 drillhole is a highly encouraging result that provides a strong validation of our structural interpretations at Massan,” Sharples said.
“The 54 metres at 2.3 g/t Au from 42 metres, including multiple higher-grade intervals, demonstrates both thickness and grade continuity within this extension zone.”
He said the result highlighted the opportunity outside the central known core of the deposit and would directly inform additional high-priority holes within the Phase 1 Indicated Conversion program.
Plan map illustrating the location of the Phase 1 and Phase 2 drillholes reported in this press release.
Conversion drilling builds depth and continuity
Alongside the extension success, Phase 1 infill drilling aimed at converting Inferred material to Indicated classification continued to demonstrate broad and continuous mineralised zones.
Significant Phase 1 results included:
MSRC26-005:
- 37m @ 1.0 g/t gold from surface, including 4m @ 3.8 g/t
- 5m @ 5.1 g/t from 217m, including 1m @ 13.1 g/t
MSRC26-003:
- 76m @ 0.6 g/t gold from 111m, including 15m @ 1.2 g/t
MSRC26-004:
- 8m @ 1.9 g/t gold from 82m, including 1m @ 7.1 g/t
Drilling has extended mineralisation to depths of 250 metres and beyond, with several holes terminating in mineralisation, suggesting potential for further down-dip continuity.
Cross section A-B indicating the existing MRE 2023 Indicated and Inferred classifications, the 2023 pit shell (US$1,800), and recent drilling results (Intercept cut-off grade ≥0.3 g/t Au, intervals ≥2m in length, intervals are reported with ≤3m of continuous internal dilution).
The Phase 1 program is designed to expand the current Indicated strike length of around 300 metres to at least align with the existing 1,300-metre Inferred Resource footprint. It also aims to increase the average drilling depth from roughly 140 metres in the 2023 mineral resource estimate to about 250 metres.
Interpreted extension of the NE high-grade zone, showing planned Phase 1 drillholes to test continuity and expand Indicated Mineral Resources within the corridor.
Growing the broader corridor
The broader Kada strategy remains two-fold: upgrade and deepen existing resources while systematically expanding the mineralised footprint along strike.
Proven mineralisation has been identified along approximately 3.5 kilometres of the north–south corridor, though much of this has historically been drilled at spacing insufficient for Inferred classification. The Phase 2 programme is targeting this established strike to appropriate Inferred spacing.
Recent Phase 2 drilling has returned intercepts more than 500 metres beyond the limits of the existing Inferred resource, underscoring the scale of the mineralised system at Massan.
Asara has mobilised a second reverse circulation rig to accelerate the Phase 1 conversion campaign. Three RC rigs and one diamond drill rig are currently active at Massan, alongside a dedicated AC/RC rig for Phase 2 and an auger rig conducting regional geochemical drilling.
Asara’s flagship Kada Gold Project currently hosts an Indicated and Inferred mineral resource of 30.3 million tonnes at 1.0 g/t gold for 923,000 ounces, with the majority comprising shallow oxide and transitional material.
The company remains focused on expanding and upgrading that resource base as drilling continues.