Aurum Resources Ltd (ASX:AUE) has extended gold mineralisation beyond the current resource boundary at the BDT2 deposit within its 3.22-million-ounce Boundiali Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire.
Final assay results from the latest BDT2 campaign covered 10 diamond holes for 3,565 metres of step-out and extensional drilling, confirming that the gold system remains open along strike and at depth.
Key results included:
- 0.61 metres at 47.60 g/t gold from 189.39 metres;
- 4.46 metres at 4.23 g/t from 90 metres, including 0.50 metres at 35.19 g/t;
- 39 metres at 0.79 g/t from 372 metres, including 3 metres at 5.76 g/t;
- 3 metres at 4.02 g/t from 124 metres, including 2.30 metres at 5.16 g/t; and
- 15 metres at 0.73 g/t from 116 metres, including 1 metre at 4.20 g/t.
The holes were drilled on 100-metre line spacing to test the deposit’s limits and returned several zones of thick gold mineralisation outside the existing mineral resource estimate.
Managing director Dr Caigen Wang said the results strengthened the project’s resource-growth potential.
“Our latest BDT2 results reinforce the momentum we continue to drive across the Boundiali deposits. This final batch of step-out drilling has pushed mineralisation beyond the current resource envelope and confirmed the system remains open at dept and highlight both grade and scale potential in areas previously untested.
“With 16 diamond rigs owned by Aurum now active across Boundiali, we are executing one of the most aggressive and efficient drilling programs in the region. Aurum has grown the Boundiali resource to 3.22Moz in a remarkably short timeframe, and these new results will feed directly into a major resource update targeted for the end of Q3 CY2026.
“Our balance sheet remains strong with $54.7M in cash, enabling us to advance drilling, studies and permitting in parallel. Environmental approval in May and the delivery of PFS and Maiden Ore Reserves in June have set a clear pathway toward Mining Licences and DFS completion later this year.
“Boundiali is rapidly evolving into a development opportunity of significant scale, and the results reported here further strengthen that trajectory. We look forward to achieving more progress on Boundiali exploration and development through the remainder of 2026.”
Boundiali development program advances
The new results will be incorporated into the next major Boundiali mineral resource update, targeted for the end of the third quarter of 2026.
Aurum is undertaking a 100,000-metre drilling program at Boundiali, with 16 company-owned diamond rigs testing strike and depth extensions across the BD, BM and BST tenements.
The company is also planning follow-up drilling around the newly identified mineralisation, while rigs have moved to deposits on the neighbouring BST and BM tenements.
A definitive feasibility study is expected in late 2026, building on the project’s pre-feasibility study, maiden ore reserve and environmental approval.
The next few months looks like this:
1. Boundiali: Moving to Development
- Drilling (100,000m): 16 diamond rigs to test strike and depth extensions across BD, BM, and BST tenements.
- Resource Update: Next major MRE update is targeted for end Q3 CY2026.
- DFS Delivery: Results from 2026 drilling and the PFS will be incorporated in a DFS expected in late 2026.
2. Napié: Scaling the Resource
- Resource Expansion: A 30,000m diamond drilling program is planned to grow the 1.16Moz gold resource.
- Drilling Efficiency: Aurum is building an exploration camp close to the Napié gold deposits to reduce operating costs and improve access efficiency.
3. Regional Exploration & Discovery
- Pipeline Generation: Scout drilling is planned for the BD, BM, and BST tenements to test new targets identified via soil anomalies and geological mapping.
- Early-Stage Growth: Aurum is advancing its Encore JV9 and Major Star Plus10 partnership projects to identify new gold systems in the region.