Ariana Resources plc (LON:AAU) may increase the size of one of the pits at its new mine at Kiziltepe in Turkey after drilling confirmed gold signs outside the original area.
Drilling to the north west of the boundary of the proposed Arzu South pit confirmed a parallel vein system.
The majority of intercepts were just below or on the southern edge and mining them is possible from a NW pit extension, Ariana said.
Kerim Sener, Ariana’s managing director, added: "These results represent an encouraging advancement of our plans to extend the Arzu South open-pit by a further 200m to the NW from the original feasibility pit design (650m in length)."
He said the plan is currently for a three-staged pit design to optimise cashflow from the operation at Arzu South, but these drilling results increase the probability of a fourth (expanded) stage or possibly an underground operation in this area.
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