Mako Gold Ltd (ASX:MKG) has extended Tchaga prospect strike length to 1.8 kilometres on the Napié Project in Côte d'Ivoire with the latest shallow, high-grade results to be included in an upcoming maiden resource estimate.
Assays have been received from 19 holes with a best result of 9 metres at 6.26 g/t gold from 16 metres, including 1-metre at 38.18 g/t, within a total mineralised interval averaging 36 metres at 2.03 g/t gold and another strong result of 11 metres at 3.28 g/t from 8 metres.
Recent drilling has also extended the strike length of Lode 1 by 200 metres from previous drilling with the zone remaining open to the southwest at depth.
Infill drilling underway
Managing director Peter Ledwidge said the extension "significantly" increased the footprint of Lode 1 and extended the southern limit of the Tchaga resource area.
He said: “The new mineralised area was discovered through our disciplined and methodical approach of selecting individual drill targets based on soil geochemistry, geophysics and previous drilling.
“Broad-spaced drilling has been employed to identify new targets which are then followed up by infill and extensional drilling as we work towards a maiden resource on the Tchaga prospect.
“The infill work in this exciting new mineralised zone is underway, with a multi-purpose drill rig working double shifts six days a week at Tchaga, averaging rates of 200 metres per day.
“We look forward to providing additional results on the Tchaga Prospect as assays are received from the two labs we are utilising.”
Results validate two-tier strategy
Mako believes the current results validate the company’s two-tier strategy of extending mineralised lodes along strike as well as targeting new mineralised lodes.
The extension of gold mineralisation in Lode 1 indicates that Mako’s strategy can be applied to the other lodes to increase the footprint of mineralisation on each lode.
In addition, exploration drilling to the north and south on Tchaga targets new parallel stacked lodes which could then be the focus of infill and extensional drilling with the aim of advancing the Tchaga Prospect and the greater Napié Project to a significant resource.
Additional assays pending
All four mineralised lodes identified to date remain open along strike to the northeast and southwest, as well as at depth.
Extensional and infill drilling is now underway while drilling is ongoing at the Tchaga prospect.
Additional assays for 47 reverse circulation (RC) holes and 8 diamond drill holes remain pending.