Mako Gold Ltd (ASX:MKG) has hit more high-grade gold during extensional drilling at its Napié Project in Côte d’Ivoire, which it expects will add ounces to the maiden mineral resource estimate (MRE) for Tchaga and Gogbala prospects, due in the first half of this year.
The company has received assay results from 32 reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling (DD) holes from the 10,000-metre drilling program at Gogbala prospect and seven holes from the ongoing 10,000-metre drilling program at Tchaga prospect.
These two prospects are located on a 23-kilometre soil anomaly along the coincident 30-kilometre-long Napié Fault.
Bolstering the MRE
“We are very pleased with the ongoing outstanding results from our drilling programs at both the Gogbala and Tchaga prospects at Napié," managing director Peter Ledwidge said.
“We are highly encouraged by the drill results which will add potential ounces to the upcoming maiden mineral resource estimate, scheduled for the first half of this year.
“Tchaga drilling has focused on extensional drilling which will bolster the MRE, while Gogbala drilling is testing new targets as well as extensional drilling to increase the size of the upcoming MRE. Drilling on both Tchaga and Gogbala resumed on January 4 after a short break for the holiday season.”
Gogbala highlights
Results from 32 holes of the current 10,000-metre drill program at Gogbala include several high-grade intervals, with 20 holes intersecting significant mineralisation including 9 metres at 3.77 g/t in NARC579, 6 metres at 5.37 g/t in NARC569, including 3 metres at 9.61 g/t, and 1-metre at 28.93 g/t in NARC584.
The best results came from extensional drilling along strike or below previous positive drill intersects, which extends the mineralised zones.
Extensional drilling is ongoing to follow up on these and other previous results.
Recent results confirm that Gogbala displays repeating stacked lodes along the D1 Napié fault, like Tchaga, which increases confidence for the company’s goal of delineating a multi-million-ounce resource on the Napié Permit.
Mineralisation encountered to date at Gogbala is shallow - generally less than 100 metres vertical depth - and deeper drilling is needed to define the mineralised footprint at depth. With this done, the company is confident of tapping into a larger resource.
Tchaga highlights
Four of the seven holes drilled at Tchaga, as part of an ongoing extensional drilling program, intersected significant mineralisation.
Hole NARC467DD returned 5.8 metres at 6.96 g/t including 1-metre at 34.62 g/t in the diamond extension of the previously reported RC portion of the hole, which intersected 26 metres at 1.01 g/t.
A dedicated diamond drill rig is testing mineralisation at depth.
Extensional drilling has been extending the mineralised zones both at depth and along strike, thereby adding potential ounces for the upcoming maiden MRE.
Most of the drilling at Tchaga has been relatively shallow, but the diamond drill rig will remedy this, allowing deeper targets to be tested. Further deeper drilling will follow, contingent on the results of holes in progress.
“We look forward to providing further results as assays are received,” Ledwidge said.