Shanta Gold Ltd announced “outstanding” results from further drilling on its Isulu and Bushiangala deposits and encouraging results from its new Ramula target all within its West Kenya project.
The aim of the Phase 2 drilling programme is to covert resources into the higher indicated category at the Isulu and Bushiangala deposits.
Highlights from nine holes drilled in the fourth quarter include 1.4 metres (m) at 150 grammes a tonne (g/t) gold, including 0.8m at 260 g/t, and 7.4m at 20.7 g/t, including 0.7m at 184 g/t, from Isulu.
"The latest phase of drilling at West Kenya has continued to deliver outstanding results, ensuring that this remains the most consistently high-grade drilling programme we've ever conducted at any asset in Shanta's history,” said chief executive Eric Zurrin.
Visible gold was identified in five intersections across nine holes drilled at Isulu and Bushiangala. Visible gold, including spectacular occurrences, have been identified in 35 intersections across 102 holes drilled to date, said the AIM-traded company.
It also conducted drilling in the fourth quarter at third site - the historical Ramula target – and added a fourth site - the virgin neighbouring 'Anomaly 22' target.
Results from Ramula include 4.8m at 23.40 g/t gold, 9m at 18.90g/t and 9.3m at 6.35 g/t. In all, there were 23 separate occurrences of visible gold in 10 holes drilled at Ramula.
“Looking forward to the next few weeks, we will announce the upgraded mineral resource estimate at Isulu and Bushiangala, and we are pleased to report that we will announce new maiden resources at Ramula and a remodelled compliant resource at Bumbo following some very encouraging results in the district targets,” said Zurrin.
“This is a hugely exciting time for the company and our stakeholders as the West Kenyan resource expands toward a multi-million-ounce gold district comparable with other prolific greenstone belts in the world."
Ongoing drilling at the Isulu and Bushiangala deposits is aimed at upgrading ounces from the inferred estimate of 1.18mln ounces stated in 2017 into the more certain indicated resource category down to a depth of 600m across three drilling phases.