Mako Gold Ltd (ASX:MKG) has struck further high-grade gold during ongoing drilling at Gogbala Prospect, part of the company’s flagship Napié Project in Côte d’Ivoire.
Assay results returned from 43 holes confirm the quality of the mineralisation and prove the potential for further growth at two new mineralised zones outside of the current resource drill area.
These two new zones returned up to 6 metres at 5.05 g/t gold from 79 metres and 4 metres at 4.82 g/t from 113 metres.
Gogbala is situated on a 23-kilometre soil anomaly and coincident 30-kilometre-long Napié Fault.
Pathway for resource growth
The two new zones include more than a kilometre of undrilled Napié Fault, which provides a pathway for resource growth following the maiden mineral resource estimate (MRE) scheduled for the second quarter of the year.
Significant wide and high-grade mineralisation was intersected in 36 of the 43 holes, with highlights:
- 7 metres at 1.26 g/t gold from 22 metres and 4 metres at 14.78 g/t from 93 metres, including 2 metres at 27.83 g/t from 93 metres;
- 6 metres at 5.05 g/t from 79 metres, including 1-metre at 12.18 g/t from 80 metres and 1-metre at 10.71 g/t from 82 metres;
- 6 metres at 4.28 g/t from 63 metres; including 1-metre at 14.65 g/t from 68 metres; and
- 7 metres at 2.58 g/t from 155 metres.
Rigs running “around the clock”
The majority of holes were drilled in the 2-kilometre-long high priority area, which is the focus of extensional drilling for the upcoming maiden MRE. Some of the holes, however, were drilled outside of the high priority zone and confirmed the two emerging new mineralised zones.
The RC and diamond drill rigs are on-site and running around the clock.
Mako MD Peter Ledwidge with geologist Koniba Traore inspecting diamond drill core.
Mako management was recently on-site to evaluate operations. Mako managing director Peter Ledwidge said: “We are once again very pleased to be reporting on more good results from our extensional drilling program at the Gogbala prospect.
“We are excited by our discovery of two new emerging mineralised zones at Gogbala as these present high-priority targets which have the potential to expand the resource when we resume drilling at Gogbala following the maiden MRE."
High calibre exploration team
“It is highly encouraging that 36 of the 43 holes drilled returned significant gold results and we are consistently achieving a high success rate in our drilling.
“Mako management recently travelled to the projects in Côte d’Ivoire, and we are extremely pleased with the high calibre and performance of our exploration team.
“Our inspection of the drill core and RC chips, as well as our field visits to the Napié and Korhogo projects, continue to underline the potential to further expand inventory at Mako’s projects.”
Other results expected imminently
Results from aircore drilling at Tchaga North and Komboro are expected imminently, with RC drilling to start shortly.
Results from auger drilling at Korhogo are also expected soon, with a maiden RC drilling program to follow.