Aurum Resources (ASX:AUE) has reported a ‘project-best’ gold intercept at its Boundiali Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire.
The company received assay results from eight diamond drill holes totalling 2,564.35m at the BST1 deposit. The standout hole BSDD0152 returned 28.8m @ 22.92 grams per tonne gold (Au) from 204m, including 17.95m @ 36.57g/t Au.
According to Aurum, BSDD0152 represents the ‘highest grade-thickness’ intercept reported at Boundiali to date.
Other key intercepts from the latest drilling include 57m @ 2.87g/t Au from 192m, including 5m @ 12.31g/t Au; 22m @ 4.70g/t Au from 279m including 2m @ 45.86g/t Au; and 1m @ 32.53g/t Au from 124m.
Managing Director Dr Caigen Wang says the eight holes are part of Aurum’s expanded 150,000m drilling program for 2026.
“We expect these holes to contribute to the BST1 indicated resource […] in the next mineral resource estimate update for Boundiali, expected early in the December quarter,” Wang says.
The BST1 indicated resource currently stands at 6.9 million tonnes @ 0.9g/t Au for 190,000 ounces.
Aurum has completed more than 290,000m of diamond drilling at Boundiali and operates 16 diamond drill rigs across the project.
The updated mineral resource estimate will feed into a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) due late 2026, with the company targeting construction start in early 2027 and first gold production in the first half of 2028.
Boundiali hosts a 3.22-million-ounce (Moz) gold resource and forms part of Aurum’s combined 4.4Moz gold resource base, which includes the 1.16Moz Napié Gold Project.
Aurum plans to complete a total 180,000m of drilling in 2026, with the company-owned drill rigs covering 150,000m at Boundiali and the other 30,000m to be undertaken at Napié.
The company remains well funded, with a cash balance of more than $95 million following a recent placement.
“This cash and our own diamond rig fleet places us in a strong position to advance drilling, studies, and permitting concurrently at Boundiali,” Wang says.
He adds that Aurum is now focused on the granting of the mining licences and completion of the DFS, with the goal of finalising funding and starting construction early next year.
“Boundiali continues to grow both in scale and confidence, and today’s results reinforce that trajectory,” Wang concludes.
Aurum Resources is an Australian gold explorer and developer focused on its projects in West Africa.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Main image: Aurum Resources
