Avanti Gold (CSE:AGC) has doubled its active drill fleet from two to four rigs at the Misisi Gold Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A further two rigs are being mobilised and are expected to begin operating by the end of July, taking the fleet to six as Avanti advances a 42,000m exploration program.
The company says the program is the largest undertaken at Misisi and represents more than twice the project’s historical drilling.
One newly mobilised reverse circulation rig will be used to precollar holes through weathered material, allowing the diamond rigs to focus on core drilling through targeted mineralised zones.
Avanti expects the approach to increase drilling productivity, reduce unit costs, and accelerate the first phase of the program.
CEO Mohamed Cisse says expanding the fleet will increase the pace of resource growth, conversion, and regional exploration.
“With four rigs now operating — and six expected by the end of July — we are materially accelerating the pace at which we can generate value through resource growth, resource conversion and new discoveries across one of Central Africa’s most prospective gold belts,” Cisse says.
The first phase comprises about 15,000m of drilling at the Akyanga and Akyanga East deposits, targeting extensions to the existing resource and areas where confidence could be upgraded.
The second phase will comprise about 27,000m across Akyanga and the Ngalula, Lubitchako, Tulonge, and Kilombwe targets along the 55km Kibara Gold Belt.
Avanti expects the six-rig fleet to enable both phases to operate concurrently. Infill drilling at Akyanga will target the conversion of inferred resources to indicated status in support of a preliminary economic assessment anticipated in 2027.
The first batch of core from the 2026 campaign has been submitted to SGS Laboratories in Tanzania, with initial assays expected in the coming weeks.
Akyanga hosts a national instrument 43-101-compliant inferred mineral resource of 40.8 million tonnes averaging 2.37 grams per tonne gold for 3.11 million ounces. The estimate is based on 19,956m of historical drilling.
The resource extends from surface to a vertical depth of 350m across about 2,100m of strike and remains open along strike and at depth, according to Avanti.
Misisi comprises three contiguous 30-year mining leases covering 133km² in South Kivu province.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Images: Avanti Gold
