Mako Gold (ASX:MKG) is planning additional reverse circulation (RC) drilling at the Gogbala South and Tchaga West targets within the Napié Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire.
Recent assay results from 8 diamond drillholes at Gogbala South include drillhole NARC777DD intersected 5m @ 1.02g/t Au and 2m @ 1.22g/t Au; and drillhole NARC776 intersected 9m @ 1.39g/t Au.
The $10.36 million market capitalisation company says 3 diamond tail holes to deepen pre-existing RC holes were drilled at Tchaga West. This was conducted to obtain structural information and confirm the interpreted shear from previous RC drilling.
Mako notes this shear is ‘important’ for future drilling along strike, which will test for mineralisation along strike from the lone fence that was drilled.
Drilling at Tchaga also presented a new target for ‘high-grade’ gold, which has resulted in the company planning more exploration fences for the western greenstone/granite contact to target the ‘high-grade’ gold.
At the Komboro prospect, the 25,000m auger drilling program conducted did not cover the entire area. Further auger drilling is planned in order to further pinpoint targets for further RC drilling at Komboro.
Meanwhile at the Korhogo Manganese Project, Mako has initiated detailed geological mapping and rock chip sampling, ahead of a planned metallurgical testwork program.
Once rock chip sample results have been received, the company will begin a ground geophysical survey at Korhogo. The survey results are anticipated to outline the manganese deposit at depths up to 100m, highlight the ‘higher grade’ areas, and identify the width and dip direction of the deposit for future drilling.
Metallurgical testing will be conducted to follow up on the results of the mapping and rock chip sampling, alongside the geophysical survey, once the best area to sample is determined.
A sequence of tests will evaluate economic recoveries of coarse manganese at saleable grade for steel production with relatively simple flowsheet options.
Mako has also planned a wide-spaced RC drilling program, following the completion of the other planned work at Korhogo.
“The structural interpretation delivered by our consultants, combined with our recent diamond drilling has greatly increased our understanding of the controls on gold mineralisation at the Napié Project“
Commenting on the ongoing activities, Mako Gold Managing Director Peter Ledwidge says: “We are pleased to be advancing both our Napié and Korhogo projects simultaneously.
The structural interpretation delivered by our consultants, combined with our recent diamond drilling has greatly increased our understanding of the controls on gold mineralisation at the Napié Project. Diamond drilling has yielded valuable structural information which will be used to target further mineralisation in upcoming drilling programs.
Detailed geological mapping and rock chip sampling is in full swing on the manganese discovery at the Korhogo Project, in anticipation of our first round of metallurgical testwork to evaluate the potential for economic recoveries of coarse manganese at saleable grade for steel production.”
Mako Gold is an Australian based exploration company advancing its flagship Napié Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire. As of 30 June 2023, the company had $2.796 million cash and cash equivalents at hand, according to its latest quarterly report.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Mako Gold
