West African gold exploration company Tietto Minerals (ASX:TIE) reports it has delivered gold intercepts of up to 174.9g/t gold (Au) from diamond drilling (DD) at the AG Core deposit, as part of its Abujar Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire.
The results, generated by 19 diamond drillholes, have confirmed gold mineralisation up to 150m below the current resource and that the highest grade intercept returned (8m at 11.38g/t Au from 262m, including 0.50m at 174.9g/t Au ZDD1334) sits 60m below the current DFS pit.
Other key results include, 6m at 9.10g/t Au from 180m including 2.50m at 21.50g/t Au; and 1.50m at 14.41g/t Au from 235.5m (drillhole ZDD1328), as well as 2m at 11.19g/t Au from 261m (drillhole ZDD1346).
Drilling commenced with a goal of generating results that increase both the confidence and size of the gold Mineral Resource Estimates (MREs).
It is also reported that these results are set to be included in the company’s next MRE update that is scheduled to be delivered early in CY23.
Tietto Minerals notes that further drilling at AG Core will be conducted to assess the potential below the planned DFS open pit where gold mineralisation remains open at depth, while it awaits the return of 66 additional drillhole assays.
Commenting on the results, Tietto Minerals Managing Director, Dr. Caigen Wang said: “Our exploration team has again delivered ‘high-grade’ gold at the AG Core within 0.50m at 174.90g/t Au within 8m at 11.38g/t Au from 262m at ZDD1334.
“These wide-spaced results have given our exploration team encouragement that further deeper drilling could intercept ‘high-grade’ shoots”
We have also extended the known depth of gold mineralisation at AG Core by up to 150m below the current resource model at AG Core. These wide-spaced results have given our exploration team encouragement that further deeper drilling could intercept ‘high-grade’ shoots at depths below these pierce points. We will incorporate all drilling intercepts reported into the next resource update, which is now expected early in CY23…
Shareholders can expect further updates from our aggressive diamond drilling program as we advance our dual strategy of ‘drill and build’ and develop our Abujar project into West Africa’s next gold mine, with first gold by the end of Q4 CY22.”
The company also notes that these new results increase the tally of total assays received to date to 85 intervals greater than 50 gold gram metres, including 16 intervals greater than 200 gold gram metres at the AG Core deposit.
In addition, the company’s 8 diamond rigs are actively drilling and have returned an increased forecast up to 120,000m drilling by the end of the year.
The Abujar project is located in western Cote d’Ivoire and comprises three contiguous tenements that cover a total land area of 1,114km-square, of which only 10% has been explored. The project currently boasts a MRE of 98.7Mt at 1.1g/t Au for 3.45Moz and is forecast to produce about 260,000oz gold within the first year of production and a total of 1.2Moz gold over the first six years.
With drilling at the AG Core deposit still ongoing, Tietto Minerals announces its gold plant construction for the Abujar project is fully funded and has no debt, with first gold expected to be delivered in Q4 of this year.
Images: Tietto Minerals Ltd & iStock
