Africa-focussed minerals exploration company IronRidge Resources has started its third phase drilling programme within the Zaranou gold project area in Côte d’Ivoire, with about 50 000 m of drilling planned.
The licence borders with Ghana and is along strike from significant operating gold mines including Chirano (5-million ounces), Bibiani (5.5-million ounces) and Ahafo (17-million ounces).
The second phase drilling programme has now been completed, with 22 389 m drilled in 416 holes across the Ehuasso and Ebilassokro targets.
The second phase drilling programme consisted of air core (AC) drilling of 20 312 m in 404 holes over the Ehuasso and Ebilassokro targets, while the reverse circulation (RC) drilling programme consisted of 2 077 m in 12 holes over the Ehuasso targets.
IronRidge notes that the remaining AC and RC results will be reported as soon as they become available and have been reviewed.
In terms of the third phase drilling programme, the company says field teams have remobilised to site and an AC rig and RC rig have resumed drilling activities, with a second RC rig scheduled to arrive within a week.
A total of about 50 000 m of combined AC and RC drilling has been planned along the Zaranou licence with about 20 000 m of resource RC drilling at the Ehuasso Main target and 30 000 m of exploration AC drilling at the Ebilassokro, Mbasso, Super Pit and Yakassé targets.
About 20 000 m of RC resource drilling has been planned at the Ehuasso Main target, designed to infill the existing 160 m spaced AC drill traverses to 80 m line spacing, as well as test deeper below previously reported AC intersections along the 1.5-km-long target.
RC drilling is planned to be completed by end of the year using two dedicated RC rigs with the aim of defining a maiden mineral resource under an accelerated timeline and dependent on results.
About 30 000 m of exploration AC drilling is planned at the Ebilassokro, Yakassé, Mbasso and Super Pit targets, to be completed by the end of the year. Drilling is planned to test along strike from previously reported results from the first and second phase drill programmes at broad 160 m spaced AC drill traverses.
IronRidge COO Len Kolff says that, while waiting on final results from the second phase drill programme, the company has remobilised the drill rigs and added a third rig to accelerate infill drill testing of the Ehuasso Main target and continue to build on the pipeline of exploration targets.
“The AC rig will continue to build the pipeline of exploration targets along the Zaranou licence with about 30 000 m of drilling planned to test historic drill results at the Yakassé target and step out 160 m spaced AC traverses at the Ebilassokro, Mbasso and Super Pit targets where Phase 1 and Phase 2 drilling reported promising results.”