Aurum strikes 23g/t gold at West African gold project

Perth-based gold explorer Aurum Resources has delivered another batch of encouraging high-grade gold intercepts from its BMT3 target in the company’s flagship Boundiali gold project in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa.

The best grade was obtained from an intercept of 2.20 metres at 23.65 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from just 93.6 metres downhole. 

The latest results came from 23 infill and step-back diamond drill holes totalling 5076 metres of drilling at BMT3, which lies in the northern third of the BM tenement, where Aurum holds an 80 per cent interest. 

The BMT3 deposit has already been subject to extensive drilling, which has delivered an initial combined inferred and indicated resource of 16.2 million tonnes at a grade of 1.1g/t gold for 590,000 ounces of the metal. 

Drilling has continued to confirm robust mineralisation hosted in a diorite intrusion, characterised by disseminated pyrite, quartz veining, occasional visible gold and silica, carbonate and chlorite alteration.

The longest high-grade intercept was a solid 10.15m assaying 6.05g/t gold from 125.5m depth, which included a richer 3.6m slice going 13.88g/t gold. Another notable intercept returned 4.30m at 5.41g/t gold from 217m, including 1.3m at 17.43 g/t gold.

Other narrower high-grade hits included a fourth hole, which intercepted 1.5m grading 12.96g/t gold from 105.5m, while a fifth hole delivered 8.48m at 2.15g/t gold from 74.20m, including 1.48m at 10.55g/t gold. 

Overall, the program has picked up multiple zones of high-grade mineralisation, with true widths estimated at between 60 and 80 per cent of reported downhole intervals.

Aurum Resources managing director Dr Caigen Wang said:“We have again hit shallow high-grade gold intercepts at BMT3 with 3.60m @ 13.88g/t gold at Boundiali. This high-grade gold intercept is sitting outside of the current MRE and is located ~100m north of 3.1m @ 70.78g/t gold from 112.90m in MBDD2914.”

The latest findings have added to previously reported bonanza-grade hits in the BMT3 deposit area that grabbed attention, including extraordinary intercepts of up to 277.54g/t gold over 1.19m, 274.89g/t across one metre and 0.8m running at a whopping 350g/t gold within a broader zone of 3.8m assaying 73.82g/t gold. 

Such numbers underscore the scale of the opportunity across the broader area, pointing to strong potential for exceptionally rich pockets within the wider mineralised system. Gold mineralisation at BMT3 remains open along strike and at depth, further underscoring significant upside for resource growth. 

Aurum has recently bolstered its onsite drilling capacity by adding two new drill rigs to bring the fleet to 12 machines, keeping the company on track for more than 130,000 metres of drilling across Boundiali and its nearby Napié project by year’s end.

With a healthy cash balance of almost $43 million, Aurum remains well-funded to continue its aggressive exploration program, including ongoing resource expansion drilling, testing new targets and advancing known prospects. 

The company is planning significant resource updates for both Boundiali and its nearby separate Napié project in next year’s first quarter, alongside results from an ongoing pre-feasibility study (PFS) for an open-pit development at Boundiali.

With investor appetite for West African gold stories on the rise, Aurum’s aggressive and, at the same time, methodical approach to exploration appears well-timed. Mineralisation remains open in multiple directions, the drill rods are spinning on an expanded front and a healthy cash balance leaves the company well-placed to chase meaningful resource growth at Boundiali and nearby Napié through 2026.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: matt.birney@businessnews.com.au