Castle Minerals Limited's recent drilling at the Kandia Gold Prospect in Ghana reveals promising deeper gold mineralisation with increasing grade and width, setting the stage for expanded resource potential.
- Four-hole RC drilling confirms continuity and depth extension of gold mineralisation
- Best intercepts include 7m at 3.36g/t Au from 149m and 5m at 3.49g/t Au from 82m
- Grade, mineralised width, and dip appear to increase with depth
- Prospective 16km Birimian contact zone offers multiple near-surface open-pit targets
- Follow-up drilling planned at Kandia and nearby zones, with Kpali results due soon
Strong Drilling Results at Kandia
Castle Minerals Limited (ASX: CDT) has reported encouraging results from a recent reverse circulation (RC) drilling campaign at its Kandia Gold Prospect, part of the expansive Wa Gold Project in Ghana's Upper West Region. The four-hole, 582-metre program targeted the "4,000-Zone," a key area of known mineralisation, and successfully confirmed both the continuity and depth extension of gold mineralisation.
Notably, the drilling intersected high-grade zones including 7 metres at 3.36 grams per tonne (g/t) gold from 149 metres within a broader 24-metre interval at 1.78 g/t, and 5 metres at 3.49 g/t from 82 metres within an 11-metre interval at 2.36 g/t. These intercepts rank among the best recorded at Kandia to date, suggesting the deposit's grade and mineralised width increase with depth.
Geological Context and Exploration Upside
The mineralisation at Kandia is hosted along a 16-kilometre prospective contact between Birimian metasediments and a granodiorite intrusion, a geological setting known to host significant gold deposits in West Africa. The recent drilling indicates a potential north-trending plunge with increasing dip, providing new vectors for focused exploration.
Castle's Executive Chairman, Stephen Stone, highlighted the opportunity to delineate multiple near-surface, open-pitable deposits along this extensive contact zone. The presence of artisanal mining activity, particularly at the "8,000-Zone" located 4 kilometres north of the current drilling area, further validates the prospectivity of the region.
Strategic Next Steps and Regional Significance
Building on these results, Castle plans to undertake extensional drilling at the "4,000-Zone" and initiate focused drilling at other historically identified targets along the Kandia trend. Additionally, results from a follow-up eight-hole RC program at the nearby Kpali gold prospect are expected in early February 2025, which could further enhance the company's resource base.
The Wa Gold Project sits within a highly prospective Birimian terrane that has yielded multiple multi-million-ounce gold discoveries in recent years, including the 5.1 million ounce Namdini deposit and the 2.8 million ounce Black Volta Gold Project. Castle's ongoing exploration efforts position it well to capitalize on this prolific gold province.
Broader Implications for Castle Minerals
Castle Minerals aims to delineate an initial combined resource of 1 million ounces across its cluster of prospects within the Wa Gold Project. The recent drilling success at Kandia represents a significant step towards this goal, potentially increasing both the tonnage and grade of mineralisation. The company's methodical approach, combining historical data with modern drilling techniques, underscores its commitment to unlocking value from this emerging gold district.
Bottom Line?
Castle Minerals’ deepening gold intercepts at Kandia could redefine its resource potential, with upcoming drilling results poised to further shape the project’s trajectory.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the upcoming Kpali drilling results confirm a broader regional gold system?
- How will increasing grade and width at depth impact future resource estimates and mining plans?
- What is the timeline and scale for expanding drilling along the full 16km prospective contact?