Castle Minerals Launches 410-Hole Auger Drilling to Expand Kandia Gold Zones
Castle Minerals is launching a major auger drilling campaign at its Kandia Gold Prospect in northern Ghana, aiming to extend known gold zones and test new targets identified through advanced aeromagnetic surveys. Positive results could fast-track follow-up drilling and bolster the company’s exploration momentum in a highly prospective region.
- 410-hole power auger drilling campaign underway at Kandia
- Targets include extensions of known gold zones and new regional-scale structures
- Campaign leverages proprietary high-resolution aeromagnetic data
- Positive anomalies to be prioritised for follow-up reverse circulation drilling
- Similar sampling planned for Kpali Gold Project based on ongoing geological interpretation
Exploration Intensifies at Kandia
Castle Minerals Limited (ASX, CDT) has announced the commencement of an extensive 410-hole power auger drilling campaign at its Kandia Gold Prospect, located in Ghana’s emerging Upper West gold region. This initiative is designed to test extensions of known mineralised zones, particularly at the Kandia 4000 and 8000 prospects, while also probing new targets identified through the company’s proprietary high-resolution aeromagnetic survey data.
The campaign is notable for its scale and strategic focus on the Birimian terrane, a geological formation renowned across West Africa for hosting multi-million-ounce gold deposits. Castle’s exploration approach hinges on targeting deeply penetrating regional-scale structures that are interpreted to traverse the Kandia licence and adjacent tenures, structures that elsewhere have proven to be fertile pathways for gold mineralisation.
Leveraging Advanced Geophysical Data
By integrating aeromagnetic survey data with geological mapping, Castle has refined its understanding of where these key structures intersect with prospective Birimian rocks. This has enabled the identification and ranking of multiple priority sites for near-surface gold anomalism. The auger drilling will sample soil-bedrock interfaces at depths between 5 and 12 metres along lines spaced 400 metres apart, with samples collected every 40 metres. Positive results from this initial grid will prompt tighter sampling to better delineate targets.
The northern sector of the Kandia licence is receiving particular attention due to its proximity to a prospective contact zone between Birimian metasediments and a granite intrusive, which trends towards the nearby Black Volta Gold Project, home to multi-million-ounce gold deposits owned by Azumah Resources (Ghana) Limited.
Expanding Exploration at Kpali
Alongside Kandia, Castle is advancing geological interpretation at its Kpali Gold Project, also in northern Ghana. Utilizing recently acquired aeromagnetic data, the company is designing a follow-up auger sampling campaign aimed at testing newly generated targets. This parallel effort underscores Castle’s broader strategy to unlock value across its extensive portfolio in the Wa East region, which encompasses fertile Birimian greenstone belts.
Context in Ghana’s Northern Gold Frontier
Ghana’s northern region is increasingly recognised as a new frontier for gold exploration, with geology and structural settings analogous to the prolific gold belts of Côte d’Ivoire. While exploration here remains relatively immature compared to southern Ghana, the potential for significant discoveries is high. Castle’s focus on shallow, bulk-tonnage gold mineralisation associated with a 16-kilometre southwest-trending sheared contact at Kandia positions it well to capitalise on this opportunity.
Samples will be collected by Ghana-based Sahara Mining Services, with results expected to guide subsequent reverse circulation drilling campaigns. Castle’s in-house technical team, led by Executive Chair Stephen Stone, brings proven expertise in greenfield discovery, aiming to convert these early-stage exploration efforts into tangible resource growth.
Bottom Line?
Castle’s large-scale auger drilling campaign at Kandia marks a pivotal step in advancing its exploration footprint in northern Ghana’s promising gold province.
Questions in the middle?
- What initial assay results will emerge from the 410-hole auger drilling campaign?
- How will positive auger anomalies influence the timing and scale of follow-up RC drilling?
- What new insights will the aeromagnetic data interpretation at Kpali reveal about its gold potential?
