Altair Expands South Oko Soil Sampling to 1,200 and 500 Auger Holes

• South Oko exploration program doubled to 1,200 soil samples, 500 auger holes, and 7km trenching
• Drilling at South Oko remains on track for Q1 2026 despite expanded field activities
• New equipment and tripled geological team deployed to maintain timelines
• Program designed to replicate predecessors’ success with over 9 million ounces discovered on Oko Shear
• Geophysical survey tripled to cover 300km of Greater Oko Project, including North Peters

Expanding the Footprint at South Oko

Altair Minerals Limited (ASX, ALR) has announced a major scale-up of its exploration program at the South Oko prospect, part of its expansive Greater Oko Project in Guyana. The company plans to double its fieldwork, increasing soil sampling to approximately 1,200 samples, adding 500 auger holes, and extending trenching to over 7 kilometres. This expanded effort aims to refine and define high-confidence drill targets ahead of a maiden drilling campaign scheduled for the first quarter of 2026.

Despite the increased scope, Altair is confident that the timing for commencing drilling will remain unaffected. The company has invested in new in-house equipment, including excavators and auger rigs, and has tripled its field geological team to execute the enhanced program efficiently and in parallel with existing plans.

Strategic Approach Backed by Proven Expertise

Altair’s approach is informed by recommendations from Pascal Van Osta, a seasoned exploration leader with a track record of major greenfield discoveries in West Africa and Guyana. The inclusion of auger holes alongside soil sampling allows for multi-depth profiling of gold anomalies, reducing false positives and improving the accuracy of drill targeting. This methodical pre-drilling work is designed to uncover the primary gold source believed responsible for the extensive alluvial gold activity observed at South Oko.

The program covers a 15-kilometre strike of the Oko Shear, significantly larger than the 5 kilometres previously drilled by two predecessor companies that collectively discovered over 9 million ounces of gold. Altair’s CEO, Faheem Ahmed, highlighted the potential for multiple deposits along this prolific shear zone, drawing parallels with major West African gold belts.

Positioning in a Premier Gold Jurisdiction

Guyana’s emergence as a stable, pro-mining jurisdiction within the Guiana Shield has attracted significant exploration interest. The Greater Oko Project’s contiguous 590 square kilometres represent a rare and strategic landholding in one of the world’s most promising greenstone belts. Altair’s project neighbors the Oko West deposit, a 5.9 million ounce gold discovery acquired for $1 billion by GMining Ventures, underscoring the region’s potential.

Altair is also tripling its initial structural and geophysical survey to cover 300 kilometres of the Greater Oko Project, including the North Peters target, where drilling is set to commence prior to South Oko. This comprehensive data collection will provide a robust foundation for future drilling and resource definition.

Looking Ahead

With permanent camp construction underway and an aggressive two-year drilling campaign planned, Altair is positioning itself to capitalize on the significant exploration upside in Guyana. The company’s thorough and expanded pre-drilling programs aim to replicate the success of its predecessors and potentially unlock multiple gold deposits along the Oko Shear.

Bottom Line?

Altair’s bold expansion at South Oko sets the stage for a pivotal drilling campaign that could reshape its value proposition in Guyana’s burgeoning gold sector.

Questions in the middle?

• Will the expanded exploration program translate into significant drill intercepts in 2026?
• How will Altair’s discoveries compare in scale and grade to the billion-dollar deposits nearby?
• What are the implications of the tripled geophysical survey for identifying new targets beyond South Oko?