Aurum Resources has delivered robust drilling results from the BDT2 deposit at its Boundiali Gold Project, confirming significant resource growth potential and underpinning its development timeline with a strong financial position.
- Multiple thick gold zones intersected at BDT2 deposit
- Ongoing 100,000m drilling program with 16 rigs in 2026
- Boundiali resource reaches 3.03Moz with open mineralisation
- Pre-Feasibility Study due May 2026, DFS expected late 2026
- Strong cash position of $61M supports exploration and development
Significant Gold Intercepts Boost Boundiali’s Resource Profile
Aurum Resources (ASX:AUE) has reported a fresh batch of gold intercepts from 28 diamond drill holes totalling nearly 10,000 metres at the BDT2 deposit within its flagship 3.03 million ounce Boundiali Gold Project in Côte d'Ivoire. The results reveal multiple thick zones of gold mineralisation, including standout hits like 40.6 metres at 1.06 g/t gold from 299 metres and a high-grade 2 metres at 12.82 g/t from just 50 metres depth. These intercepts not only reinforce the scale of the deposit but also confirm the gold system remains open at depth and along strike, signalling further upside potential.
Most of the recent drilling was designed to upgrade inferred mineral resources to the more confident indicated category, a critical step in advancing the project towards development. The program also pushed the boundaries of known mineralisation, returning consistent thick intersections that underpin Aurum’s resource growth strategy. True widths are estimated at 60% to 85% of the downhole lengths, adding weight to the geological confidence in these results.
Aggressive Drilling Campaign and Development Milestones
Aurum is ramping up its exploration efforts with a planned 130,000 metres of diamond drilling in calendar year 2026, deploying 16 rigs across the Boundiali and Napié projects. This aggressive program aims to accelerate resource expansion and conversion, with a major Mineral Resource Estimate update targeted for the third quarter of 2026. The company expects to deliver a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) for Boundiali in May 2026, evaluating open-pit economics, followed by a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) by late 2026, incorporating the latest drilling results and PFS findings.
Alongside Boundiali, Aurum is also focusing on scaling the 1.16 million ounce Napié Gold Project with a dedicated 30,000 metre diamond drilling program. The company is establishing an exploration camp near Napié to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs, supporting its broader resource growth ambitions.
Geological Setting and Mineralisation Characteristics
The BDT2 deposit lies within a 13 by 3 kilometre mineralised corridor featuring a thick north-south trending sandstone unit sandwiched between volcanic-sedimentary rocks. The gold is free milling and associated with fine disseminated pyrite, along with an alteration assemblage including hematite, silica, chlorite, tourmaline, quartz veinlets, albite, and carbonate. Aurum’s drilling targets steeply dipping shear zones consistent with the regional geology, with mineralisation often found in quartz vein stockworks and zones of silicification. The company’s use of Chrysos™ PhotonAssay technology, which provides bulk analysis of larger samples, enhances the reliability of assay data and supports accurate resource modelling.
These geological and assay advances build on Aurum’s recent resource milestones, including the 49% increase in indicated ounces at Boundiali earlier this year and the 34% growth at Napié, bringing total group resources to 4.2 million ounces. The company’s strong cash position of $61 million as of March 2026 provides the financial firepower to sustain this high-velocity exploration and development push.
Aurum’s Managing Director Dr Caigen Wang emphasised the team’s drilling efficiency and strategic focus: “Our drilling continues to deliver thick, multi-zone gold intersections that confirm the scale potential at Boundiali. With 16 rigs now operating, we are well-positioned to uncover further blind discoveries and rapidly grow our resource base ahead of critical feasibility milestones.”
The ongoing resource expansion and development planning at Boundiali are well aligned with Aurum’s broader strategy to establish a major gold production footprint in Côte d'Ivoire, leveraging its extensive tenement holdings and partnerships, including the BM and BD gold project JVs and the BST mining licence application. The company also advances regional exploration through the Encore JV and Major Star Plus partnership projects, aiming to identify new gold systems that could complement its core assets.
These latest results follow a string of encouraging updates from Aurum, including the recent lifted Boundiali gold to 3Moz and thick high-grade gold zones at BDT2, underscoring the company’s momentum as it approaches key project milestones.
Bottom Line?
Aurum’s extensive drilling and robust assay results at Boundiali position it well for upcoming feasibility studies, but the true scale and economics remain to be proven.
Questions in the middle?
- Will ongoing drilling convert enough inferred resources to indicated to support a robust mine plan?
- How will gold price fluctuations impact the economics of the Boundiali PFS and DFS?
- What is the potential for new blind discoveries beyond the current mineralised corridor?