MetalsGrove Mining has defined two extensive gold anomalous trends at its Fifty-Five Prospect in Côte d’Ivoire, setting the stage for infill sampling and auger drilling during the upcoming wet season.
- Two parallel +2.5 km gold anomalous soil trends identified
- Peak assays up to 583 ppb gold at Fifty-Five Prospect
- Infill soil sampling progressing to 200m x 50m spacing
- Auger drilling planned for June–September wet season
- High-resolution LiDAR mapping supports exploration planning
Two Long Gold Anomalous Trends Confirmed at Fifty-Five Prospect
MetalsGrove Mining Limited (ASX:MGA) has pinpointed two parallel northeast-trending gold anomalous soil trends, each extending over 2.5 kilometres, at its Fifty-Five Prospect on the Zuénoula permit in Côte d’Ivoire. Soil assays peaked at 583 parts per billion (ppb) gold, marking these trends as compelling drill targets. This latest development builds on earlier findings, including the standout 583 ppb gold anomaly first reported in March, underscoring the prospect's potential scale within the Central West Gold Project.
The company is now intensifying its soil sampling program, transitioning from broad 200m by 200m grids to tighter 200m by 50m spacing to sharpen target definition ahead of planned auger drilling. This stepwise approach is designed to refine the geochemical footprint and support more precise drill planning.
Leveraging LiDAR Technology to Guide Exploration
Supporting these efforts is high-resolution LiDAR topographical mapping conducted via drone, delivering centimetre-level accuracy in elevation data and surface water flow patterns. This technology aids in interpreting soil geochemistry and identifying sub-surface anomalies, particularly in valley areas where transported soil cover could mask gold signatures. MetalsGrove’s use of this advanced mapping technique follows its earlier deployment of UAV LiDAR surveys at Zuénoula, which have become integral to the company’s systematic exploration strategy.
Auger Drilling Planned to Test Sub-Cover Geochemistry
Auger drilling is slated for the upcoming wet season from June to September, contingent on completion of the infill soil sampling and receipt of pending assay results. This drilling method will probe beneath transported soil layers in sub-cover valleys, potentially revealing gold mineralisation not detectable by surface sampling alone. MetalsGrove is also sampling termite mounds and quartz vein float near high-grade soil anomalies, with assay results awaited. Termite mound sampling is a cost-effective exploration tool in West Africa, capable of sampling material from depths up to 15 metres.
Strategic Positioning within a Major Gold Trend
The Fifty-Five Prospect sits within MetalsGrove’s Central West Gold Project, which covers 1,315 square kilometres across several permits strategically located along the Abujar–Napié gold trend in the Birimian greenstone belt. This region hosts multiple multi-million-ounce gold deposits, including the nearby Abujar Gold Mine and Napié Gold Deposit. The prospect’s NE-oriented gold trends align with major regional fault structures known to control significant gold mineralisation in Côte d’Ivoire.
MetalsGrove’s measured approach and integration of geochemical and geophysical data reflect a maturing exploration campaign that has steadily advanced since the company’s initial capital raise and permit acquisitions earlier this year. The company’s Managing Director, Lijun Yang, emphasised the importance of these findings in validating the project’s prospectivity and setting up near-term drill testing.
Next Steps in Exploration and Target Refinement
Beyond the Fifty-Five Prospect, MetalsGrove is progressing infill soil sampling at other targets including Rouge, South-West, and Konezra prospects, with over 600 samples pending assays. The company plans to integrate these results with ongoing regional programs to build a pipeline of drill-ready targets. The ultimate goal is to transition from soil and auger sampling to Reverse Circulation or diamond drilling to test for economic mineralisation.
These developments follow MetalsGrove’s recent $2.7M capital raise and new CFO appointment, which have bolstered the company’s capacity to advance exploration activities. The integration of innovative technologies such as UAV LiDAR mapping continues to enhance the precision of targeting efforts across the project area, complementing traditional geochemical methods.
Bottom Line?
MetalsGrove’s methodical tightening of soil sampling grids and planned auger drilling during the wet season will be crucial to validating the scale and continuity of gold mineralisation at Fifty-Five Prospect.
Questions in the middle?
- Will auger drilling confirm deeper gold mineralisation beneath transported soil?
- How will pending termite mound and quartz vein assays influence drilling priorities?
- Can MetalsGrove effectively leverage LiDAR data to accelerate target delineation across its broader permit area?