Castle Minerals Leverages US$3M Historical Data to Accelerate Nielle Gold Drilling

Historic Exploration Data Provides Strategic Head Start

Castle Minerals Limited (ASX:CDT) has landed a significant advantage in its quest to unlock the Nielle Gold Project’s potential in Côte d'Ivoire by acquiring a complete historical exploration dataset reflecting more than US$3 million in prior expenditure. This trove of data spans reverse circulation (RC) drilling, air core drilling, geochemical sampling, geological mapping, and technical studies, covering a 4.5-kilometre gold mineralised trend.

The dataset includes 40 RC drill holes totalling 4,420 metres and approximately 7,000 metres of air core drilling, alongside retained drill samples. This depth of historical work offers Castle a substantial shortcut in understanding the project’s geology and mineralisation, effectively compressing the timeline to drill testing once the exploration licence is granted.

Experienced Leadership to Expedite Drill Targeting

To capitalise on this rich dataset, Castle has appointed George Michaelides as Exploration Manager. Michaelides brings over 25 years of field experience in West Africa, including direct operational involvement in the Nielle concession during previous exploration phases. His intimate knowledge of the area is expected to accelerate the review and interpretation of the data, enabling the company to prioritise drill targets and design a maiden drilling program with greater confidence.

Nielle’s Strategic Location in a Proven Gold Province

The Nielle project spans approximately 212 square kilometres within the Birimian terrane’s Senoufo greenstone belt, a geological hotspot that hosts some of West Africa’s largest gold mines. Nearby operations include the Tongon mine, which has produced an average of 250,000 ounces of gold annually over its first decade and was acquired for US$305 million in 2025, underscoring the area’s value.

Historical exploration at Nielle, initiated in 2015, revealed multiple zones of gold mineralisation linked to alteration, sulphide presence, and quartz-carbonate veining. These findings suggest a robust gold system worthy of systematic follow-up, positioning Castle to leverage the existing groundwork in a highly prospective region.

Next Steps: Technical Review and Drill Target Prioritisation

Castle is now embarking on a detailed technical review of the historical data to validate and interpret drilling and geochemical results, develop geological and structural models, and generate ranked drill targets. The company also plans metallurgical assessments using retained samples and may conduct supplementary geochemical programs as needed.

This methodical approach aims to refine the project’s exploration focus and lay the foundation for resource definition. The progress is contingent on the completion of conditions precedent for the Nielle exploration licence, which Castle is advancing in partnership with Golden Arrow SARL.