Turaco Gold’s Adiopan Drilling Boosts Afema Resource Beyond 1.28 Million Ounces
Turaco Gold’s latest drilling at the Adiopan-Asupiri Deposit reveals strong high-grade gold intercepts, underpinning further resource growth within the 4.65Moz Afema Project in Côte d’Ivoire.
- Multiple high-grade gold intercepts extend mineralisation at Adiopan
- Asupiri resource climbs above 1.28 million ounces gold
- Mineralisation remains open for further expansion
- Ongoing drilling at other Afema deposits to sustain resource momentum
- Pre-Feasibility Study confirms robust project economics
High-Grade Drilling Extends Adiopan Mineralisation
Turaco Gold Limited (ASX:TCG) has delivered a fresh tranche of high-grade drilling results from its Adiopan area within the Afema Project, pushing the Asupiri Deposit’s Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) beyond 1.28 million ounces. The latest 13-hole program, focused on down-dip and strike extensions, returned standout intercepts including 15m at 4.72g/t gold from 122m and 18m at 2.71g/t gold from 113m, with several narrower intervals hitting grades above 8g/t.
These results reinforce the rapid resource growth trajectory at Asupiri, which has surged over 50% in the past year. The Adiopan zone, situated at the northern end of the 1.28Moz resource, continues to reveal shallow, high-grade shoots that remain open along strike and at depth, highlighting significant exploration upside.
Resource Growth Driving Project Scale
The updated Asupiri MRE of 33.8 million tonnes at 1.2g/t gold for 1.28 million ounces sits within the broader 4.65 million ounce Afema Project resource, which comprises multiple deposits including Woulo Woulo, Anuiri, and Begnopan. Turaco’s recent Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) confirmed robust economics for Afema, targeting over 200,000 ounces per annum production with a 10-year mine life.
Drilling at Adiopan has not only extended mineralisation but also unveiled a new parallel western zone with 5m at 5.28g/t gold from 293m, a previously unrecognised structure that opens new targeting horizons. The company is actively pursuing further down-plunge extensions and underground potential beyond the current open pit designs, suggesting room to grow both resource size and mine life.
Ongoing Drilling at Multiple Deposits
Alongside Adiopan, Turaco is progressing drilling campaigns at other key deposits within the Afema shear corridor, including Anuiri, Begnopan, and Woulo Woulo. The latter recently demonstrated a 250-metre vertical extension of high-grade mineralisation, complementing the overall resource expansion strategy.
Managing Director Justin Tremain emphasised the company’s momentum: "Just over a month after releasing the Afema PFS, we are already showing clear potential for further resource growth. Our drilling is focused on extending mineralisation and increasing resource estimates across each deposit, with a steady flow of results expected in the coming months."
Technical Confidence in Resource Quality
The drilling program employed industry-standard diamond core techniques with rigorous QAQC protocols, including photon assay methods that offer precise gold detection. Mineralisation is characteristic of mesothermal gold deposits hosted in shear zones, with mineralised shears displaying strong silica-sericite-iron-carbonate alteration and pyrite-arsenopyrite mineralogy.
The Asupiri resource is predominantly classified as Indicated (67%), supporting confidence in future mine planning. Metallurgical test work indicates high gold recoveries (~88%) from fresh mineralisation, underpinning the project’s economic viability.
Bottom Line?
Turaco’s latest drilling results at Adiopan reinforce Afema’s growth trajectory, but further assays and feasibility updates will be critical to confirm underground potential and resource expansion beyond the current open pit framework.
Questions in the middle?
- How will ongoing drilling at Adiopan and other deposits affect the timing and scale of Afema’s Definitive Feasibility Study?
- What is the potential for underground mining at Adiopan given the emerging deeper high-grade zones?
- Could the newly identified western mineralisation trend at Adiopan materially increase the overall resource base?
