DeSoto Resources has significantly expanded its exploration footprint in Guinea’s prolific Siguiri Goldfields, restarting a major drilling campaign and launching new geophysical and soil sampling programs across over 1,300 square kilometres of tenure.
- 10,000m Power Auger drilling resumed at high-grade Timbakouna project
- Airborne geophysical survey completed over seven key projects
- Soil sampling underway in southwest Siguiri following promising BLEG results
- Joint venture exploration with Fortuna Mining launched in southeast Siguiri
- DeSoto now holds one of the largest land packages in the Siguiri Basin
Drilling Recommences at High-Grade Timbakouna Gold Project
DeSoto Resources (ASX:DES) has ramped up exploration activity in Guinea’s Siguiri Goldfields with the restart of its 10,000-metre Power Auger drilling program at the Timbakouna Gold Project. This campaign targets a 6-kilometre stretch of artisanal workings and historic high-grade intercepts, including a standout 18 metres at 11.8 grams per tonne gold that has remained untested at depth. The drilling is set to intensify in the coming weeks as two additional rigs join the site, and line cutting recommences without heavy machinery to maintain local approvals.
Comprehensive Geophysical Survey Covers Seven Projects
Alongside drilling, DeSoto has completed an extensive airborne geophysical survey spanning 6,262 line kilometres across seven projects including Timbakouna, Dadjan, Tolè, and others. The survey employed 100-metre spaced lines and 1,000-metre tie lines to generate magnetic and radiometric datasets, alongside digital terrain models. Data processing is underway and expected to yield new exploration targets across these largely underexplored permits, broadening the potential for discovery within the Birimian Greenstone belt.
Soil Sampling Targets Southwest Siguiri Following BLEG Stream Sediment Success
Building on a recent Bulk Leach Extractable Gold (BLEG) stream sediment sampling program that covered 687 square kilometres and returned encouraging gold and pathfinder element anomalies, DeSoto has initiated follow-up soil sampling at its 100%-owned Yarakoura, Woussoubadou, and Branama projects in southwest Siguiri. These areas lie along the interpreted north-south Siguiri Gold Mineralisation Trend and adjacent to Asara Resources’ Kada Project, which hosts nearly one million ounces of gold. The soil programs aim to refine targets for subsequent auger drilling and deeper testing.
Joint Venture Exploration Expands Footprint in Southeast Siguiri
DeSoto’s exploration campaign also extends into southeast Siguiri through a joint venture with Fortuna Mining Corp. (TSX: FVI; NYSE: FSM). The JV, where Fortuna holds 70% and funds exploration up to US$12.5 million, covers seven projects totaling approximately 591 square kilometres. Current activities include BLEG sampling, geological mapping, and structural interpretation ahead of a planned regional geophysical survey. This strategic alliance aims to unlock new mineralised corridors beneath transported cover and deeply weathered regolith, capitalising on the region’s prolific orogenic gold potential.
Strategic Land Positioning in One of West Africa’s Richest Gold Provinces
Since early 2025, DeSoto has amassed roughly 1,300 square kilometres of highly prospective tenure across the Siguiri Basin, positioning it as the fifth-largest landholder in this world-class gold province. The company is applying a basin-scale structural interpretation approach to guide exploration prioritisation and target generation. The Siguiri Basin’s Birimian-aged rocks have historically delivered significant gold discoveries, and DeSoto’s expanded campaign aims to build on this legacy by systematically testing underexplored corridors and artisanal gold zones.
Bottom Line?
DeSoto’s expanded drilling and geophysical efforts across a vast, underexplored gold province set the stage for potential new discoveries, but investors will need to watch for upcoming assay results and target refinements to gauge the campaign’s success.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the expanded Power Auger drilling at Timbakouna confirm extensions of the historic high-grade gold zones?
- How will the geophysical survey data influence the prioritisation of targets across DeSoto’s extensive project portfolio?
- What exploration milestones will the DeSoto-Fortuna joint venture achieve in the next 12 months to justify further investment?