Aurum Resources Reports High-Grade Gold Intercepts at Boundiali BST1 Deposit

New High-Grade Gold Intercepts Bolster Boundiali BST1

Aurum Resources (ASX:AUE) has delivered a fresh batch of high-grade gold intercepts from 22 diamond drill holes totalling 5,774 metres at the BST1 deposit within its 3.22Moz Boundiali Gold Project in Côte d'Ivoire. Highlight assays include a standout 5.63 metres grading 31.79 g/t gold from just 32 metres depth, with a 2.63-metre section hitting 67.60 g/t Au. Other notable hits include 3.07m at 17.20 g/t Au and 2m at 18.71 g/t Au, reinforcing the deposit’s potential for significant resource growth.

The BST1 deposit, hosted in sedimentary rocks along the Nyangboue shear zone, continues to reveal thick, wide zones of shear-hosted gold mineralisation. Aurum notes that mineralisation remains open both at depth and along strike, with true widths estimated at 60-85% of reported downhole lengths. These results will feed into the next major Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) update, targeted for early Q4 2026 following a drilling cut-off at the end of September.

Accelerated Drilling Program and Development Milestones

The ongoing 2026 drilling campaign at Boundiali is a substantial 100,000-metre program operated with 16 Aurum-owned diamond drill rigs. This is part of a broader 130,000-metre drill plan for the year that also includes 30,000 metres planned at the Napié Gold Project starting in Q4. Aurum is aggressively targeting resource growth and conversion to Indicated status to underpin its Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS), expected by late 2026.

Managing Director Dr Caigen Wang emphasised the strategic importance of these results, stating that the high-grade, shallow mineralisation is amenable to open pit mining, as outlined in the recently delivered Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) and maiden Ore Reserve. Aurum has already secured environmental approvals for a 6Mtpa open pit operation and appointed key personnel to its development team, setting a clear path toward mining licence grant and construction commencement in early 2027, aiming for first gold production in H1 2028.

Robust Resource Base and Financial Position

Aurum boasts a combined group gold resource of 4.38 million ounces, with 3.22Moz at Boundiali and 1.16Moz at Napié. The BST1 deposit alone holds an inferred and indicated resource of 22 million tonnes at 0.8 g/t Au for 570,000 ounces. The company’s strong cash position of A$54.6 million as of 30 June 2026 provides ample funding for ongoing exploration, studies, and permitting activities.

Geologically, the Boundiali deposits are situated within the prolific Birimian greenstone belt, near major regional operations including Resolute’s Syama mine and Montage Gold’s Koné project. Aurum’s extensive drilling and exploration efforts continue to focus on expanding known deposits and scouting new targets along a 75-kilometre mineralised corridor, supported by joint ventures such as Encore and Major Star Plus.

What Lies Ahead for Aurum’s Growth Ambitions

With the next Boundiali resource update looming in early Q4 and the DFS due by year-end, Aurum is poised to convert exploration success into development momentum. The company’s multi-rig drilling strategy, combined with a strong balance sheet and recent environmental approvals, underpins a clear pathway to production. However, the usual exploration and development risks remain, including drilling outcomes, commodity price fluctuations, regulatory approvals, and geopolitical factors in Côte d'Ivoire.

Investors will be watching how Aurum manages these risks while advancing its large-scale open pit gold mine project. The results at BST1 reaffirm the deposit’s potential, but the challenge will be translating resource growth into a robust, economically viable operation that meets Aurum’s ambitious timeline for first gold.