Turaco Gold has reported high-grade gold extensions at Begnopan and Asupiri-Adiopan, including a 6-metre hit at 18.52g/t, as it prepares to update Afema’s 4.65Moz Mineral Resource. The results remain exploration data rather than a new resource or reserve, but several intersections sit beyond existing models and Ore Reserve boundaries.
- 6m at 18.52g/t gold at Asupiri-Adiopan, including 2m at 51.53g/t
- 23m at 3.27g/t gold and 8m at 5.56g/t at Begnopan
- Drilling extends mineralisation at depth and along strike
- Afema resource update targeted for completion this quarter
- Begnopan remains outside the current 1.91Moz Ore Reserve
High-grade drilling widens Afema’s growth case
Turaco Gold Limited (ASX:TCG) has produced another set of strong intersections from its Afema Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire, with drilling at Begnopan and Asupiri-Adiopan extending mineralisation beyond existing resource and reserve models. The standout result was 6 metres at 18.52g/t gold from 66 metres at Asupiri-Adiopan, including 2 metres at 51.53g/t.
The result arrived alongside broad and higher-grade intersections including 48 metres at 1.50g/t from 112 metres, 10 metres at 6.56g/t from 55 metres and 8 metres at 7.83g/t from 12 metres. Turaco says the drilling supports continuity of a plunging higher-grade shoot that extends at least 150 metres beneath the current Ore Reserve, although the reported intervals are downhole lengths and may not represent true widths.
Begnopan drilling extends a 260koz resource
At Begnopan, the final 44 holes from a 113-hole, approximately 13,000-metre RC and diamond drilling program returned results such as 23 metres at 3.27g/t gold from 109 metres, 21 metres at 2.15g/t from 32 metres and 8 metres at 5.56g/t from 82 metres. Several of these intersections were outside the existing Mineral Resource model or Ore Reserve area, while infill drilling also delivered 7 metres at 6.09g/t and 13 metres at 3.19g/t.
The new results extend the earlier Begnopan program, which reported the first 69 Begnopan holes from the same 113-hole campaign. Begnopan currently contains 260,000 ounces of Mineral Resources, with about 85% within the top 100 metres, but it was excluded from Afema’s current 1.91Moz Probable Ore Reserve. Turaco says the latest drilling may support resource extensions, classification upgrades and a future assessment of Begnopan for inclusion in an Ore Reserve update.
Asupiri-Adiopan targets reserve extensions
At Asupiri-Adiopan, a further approximately 6,400 metres across 56 holes tested higher-grade shoots beneath the existing Ore Reserve and areas between the Adiopan and Asupiri East zones. Infill results included 17 metres at 2.60g/t, 21 metres at 2.15g/t and 20 metres at 1.92g/t, while several extension holes returned mineralisation outside the current resource model.
The latest results build on the earlier Adiopan step-out drilling, which identified further resource growth potential at the 1.28Moz Asupiri deposit. Mineralisation remains open in all directions, and Turaco plans further drilling down plunge at both Asupiri-Adiopan and Begnopan.
Resource update becomes the next test
All results from the two programs are now available for incorporation into an updated Afema Mineral Resource estimate targeted for completion this quarter. Afema’s current resource stands at 4.65Moz across seven deposits and a historical heap-leach stockpile, while the current Ore Reserve covers 1.91Moz from Woulo Woulo, Jonction, Anuiri and Asupiri.
The distinction matters: drilling can demonstrate continuity and expansion potential, but it does not automatically convert exploration intersections into Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves. The pending estimate will show how much of the new mineralisation can be modelled and classified, while ongoing drilling at Woulo Woulo, Begnopan and the Bergerie prospect keeps the project’s resource pipeline active.
Bottom Line?
The drilling has added credible expansion zones, but the next meaningful measure is whether the pending resource update converts those intersections into classified ounces and eventually reserve inventory.
Questions in the middle?
- How many of the extension zones will be incorporated into the updated 4.65Moz Mineral Resource?
- Can Begnopan move from a largely Inferred resource into a future Ore Reserve case?
- Will further drilling demonstrate continuity and mineable geometry beneath the Asupiri-Adiopan Ore Reserve?