By: African mining market

African Gold has commenced its largest-ever drilling program at the Didievi Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire, marking a pivotal expansion phase following its recent high-grade gold discovery. With 989,000 ounces of gold alr
eady established at an impressive 2.5g/t Au grade, this fully funded 40,000-meter campaign aims to significantly grow the resource base and test multiple high-potential regional targets.

Major drilling campaign underway to unlock multi-million ounce potential

The first diamond drill rig has arrived on site at the Didievi Gold Project, initiating what represents the most ambitious exploration program in African Gold’s history. This comprehensive 40,000-meter campaign will employ multiple rigs, including both diamond and reverse circulation (RC) drilling, progressively mobilised throughout 2025 and into 2026.

This strategic drilling program follows African Gold’s recent success in establishing a substantial near-surface Inferred Resource of 989,000 ounces of gold at 2.5g/t Au within 12.4 million tonnes of ore. The high-grade nature of this resource distinguishes it in a region typically characterized by lower-grade deposits.

The campaign’s dual focus includes expanding the established resource base while systematically testing both known and previously untested high-priority regional targets across the project area.

Strategic Partnership Enhances Exploration Expertise

A key strength of this exploration initiative lies in African Gold’s strategic partnership with Montage Gold Corp., whose technical team is now on-site leading the execution of this expanded program.

This collaboration combines African Gold’s project knowledge with Montage’s technical expertise and operational capabilities, positioning the company to efficiently execute this ambitious drilling program.

Understanding inferred resources: What Investors Should Know

For investors new to mining terminology, an “Inferred Resource” represents the initial stage of resource classification in the mining industry. It indicates a mineral deposit where geological evidence suggests the presence of mineralisation, but where sampling is too widely spaced to confirm geological or grade continuity.

This 40,000-meter drilling program aims to increase confidence in the resource by providing more detailed data on the extent and grade of gold mineralisation. A successful drilling campaign could potentially:

• Upgrade portions of the Inferred Resource to higher confidence categories (Indicated or Measured)
• Expand the overall resource tonnage and contained ounces
• Identify new zones of mineralisation beyond the current resource boundaries

Investors should view this extensive drilling program as a critical step toward demonstrating the full economic potential of the Didievi Gold Project.

Multiple growth pathways: Beyond Blaffo Guetto

While the Blaffo Guetto prospect hosts the primary resource zone, recent exploration success has highlighted the broader district-scale potential of the Didievi Project.

The success at both Pranoi and Poku, where drilling has already identified significant gold mineralisation despite limited testing, reinforces the multi-million-ounce potential of the broader Didievi project area.

Strategic location offers development flexibility

A distinctive advantage of the Didievi Gold Project is its strategic location in central Côte d’Ivoire, approximately 35km from the capital, Yamoussoukro. This prime position offers multiple development pathways:

• Standalone Development Option: The project’s scale and high-grade nature support potential for an independent mining operation.
• Processing Optionality: Located within trucking distance of approximately 8 million tonnes of existing processing capacity, creating potential for accelerated production scenarios.
• Infrastructure Advantages: Proximity to the capital city provides access to well-established infrastructure, potentially reducing development costs and timelines.

This strategic location presents African Gold with multiple pathways to potential production, from standalone development to toll treatment arrangements with existing operations in the region.