By: African mining market

Ariana Resources PLC has kicked off drilling at its wholly owned Dokwe gold project in Zimbabwe, marking the start of a campaign aimed at expanding what is already a million-ounce resource.

The AIM and ASX-listed miner said a 4,000-metre reverse circulation (RC) drilling programme is now underway.

The initial 26-hole campaign will test four target areas that have been highlighted by recent exploration work, including soil sampling. The company hopes the results will point to further areas for expansion.

Dokwe lies within a 12-kilometre mineralised zone, although only about 10% of that has been drilled so far. The company estimates more than one million ounces of gold are contained within that section alone, leavin 

Dr Kerim Sener, managing director of Ariana, said: “We are now well underway with our drilling programme at Dokwe, which has the objective of testing several targets identified in recent exploration work.”g most of the strike length still untested.

He added that the first assay results are expected before the end of the year.

Ariana is also considering extending the RC campaign to include drilling for metallurgical sampling at Dokwe Central, the core of the project.
The results from the current work will help determine the scope and design of future studies, including a full feasibility assessment.

Gold projects in Zimbabwe have drawn growing interest in recent years as companies look to tap into underexplored mineral belts across southern Africa.