Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX:PDI, OTC:PDIYF) has received encouraging reverse circulation (RC) and auger drilling results from regional exploration in the Argo area within the Bankan Gold Project in Guinea, which it is focused on sustainably developing into a Tier-1 gold mine.
The regional exploration work aims to discover additional commercial deposits within the highly prospective and underexplored Bankan permits. Any new discoveries will build on NEB and BC discoveries at Bankan — the largest gold discovery in West Africa in a decade — with a combined 5.38-million-ounce mineral resource.
Argo is around 15-20 kilometres north of the NEB deposit on the major gold structure that is the Siguiri Basin’s western margin.
Having previously identified 11 drill targets at Argo during extensive early-stage exploration work, the company began an initial RC drilling program in June of around 50 holes for 7,000 metres of drilling.
Results in for first 23 holes
The RC results announced today are from the first 23 holes, for 3,064 metres, at five drill targets across the Argo area - Fouwagbe, Sounsoun, Tindini, Sanikourou and Sedadiou.
Multiple targets were tested at Fouwagbe, returning a best result of 12 metres at 6.75 g/t from 41 metres at a multi-element auger anomaly. Future drilling is planned to test the depth and strike potential.
Encouraging results at other Fouwagbe targets include 4 metres at 1.29 g/t from 94 metres and 1 metre at 13.10 g/t from 17 metres.
At Sounsoun, two parallel north-west dipping structures were intersected, with best results of 5 metres at 5.16 g/t from 129 metres and 9 metres at 1.04 g/t from 61 metres.
The mineralisation is located close to contacts between a felsic intrusive and the mafic unit, which is similar to the NEB deposit. The latest auger results significantly extend the strike potential of Sounsoun to the southwest.
Tindini returned a best result of 14 metres at 1.97 g/t from 65 metres with further drilling planned to test potential extensions at depth and along strike. Other promising results at Tindini include 6 metres at 0.68 g/t, 3 metres at 0.61 g/t, 2 metres at 0.93 g/t and 1 metre at 2.37 g/t.
The remaining holes in the initial RC program are following up on the best RC results so far and testing other priority drill targets in the south of Argo. Additional aircore and RC drilling is also being planned.
Auger results
The company also completed additional auger drilling at Argo, with the auger results from the central, southern and eastern parts of the Argo permit.
The auger drilling comprised 615 holes for 11,329 metres, which will assist with further identification and refinement of RC drill targets.
These results have considerably advanced the company’s knowledge of Argo's potential, highlighting three subparallel north-east orientated gold anomalous trends in saprolite and defining many additional target areas to be followed up with aircore and RC drilling.
Looking ahead
The company is aiming to complete a scoping study and ESG workstreams by late 2023 as crucial steps towards securing a mining permit for the project in the first half of 2024.
Predictive managing director Andrew Pardey said: “We are delighted with initial results from the first-pass RC drilling program at Argo in the northern part of our Tier-1 Bankan Gold Project.
"The results include excellent intercepts and favourable geology is present at several targets where mineralisation appears to be in a similar setting to NEB.
“The current program is only testing limited zones within the identified targets and PDI plans to complete additional drilling to build on the most promising results and comprehensively test the broader target areas.”
“Pleasingly, we are continuing to identify additional areas of interest from the latest auger results, highlighting the significant potential that exists in the Argo area.”