Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX:PDI) has identified seven priority target areas in the immediate NE Bankan deposit (NEB) within the 4.2-million-ounce Bankan Gold Project in Guinea that will be the focus of near-resource exploration next year.
The seven main prospect areas within the survey area, NEB North, NEB Footwall, NEB South, NEB East, 800W, SB and SEB, were identified using near-surface drilling results and geophysical targeting.
A total of 50 hoes for 2,244 metres of aircore and power auger drilling has been completed at various prospects within 3 kilometres of the NEB deposit, with some of the best intercepts including 8 metres at 5.14 g/t gold, 4 metres at 5.66 g/t and 20 metres at 1.02 g/t at NEB North, 2 metres at 10.30 g/t at NEB East and 12 metres at 1.53 g/t at SEB.
The company is conducting an extensive exploration campaign at the Bankan Project to increase the size and quality of the mineral resource and has strengthened the exploration team with two new dedicated geologists to drive regional exploration.
Near-resource targets as refined by near-surface drill intercepts, IP modelling and aeromagnetics.
Excellent progress
Predictive Discovery managing director Andrew Pardey said: “Resource definition drilling at NEB continues to produce strong results and we are making excellent progress with our strategy to increase the size and quality of the current mineral resource estimate.
"We are actively increasing our focus beyond this deposit and have strengthened our exploration team to support this broader regional exploration campaign.
“Near-resource exploration will continue to focus on identifying potential new deposits for a future operation, utilising the positive results of recent geophysical targeting, combined with extensive aircore and auger drilling completed to date.
“More broadly, we are recommencing exploration activities in the northern part of the Bankan Project with the aim of working towards discovery of the next NEB-style deposit.
"NEB’s structural setting and strong IP geophysical signature, combined with further near-surface drilling, will be utilised to refine existing high-priority targets along the 35-kilometre structural trend for future drilling programs.”
Forward plan
The Bankan Gold Project comprises 356 square kilometres of highly prospective exploration permits in the Siguiri Basin, Guinea. A mineral resource of 4.2 million ounces has been defined to date with NEB hosting 3.9 million ounces and Bankan Creek (BC) 331,000 ounces.
Predictive is focused on increasing the size and quality of the existing mineral resource at these deposits and has commenced environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and scoping study workstreams to sustainably develop Bankan into a potential Tier-1 gold mine.
Infill aircore drilling at the seven newly-identified prospects is due to begin in early 2023.
Elsewhere, additional ground IP and gravity surveys are scheduled to start at the BC deposit and surrounding areas and at NEB East in early 2023 to further refine target areas and future drilling programs.
Regionally, ground IP and gravity surveys are being planned at the AG1, AG2 and BK2 prospects to better define setting architecture and prospectivity.
These include 200 by 50-metre spaced reconnaissance auger drilling in early 2023 in the northern area along the Archean-Birimian contact, to define targets for follow-up aircore and reverse circulation drilling.
Regional targets shown against geological interpretation.
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