Infill drilling at AG South within Tietto Minerals’ (ASX: TIE) 3.45-million-ounce Abujar gold project in West Africa has returned up to 63.85 grams per tonne gold.
AG South is on the main Abujar Shear within the project, with latest assays coming from 26 diamond drill holes for 5,227.2m.
The program aims to upgrade resources to measured status over 2.9km, with this mineralisation to be mined in the first two years at Abujar.
Best results from infill drilling at AG South were 4m at 16.16g/t gold from 19m, including 1m at 62.27g/t gold from 21m; 1m at 63.85g/t gold from 72m; and 1m at 35.82g/t gold from 313m.
Assays are pending for a further 63 holes completed for 8,992.5m across both AG South and AG Core targets.
Meanwhile, six diamond rigs are actively drilling at the project, with Tietto planning to complete 100,000m across the full 2022 calendar year.
Tietto managing director Dr Caigen Wang noted the 1m at 63.85g/t gold interval was outside of the definitive feasibility study pit, which increases potential to boost mining inventory.
Dr Wang said once the program at AG South and AG Core was complete, the rigs would move to the main Abujar Shear, which is still “largely untested”. This program will aim to build new resources.
Fully-funded to first production
Abujar currently has 3.45Moz in contained gold resources, and the company is fully-funded for first production, which is scheduled for the December quarter of this year.
Dr Wang said Abujar has the potential to be one of the largest gold mines in Cote d’Ivoire, where it is located.
In the first year of operation, about 260,000oz of gold will be produced, with about 1.2Moz expected to be generated in the first six years.
“Tietto has an experienced team on board to deliver Abujar on time and on budget,” Dr Wang said.
“We are on track to deliver another mineral resource update this year.”
“Shareholders can also expect further updates from our aggressive diamond drilling program as we advance our dual strategy of ‘drill and build’ and develop our Abujar project into West Africa’s next gold mine, with first gold by the end of Q4 CY2022,” he added.
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