Tietto Minerals reports further high-grade results from drilling at Abujar gold project

West African gold explorer and developer Tietto Minerals (ASX: TIE) has reported high‐grade gold results from the eighth batch of infill and extensional drilling at its Abujar‐Gludehi (AG) deposit within the Abujar project in Côte d’Ivoire.

The company completed 38 diamond drill holes for a total 8,871.5m, with the aim of increasing confidence in the Abujar mineral resource estimate and converting indicated resources to measured for mining over the first two years of production.

Drilling of 16 diamond holes for 3,074m at AG Core was designed to test the limits of gold mineralisation below the current resource model.

Bonanza intercept

Shallow, high-grade intercepts included 10m at 16.53 grams per tonne gold from 37m, including 5m at 32.61g/t gold; 18m at 3.67g/t gold from 11m, including 6m at 8.27g/t gold; and a bonanza interval of 152.26g/t gold from 37m.

The mineralisation extended 150m below previous resource drilling at AG Core with a best assay of 6m at 4.28g/t gold within 10m at 2.84g/t from 630m.

Similar results were achieved from infill drilling at the AG South target, where 17 holes were completed for 3,764.5m.

Best intercepts were 7m at 9.78g/t gold from 181m, including 5m at 13.50g/t gold; 10m at 3.04g/t gold from 105m, including 3m at 8.34g/t gold; and 1m at 24.73g/t gold from 46m.

Good widths and grades

Tietto managing director Dr Caigen Wang said AG Core assays received to date have displayed good widths and grades, with 64 intervals greater than 50 gold gram metres and 10 intervals greater than 200 gold gram metres.

“Our eighth batch of results from drilling at AG has delivered further high‐grade gold intercepts close to surface that will de‐risk open pit mining at Abujar,” he said.

“Down‐dip drilling below AG Core has confirmed the extension of high‐grade shoots 150m below previous exploration these new results will be incorporated into our upcoming mineral resource update.”

He said AG Core remained open at depth and further holes had been planned to “test the limits of this growing gold system”.

Advancing construction

Tietto confirmed this week it was advancing the construction of Abujar’s processing plant and associated infrastructure, which remains on schedule as the fully-funded project progresses towards first gold by year end.

Bulk earthworks for the plant and camp area have been completed and blinding concrete has been poured for the plant’s cyanide-in-leach (CIL) ring beams.

Construction of the administration office, cafeteria and the first 120 camp rooms is also underway.