Predictive Discovery Ltd announces further Bankan Gold drilling results

Bankan currently has an inferred resource of 72.8 million t at 1.56 g/t gold (Au) for 3.65 million oz of Au. The drilling included in the announcement targeted below the current deeper high-grade core at NE Bankan, which remains open at depth and along strike.

The company considers there to be significant exploration potential to increase the resource base and will do so through an aggressive drilling programme over next 12 months.

Highlights

• New results from seven diamond drill (DD) holes (totalling 4668 m) completed at 3.3 million oz Au NE Bankan deposit include:
• BNERD0105: 41.5 m at 5.2 g/t Au from 598 m, including 8.7 m at 14.9 g/t Au from 605 m.
• BNERD0106B: 14.2 m at 6.8 g/t Au from 627 m, including:
  • 7.8 m at 10.7 g/t Au from 631 m.
  • 12.7 m at 0.9 g/t Au from 648 m.
  • 17 m at 1.7 g/t Au from 664 m.
• BNERD0107: 5 m at 3.4 g/t Au from 550 m, including:
  • 1 m at 12.1 g/t Au from 553 m.
  • 3.9 m at 6.7 g/t Au from 635 m, including: 0.9 m at 22 g/t Au from 635 m.
• BNERD0108: 20 m at 0.8 g/t Au from 380 m, including:
  • 6 m at 1.4 g/t Au from 383 m.
  • 10 m at 1.1 g/t Au from 414 m.
• BNERD0109A: 0.6 m at 30 g/t Au from 81 m.
  • 24.3 m at 1.4 g/t Au from 508 m.
• BNERD0110: 26.8 m at 1.7 g/t Au from 626 m, including:
  • 9 m at 3 g/t Au from 635 m.
  • 3 m at 1.5 g/t Au from 662 m.
• BNERD0111: 24.7 m at 1.4 g/t Au from 594 m, including:
  • 5 m at 2.9 g/t Au from 608 m.
• Holes BNERD0105 and BNERD0106B are among the deepest intercepts reported from NE Bankan and intersected broad zones of gold mineralisation on section 1174940N, more than 250 m down-dip from the bottom of the US$1800/oz resource pit shell.
• A review of strong results returned to date near the base of and below current resource pit has led to the planning of further extensional drilling which will be incorporated in the drill program in the current quarter.
• The intercepts reported demonstrate the NE Bankan deposit hosts continuous ore-grade mineralisation for 820 m down-dip from surface on the main shear contact, to a vertical depth of 500 m below surface.
• Regional power auger and aircore target definition programs are ongoing across the Bankan Project, with assays pending.
• The company completed a review of the drilling programme and following a competitive tender has awarded a new drilling contract to Capital Drilling, with a minimum of four diamond drill rigs expected on site in the near-term delivering a significant ramp-up in drilling activity.
• The current and planned drilling will underpin an updated mineral resource estimate expected to be completed in the September 2022 quarter.
• Baseline technical studies are being undertaken and are expected to inform the maiden ore reserve estimate and feasibility studies.
• Led by a globally significant environmental firm, the company has initiated a rapid ecological assessment to enhance the understanding of habitat surrounding the Bankan Project and commence the necessary mitigation strategies that will be embedded within the project design.

Managing Director, Andrew Pardey, said: “These new results demonstrate the consistency of grade and mineralisation which evidently continues significantly beyond the bottom of the NE Bankan pit shell, further underpinning Predictive’s view that Bankan is potentially a Tier 1 gold mine in the making. In addition, the results confirm significant reconciliation with the company’s geological interpretation of the high-grade zone, including location, widths and grade as well as from multiple stacked lodes identified in previous drilling results.

“Predictive is now entering a new phase of its exploration with a greatly expanded drilling programme and the improved geological understanding that flows from it. These prospects are expected to add significantly to the Bankan Project’s mineral resource inventory.

“The company is also balancing more aggressive exploration with a best practice biodiversity management programme to ensure our stakeholders have the confidence we will develop this project in a way that mitigates any negative impacts. This includes defining a robust biodiversity management plan given Bankan’s proximity to the Upper Niger National Park and other sensitive sites.

“As part of this process, we are developing a detailed biodiversity management roadmap. We have activated a rapid ecological assessment, which is being conducted by leading ecological specialists and coordinated by a globally significant environmental firm. This work will provide a broad understanding of the environment surrounding the Bankan Project and will ultimately inform a more detailed environmental and social impact assessment in due course.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/exploration-development/27042022/predictive-discovery-ltd-announces-further-bankan-gold-drilling-results/