Manas Resources Limited (ASX: MSR) has identified seven substantial mineralised zones via a recent auger drilling programme at the Mbengué gold project (MGP) in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa.
The company recently completed a 4,400m regional auger drilling programme to test numerous large IP anomalies along the Tongon Shear Zone (TSZ) structure, with the results, most of the which came from an area within 10km of Barrick’s Tongon mine, have now been received.
The balance of the regional auger drilling programme comprised a total of 3,609m in 603 holes. Drilling was conducted on widely spaced grids (normally 300m x 50m) to identify large-scale targets for detailed follow-up drilling.
The drill programme tested a number of IP anomalies with strike lengths up to 6km. Holes targeted the “mottled zone”, and its interface with saprolite, beneath lateritic surface soil cover to a maximum depth of 6m.
The maximum grade was 2m @ 1.7g/t Au (open) from 4- 6m within 6m @ 1.2g/t Au from 0m (open).
In total, 14 large-scale sub-parallel mineralised zones were identified running along the Tongon shear zone. Mineralised zones are up to 300m wide with strike lengths to over 1.5km long, and many are open along strike as well as to depth.
The zones are coincident with the main IP targets and historical drill intercepts. They remain largely untested by deeper drilling and the exploration potential is considered high.
Chairman, Alan Campbell, said the results of the drilling also confirm the potential of the Madala zone, where previous drilling by Manas intersected 18m @ 1.0g/t Au and 7m @ 7.54g/t Au. Those holes are located 350m apart.
Mr Campbell said the recent auger programme demonstrates continuity of mineralisation between these two holes, and that they lie within a larger structure over 1,300m long. Additionally, there is a parallel mineralised zone with similar grade and extent, located some 400m south-east. This south-eastern structure has to date only been tested with auger drilling.
These recent results from the MGP project confirm the potential of the Tongon shear structure to host a significant gold target,” Mr Campbell said.
“The identification of multiple large mineralised zones requiring further drilling work is encouraging.
“We look forward to infilling the priority targets and conducting further drilling on these anomalies in the near future to give a better idea of the resource potential of the area.”