Guinea Gold Ambitions: Can DeSoto Overcome Risks to Unlock Siguiri’s Potential?
DeSoto Resources is set to commence a major drilling campaign across its dominant landholdings in Guinea’s prolific Siguiri Basin, leveraging historic high-grade gold results and a seasoned exploration team to unlock new discoveries.
- Dominant 1,234 km² land position across 14 projects in Siguiri Basin
- Imminent 5,000m power auger drilling program underway at Dadjan and other targets
- Historic drill intercepts include up to 78.84 g/t gold over 1m
- Experienced team with roots in Predictive Discovery’s 5.4Moz Bankan discovery
- Additional exploration in Northern Territory’s Spectrum Project targeting rare earths and copper
Dominating Guinea’s Gold-Rich Siguiri Basin
DeSoto Resources Limited (ASX: DES) has positioned itself as a formidable player in West Africa’s gold exploration scene with a commanding 1,234 square kilometre portfolio spanning 14 projects in Guinea’s prolific Siguiri Basin. This region is renowned for its world-class gold deposits, hosting major mines operated by AngloGold Ashanti and Nordgold, alongside the notable 5.4 million ounce Bankan discovery by Predictive Discovery.
With drilling imminent, DeSoto is poised to capitalize on this underexplored terrain. The company’s exploration strategy is underpinned by a robust geological framework and a suite of historic high-grade drill results, including exceptional intercepts such as 18 metres at 11.8 grams per tonne gold, featuring a standout 1 metre at 78.84 g/t Au. These results provide compelling walk-up targets for the upcoming drilling campaigns.
A Proven Team Leading the Charge
At the heart of DeSoto’s push is an exploration team with deep expertise in West African gold systems. Key personnel include Managing Director Chris Swallow and Exploration Manager Aime Nganare, both veterans of Predictive Discovery, the company behind the Bankan discovery. Their intimate knowledge of the Birimian Greenstone Belt’s structural geology and mineralization styles is a critical advantage as DeSoto embarks on its aggressive exploration program.
Supporting the team is Non-Executive Director Dr Barry Murphy, whose structural geology experience contributed to the Bankan discovery, and Exploration Manager Nick Payne, who brings over 25 years of global exploration experience. This collective expertise bolsters confidence in DeSoto’s ability to unlock value from its extensive landholdings.
Drilling and Exploration Momentum
DeSoto has commenced a 5,000-metre power auger drilling program, focusing initially on the Dadjan project, where a 2.7-kilometre-long gold-in-soil anomaly has been delineated in under a month. Two rigs are actively sampling regolith to refine targets for deeper drilling. Concurrently, the Timbakouna project, with 6 kilometres of unexplored strike and artisanal workings, awaits exploration permit approval to resume drilling, building on historic high-grade intercepts.
The company’s exploration approach is methodical, combining broad-scale structural targeting with effective geochemical techniques such as Bulk Leach Extractable Gold (BLEG) stream sediment sampling and soil geochemistry. This integrated strategy aims to identify gold halos for follow-up trenching, channel sampling, and a range of drilling methods including Air Core, Reverse Circulation, and Diamond Drilling.
Diversification with Rare Earth and Copper Potential
Beyond Guinea, DeSoto is advancing its Spectrum Project in Australia’s Northern Territory, which features an 8-kilometre copper-in-soil anomaly overlaying electromagnetic conductors and historic rare earth element (REE) discoveries. Fully permitted for a 23-hole drill program in the first half of 2025, this project adds a strategic dimension to DeSoto’s portfolio, targeting critical minerals alongside gold.
With $8 million in cash and a market capitalization near $19.5 million, DeSoto is well-funded to execute its ambitious exploration programs. The company’s dominant land position, combined with a high-caliber team and a pipeline of compelling targets, positions it as a noteworthy contender in the competitive West African gold exploration landscape.
Bottom Line?
As DeSoto Resources moves drills into the ground, the market will watch closely for assay results that could redefine Guinea’s gold exploration narrative.
Questions in the middle?
- Will upcoming drilling confirm and extend the historic high-grade gold intercepts?
- How will geopolitical and operational risks in Guinea impact exploration progress?
- Can DeSoto’s Northern Territory Spectrum Project deliver on its rare earth and copper potential?
