What Could Ariana's New Drilling at Dokwe Reveal About Zimbabwe Gold?
Ariana Resources is set to commence drilling at key extensions of its Dokwe Gold Project in Zimbabwe, following extensive soil sampling and geochemical analysis that revealed multiple promising targets.
- Imminent drilling at Dokwe North and Central extensions
- Over 10,000 soil samples collected and analyzed with advanced geochemical techniques
- High-grade historical intercepts at Sinkwe and Siduli Pan prospects to be tested
- Shear zones with 12km strike length remain largely untested
- Mineral resource estimates remain consistent with prior reports
Exploration Momentum Builds at Dokwe
Ariana Resources plc has announced a significant step forward in its exploration program at the Dokwe Gold Project in Zimbabwe. The company is poised to begin drilling imminently at the Dokwe North and Central areas, as well as their extensions, following a comprehensive soil sampling campaign that covered the entire 44 square kilometre project area.
The recent soil geochemical program involved collecting over 10,000 samples on a tight grid, analyzed using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) and detectORE gold detection technology. This has sharpened the geological understanding of the project, highlighting major shear zones that host known gold mineralisation and revealing several new target areas.
Targeting High-Priority Prospects
Among the targets slated for drilling are the Sinkwe and Siduli Pan prospects, which have historical drill intercepts of notable grades, 7.3 metres at 6.63 grams per tonne gold at Sinkwe, and a remarkable 0.5 metres at 81.09 grams per tonne at Siduli Pan. These intercepts, previously untested or inadequately followed up, represent high-priority opportunities to expand the resource base.
Additional prospects such as Wabayi and Mpunzi have also been identified through the integration of geochemical and geophysical data, underscoring the project's exploration upside beyond the established deposits.
Geological Insights and Resource Context
The Dokwe project hosts over one million ounces of gold within a 12-kilometre strike length of shear zones, which juxtapose distinct volcanic and sedimentary rock domains. The mineralisation is structurally controlled, occurring primarily within these shear zones, which remain largely untested outside the main deposits.
Dr. Kerim Sener, Managing Director, emphasised the potential for discovery – "Given that there is over 1Moz of gold contained within only about 10% of this strike length, with the rest remaining essentially untested by drilling, suggests there may be considerable upside and discovery potential elsewhere in the project area." The company’s upcoming drilling campaign aims to test these extensions and new targets to unlock further value.
Compliance and Forward Outlook
The announcement includes detailed JORC-compliant mineral resource estimates for Dokwe North and Central, confirming no material changes to previous resource or production assumptions. Ariana Resources continues to advance the project towards feasibility, with a mining lease application underway and ongoing evaluation of the broader project area.
Exploration techniques and quality assurance protocols are comprehensively documented, reflecting the company's commitment to rigorous data integrity and responsible project development.
Bottom Line?
As Ariana Resources prepares to drill high-potential extensions at Dokwe, the market will be watching closely for results that could reshape the project's future.
Questions in the middle?
- Will the upcoming drilling confirm extensions of the known gold deposits at Dokwe North and Central?
- How might the new regional targets like Sinkwe and Siduli Pan impact the overall resource base?
- What is the timeline and likelihood for securing the mining lease necessary for project development?
