DeSoto Strikes High-Grade Gold at Dadjan and Tolé: What’s Next?

Exploration Breakthrough in Guinea

DeSoto Resources Limited (ASX – DES) has announced encouraging results from its first-ever drilling campaign at the Dadjan and Tolé projects, located in the prolific South-central Siguiri gold belt of Guinea. The initial reverse circulation (RC) and power auger drilling programs have confirmed significant gold mineralisation, including a standout intercept of 1 metre grading 318 grams per tonne (g/t) gold at Dadjan.

This shallow and wide-spaced drilling marks a milestone for DeSoto, as these are the first modern exploration efforts conducted on these permits, which cover a substantial 470 square kilometre contiguous land package. The results suggest the presence of a large mineralised gold system beneath extensive artisanal workings, a promising sign for the company’s exploration ambitions.

Key Highlights and Geological Context

At Dadjan, drilling returned multiple gold intersections, including 1m at 32.4 g/t and 5m at 5.15 g/t, reinforcing the prospectivity of the area. Similarly, the Tolé project delivered encouraging results from both RC and power auger drilling, with intercepts such as 2m at 4.81 g/t gold. These findings align with the geological setting of the Siguiri Basin, known for its Birimian-aged meta-sediments and volcanics, structurally controlled gold mineralisation, and proximity to felsic intrusives that typically drive orogenic gold systems.

DeSoto’s Managing Director, Chris Swallow, emphasised the significance of these early results, noting that the drilling tested only a fraction of the landholding but has laid a strong foundation for systematic follow-up exploration. The company’s rapid execution of drilling and geochemical programs has also helped secure and expand its tenure amid recent reforms to Guinea’s mining cadastre, underscoring its strategic positioning in one of West Africa’s most prospective gold belts.

Next Steps in Exploration

Building on these promising results, DeSoto plans to complete infill soil sampling on a 200m by 200m grid across the Dadjan and Tolé permits, alongside airborne magnetic surveys to delineate structural controls and refine drill targets. Additional bulk leach extractable gold (BLEG) stream sediment sampling is underway across other regional projects including Koba, Nerekole Sud, Kassa Est, and Mini.

Further drilling programs are anticipated once these geochemical and geophysical datasets are integrated, enabling a more targeted approach to testing the broader 1,000 km² project tenure. This phased, cost-effective exploration strategy aims to rapidly advance multiple prospects within the district-scale gold system.

Balancing Opportunity with Early-Stage Caution

While the assay results are compelling, it is important to note that the drilling was shallow and wide-spaced, with true widths of mineralisation yet to be determined. No independent verification of significant intersections has been conducted, and no resource estimates are currently reported. These factors underscore the early-stage nature of the exploration and the need for further work to confirm the extent and economic viability of the mineralisation.

Nonetheless, DeSoto’s ability to rapidly mobilise exploration activities and secure ground in a challenging regulatory environment positions it well to unlock value from its extensive holdings in Guinea’s gold-rich Siguiri Basin.