Cora Gold Limited has reported new assay results from its 2026 drill programme at the Sanankoro Gold Project in southern Mali, identifying a new zone of oxide gold mineralisation at the Dakounkoura South target.
The greenfield target sits along the northern end of the Sanankoro structure, about 1km north of the Zone B North deposit. The latest drilling tested an area with very limited previous work and defined 500 metres of strike within a 2km radius of the planned process plant.
The company said the results are part of its wider 2026 drill programme, which is designed to test extensions to existing deposits and near-mine greenfield targets. The aim is to expand the current JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate of 1,044 koz at 1.04 g/t gold and to extend the reserve mine life beyond the 10.2 years set out in the 2025 definitive feasibility study.
Best intercepts from Dakounkoura South
Four reconnaissance holes were drilled at Dakounkoura South, with all of the reported intercepts outside the existing mineral resource estimate models. The best results included 28m at 0.27 g/t gold from 51m in hole SC0750, 35m at 0.40 g/t from 5m in hole SC0751, 11m at 0.55 g/t from 66m in hole SC0752, and 16m at 0.85 g/t from 20m in hole SC0753.
All four holes intersected mineralisation and, according to the company, demonstrated the continuity and fertility of the Sanankoro structure at Dakounkoura South. The results build on a previously reported hole, SC0282, which intersected 25m at 0.94 g/t gold.
In total, the Dakounkoura and Dakounkoura South zones now have a combined strike length of about 1.2km and extend to a depth of 120 metres. The total drill-defined strike extent of the Sanankoro structure is now greater than 8km and remains open in all directions.
Cora Gold said drilling has confirmed that two or more zones of mineralisation exist in the area, adding to the exploration potential. Further drilling is still required to support a maiden mineral resource.
Programme status
The reverse circulation drill programme has now been completed at 14,081 metres after being expanded on the back of positive results. Diamond drilling is ongoing for both resource growth and metallurgical test work, with total metres expected to exceed 1,500.
Assays are still pending from Zone A, Zone C, TRA07, Kary (Zone B South/West) and the remaining drill holes at Zone B. Drilling has also been completed at the other two greenfield targets, TRA07 and Kary, with results to be reported once assays are received.
Bert Monro, chief executive officer of Cora, said greenfield exploration programmes are high risk and that the four holes at Dakounkoura South have reduced uncertainty, intersected multiple mineralised zones and elevated the target in the company’s exploration pipeline. He added that the results give the company optimism and confidence that Dakounkoura, Dakounkoura South and the neighbouring Dakounkoro target will be important in future greenfield exploration plans.
Exploration work at Sanankoro has mainly focused on the five main deposits, but field work since late 2022 has identified more than 20 greenfield targets to create an organic pipeline of exploration opportunities. Three of those targets – Dakounkoura South, TRA07 and Kary – were selected for testing in the 2026 drill programme.
The company said approximately 5% of the total 2026 MRE growth drill programme metres, less than 1,000m, were dedicated to greenfield drilling. The four holes at Dakounkoura South totalled 392m and were spaced 100m to 200m apart.
Cora Gold said the target was identified as high priority after hole SC0282 intersected 25m at 0.94 g/t gold and ended in mineralisation without follow-up. The company also noted that there is relatively little other drilling information for the target, apart from limited historic shallow and widely spaced rotary air blast holes drilled by Gold Fields Limited.
Earlier work by CSA Global, now Environmental Resources Management Ltd, modelled an exploration target for Dakounkoura and Dakounkoro of 5.9Mt to 8Mt at a grade range of 0.60 to 1.20 g/t gold. The company said the two targets are interpreted to have the potential to host large tonnages and low-grade mineralisation.
Further drilling is required to prove up a maiden inferred mineral resource at Dakounkoura and Dakounkoura South, while reconnaissance drilling is also needed at Dakounkoro, which lies 700m west of Dakounkoura.
