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Aurum Resources Limited (ASX: AUE) (Aurum) is pleased to report further shallow, wide gold intercepts from diamond holes at BD Target 2 as part of ongoing diamond drilling at its Boundiali Gold Project in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa.
Highlights
- Assay results for scout and step-back diamond drilling (18 holes for 3070m) drilled at BD Target 2 on the Boundiali BD tenement report multiple shallow, wide gold hits1 including:
- 74m @ 1.00 g/t Au from 167m inc. 1m @ 24.73 g/t Au (DSDD0044) & 6m @ 3.31 g/t Au from 99m & 8m @ 1.51 g/t Au from 71m
- 33m @ 0.84 g/t Au from 146m inc. 1m @ 9.95 g/t Au (DSDD0046)
- 1m @ 10.01 g/t Au from 71m (DSDD0024)
- BD Target 2 is a 1.7km long by 1km wide gold prospect with artisanal workings (~6km north of BD Target 1)
- More assay results from drilling at BD Target 1 expected over the coming weeks
- Drill program is ongoing with 30,000m of diamond drilling planned for this year
- Aurum currently has three diamond drill rigs, drilling at ~4,000m per month and will soon increase to four diamond drill rigs drilling ~6,000m per month
- Aurum is targeting an initial Mineral Resource Estimate for Boundiali in late CY2024
- Aurum has a strong cash balance of ~A$5M (unaudited) to support its aggressive drill program.
Aurum’s Managing Director Dr. Caigen Wang said: “We are very pleased to see BD Target 2 is shaping up nicely with good, wide intercepts from 100m line spacing diamond holes confirming the gold system is open along strike and continues at depth. These new shallow, wide gold intercepts prove the gold system continues in fresh rock underneath shallow oxide RC drilling (30 holes for 2,057m) drilled by previous explorers.
Follow-up drilling is required to chase the system along strike and at depth as well as areas where our team has identified artisanal workings. BD Target 2 is about 6km to the north of BD Target 1, where we intercepted 73m @ 2.15g/t Au from 172m (DSDD0012) (Refer to Figure 3). These prospects sit within a 13km by 3km gold mineralised corridor the majority of which has not yet been tested by drilling.
We are well funded and supported by our shareholders and with our three diamond rigs targeting around 4,000m of drilling per month. Given the encouraging results to date, we are confident to add new targets on the BD and BM tenements whilst we drill towards our target of delivering inaugural JORC resources for the Boundiali project by late 2024.”
Figure 1: Section S10596307N showing previous drilling (white) and latest drill intersection (yellow) –BD Target 2
Latest BD Target 2 Drill Results
Assay results for drilling reported in this release are for wide line spaced (100m) diamond holes (18 holes for 3070m) drilled at BD Target 2. These new results are in addition to the assays previously released on 23 April 2024 (15 holes for 2,815m), with a total of 33 holes for 5,885.48m reported to date.
Aurum is performing diamond drilling using its own drill rigs and personnel to evaluate a 1.6km long by 1km wide gold prospect, which was defined by earlier explorers from soil samples, trenching and RC drilling. The prospect sits within a larger 13km by 3km gold mineralised corridor (which includes three gold prospects currently being drill tested), the majority of which is still to be drill tested.
Diamond drilling has intersected the same volcano sedimentary package seen at BD Target 1 and mineralisation is characterised by broad alteration rich in hematite + chlorite + tourmaline + quartz + albite and carbonate. Mineralisation at both BD Target 1 and BD Target 2 appear to be controlled by N-S trending structures and there has also been an intense activity of artisanal miners targeting oxide mineralisation.
Diamond drilling is conducted with NTW drill core and collared at the surface with HQ sized equipment. All drill holes were field logged by company geologists with lithological, alteration, mineralogical as well as sulphide content recorded. Geotechnical and structural data has been recorded and photography and recovery measurements were conducted by assistants under a geologist’s supervision.
NTW core is cut in half using a core saw and the core was sampled to major geological intervals as defined by the geologist at 1m sample intervals, although some niche sampling of quartz veins associated with visible gold has been undertaken. Typically diamond core samples are prepared, sub sample and assayed by Intertek in Ghana using fire assay techniques on a 50g sample.
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This article includes content from Aurum Resources Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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Aurum Resources
Investor Insights
Aurum Resources offers a compelling value proposition through its highly prospective gold assets in Côte d'Ivoire, a fast-emerging gold region in West Africa. Its cost-effective exploration strategy of drill rig ownership also distinguishes it from its peers.
Overview
Aurum Resources (ASX:AUE) is a mineral exploration company primarily focused on gold through its Boundiali and Napié gold projects in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa.
Côte d'Ivoire's gold mining sector is experiencing significant growth and development, with several key projects contributing to the country's economic expansion. The overall gold mining sector in Côte d'Ivoire is supported by substantial investments in infrastructure and exploration.
Geopolitically, Côte d'Ivoire outperforms most developing countries in the world in political, legal, tax and operational risk metrics. Additionally, Côte d'Ivoire continues to make notable strides in its political stability and Absence of Violence and Terrorism Index.
Boundiali Gold Project – BD Target 1 Artisanal Working
Aurum has entered into a Bid Implementation Agreement with Mako Gold for Aurum to acquire 100 percent of the issued shares in Mako. This proposed merger will allow both Aurum and Mako security holders to benefit from the combination of Aurum’s strong balance sheet and exceptional drilling efficiencies with AU$23 million in cash at the end of December 2024 to support work programs targeted at further resource definition across Aurum and Mako’s assets in northern Côte d'Ivoire. Aurum is currently in its final phase of compulsory acquisition of remaining Mako shares after it received over 90 percent acceptance of MKG shares in late January 2025.
Following its takeover of Mako Gold, Aurum holds 90 percent of the Napié Project located 30 km southeast of the city of Korhogo and covers a strike length of 30 km over a highly prospective land package of 224 sq km.
The merger is backed by a highly experienced board and management team with extensive gold experience from grassroots discovery, through to resource drill-out, feasibility studies, project finance, and production.
With a strong financial position backed by the recent $35.6 million private placement, Aurum is well-funded to execute exploration and development plans focused on delivering value for shareholders through resource growth and project advancement.
Company Highlights
- Aurum Resources is a precious metals company with exploration prospects in the same greenstone belt as the Syama (11.5 Moz), Sissingué (1.0 Moz), Tongon (5.0 Moz) and Kone Gold (4.5 Moz) deposits of West Africa.
- A total of 2.5Moz gold resource in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa:
- Boundiali - 1.6Moz Gold Project
- Napié - 0.87Moz Gold Project
- Aurum operates its own drill rigs, allowing the company to significantly reduce its exploration costs relative to peers.
- Management has a track record of creating value for shareholders from exploration through to project development, mine construction and gold production.
- Strong leverage to increasing gold prices that will benefit from a declining interest rate environment and rising global geopolitical risk factors.
- Well-funded for more than 12 months and over 100,000 metres of diamond drilling programs and metallurgical study
- Aurum’s acquisition of 100 percent of Mako Gold’s issued shares (ASX:MKG) is in its final stage of compulsory acquisition of the remaining MKG shares after Aurum received over 90 percent acceptance in late January 2025.
Key Projects
Boundali Gold Project
The Boundiali gold project in Cote d’Ivoire is located within the Boundiali Greenstone Belt, which hosts Resolute’s Syama gold operation (11.5 Moz) and the Tabakoroni deposit (1 Moz) in Mali. Neighbouring assets also include Barrick’s Tongon mine (5 Moz) and Montage Gold’s Kone project (4.5 Moz).
The Boundiali project area covers the underexplored southern extension of the Boundiali belt, where a highly deformed synclinal greenstone horizon traverses finer-grained basin sediments, and to the west, Tarkwaian clastic rocks lie in contact with a granitic margin. The project benefits from year-round road access and excellent infrastructure.
The first stage of drilling at Boundiali occurred from late October 2023 to end of November 2024 for both the BM and BD tenements (BM1 and BM2; BD1, BD2 and BD3 targets) and was designed to test below-gold-in-soil anomalies oriented along NE trending structures, define new gold prospects and define maiden JORC resources. With over 63,000m diamond holes drilled during this period, Maiden JORC gold resources estimate was delivered in late December 2024.
Drilling costs are estimated at US$45 per metre, as Aurum owns all of its eight drilling rigs and employs its operators, representing a significant value proposition relative to peers who use commercial drilling companies that charge upwards of $200 per meter. The company believes there is potential for multi-million ounce gold resources to be defined with hundreds thousands meters of drilling over years within the Boundiali Gold Project’s land holding areas.
The Boundiali gold project comprises four contiguous granted licenses: PR0808 (80 percent interest), PR0893 (80 percent and earning to 88 percent interest), PR414 (100 percent interest), and PR283 (earning to 70 percent interest). Historic exploration at PR0893 includes 93 AC drill holes and four RC holes. Airborne geophysical surveying, geological mapping and extensive soil sampling have also been performed at PR0893, while PR0808 has had 91 RC holes drilled for 6,229 metres along with geochemical analysis and modeling. Detailed geochemical sampling and drilling at PR414 revealed three strong gold anomalies and returned impressive high-grade results.
Following the renewal of its Boundali South (BST) exploration licence in September 2024, drilling at the Nyangboue deposit is planned for H1 2025 and H2 2025. Previous exploration at BST has returned impressive results, including 20 m at 10.45 g/t gold from 38 meters, and 30 m at 8.30 g/t gold from 39 m.
In May 2024, Aurum entered a strategic partnership agreement to earn up to a 70 percent interest in exploration tenement PR283, to be renamed Boundiali North (BN). Aurum, through subsidiary Plusor Global Pty Ltd, has partnered with Ivorian company Geb & Nut Resources Sarl and related party (GNRR) to explore and develop the Boundiali North (BN) tenement which covers 208.87sq km immediately north of Aurum’s BD tenement. Further to this agreement,
Aurum announced it has earned 80 percent project interest after completing more than 20,000 m of diamond core drilling.
Boundiali Project JORC Mineral Resource Estimate
Aurum has announced a maiden independent JORC mineral resource estimate of 1.59 Moz gold for its 1,037 sq. km. The Boundiali Gold Project comprises the BST, BDT1 & BDT2, BMT1 and BMT3 deposits. Drilling is ongoing on these deposits, and Aurum has identified other prospects at Boundiali which have yet to be drilled. Since October 2023, the company has completed an extensive 63,927-metre diamond drilling program. This aggressive exploration campaign has rapidly defined a significant gold resource of 50.9 Mt @ 1.0 g/t gold for 1.6 million ounces.
Growth Plans for the Boundali Project:
- Aggressive cost-effective exploration at Boundiali: Aurum is committed to a large-scale exploration program at Boundiali. This includes:
- 100,000 m diamond drilling: Up to eight diamond drill rigs will complete 100,000m of drilling at Boundiali in 2025. The program has multiple aims:
- Increase the size and confidence of current resources at BST, BD, and BM (40,000m).
- Advance known prospects (30,000m) for incorporation into two planned MRE updates in 2025.
- Target new prospects identified through soil anomalies and geological mapping to drive resource growth into 2026 (30,000m).
- Resource expansion: Drilling aims to expand the known resources at the BST, BD, and BM deposits.
- New discoveries: Exploration and scout drilling is planned on BD, BM and BST tenements to test new targets and create a pipeline of new discoveries to flow into resource growth.
- Boundiali resource updates: Aurum plans to deliver two MRE updates for Boundiali in 2025.
- Pre-Feasibility Study: Aurum is working towards completing an open pit PFS for the Boundiali Gold Project by the end of 2025. This will provide an evaluation of the project's economics and technical feasibility.
- 100,000 m diamond drilling: Up to eight diamond drill rigs will complete 100,000m of drilling at Boundiali in 2025. The program has multiple aims:
Napié Gold Project
Aurum holds a 90 percent interest in the Napié Project in north-central Côte d’Ivoire, acquired through its takeover of Mako Gold. Located approximately 30 km southeast of Korhogo, the project covers a 224 sq km land package with a 30 km strike length along the highly prospective Napié Shear Zone.
As of June 2022, Napié hosts a JORC 2012 Mineral Resource Estimate of 868,000 ounces of gold (22.5 Mt at 1.20 g/t Au), based on the Tchaga and Gogbala deposits—two of four known prospects along the shear. To date, only 13% of the Napié Shear has been explored, leaving substantial potential for further discoveries.
Napié Project – Previous results with detailed mapping area on Komboro Prospect shown in black rectangle
Project Highlights:
- Gold Resource: Shallow open pit 0.87Moz JORC Resource at 1.20g/t Au, with mineralisation open along strike and at depth. Maximum resource depth between 160 m – 195m across the two deposits
- Exploration Upside: Less than 13 percent of the 30 km Napié Shear has been explored, offering significant potential for resource growth.
- Drilling Commenced in June 2025: 30,000 m of diamond drilling has commenced to expand the project's resource.
- Preliminary Recovery Test Work: Returned more than 94 percent average gold recoveries.
- Resource Growth Target: First MRE update planned end of 2025, to significantly expand the resource base.
- Infrastructure: Excellent access to hydroelectricity, roads, and water, supporting future development.
Management Team
Troy Flannery – Non-Executive Chairman
Troy Flannery has more than 25 years’ experience in the mining industry, including nine years in corporate and 17 years in senior mining engineering and project development roles. He has a degree in mining engineering, masters in finance, and first class mine managers certificate of competency. Flannery has performed non-executive director roles with numerous ASX listed companies and was the CEO of Abra Mining until October 2021. He has worked at numerous mining companies, mining consultancy and contractors, including BHP, Newcrest, Xstrata, St Barbara Mines and AMC Consultants.
Dr. Caigen Wang – Managing Director
Dr. Caigen Wang founded Tietto Minerals (ASX:TIE), where he led the company as managing director for 13 years through private exploration, ASX listing, gold resource definition, project study and mine building to become one of Africa’s newest gold producers at its Abujar gold mine in Côte d’Ivoire. He holds a bachelor, masters and PhD in mining engineering. He is a fellow of AusIMM and a chartered professional engineer of Institution of Engineer, Australia. Wang has 13 years of mining academic experience in China University of Mining and Technology, Western Australia School of Mine and University of Alberta, and over 20 years of practical experience in mining engineering and mineral exploration in Australia, China and Africa. Other professional experience includes senior technical and management roles in mining houses, including St. Barbara, Sons of Gwalia, BHP Billiton, China Goldmines PLC and others.
Mark Strizek – Executive Director
Mark Strizek has nearly 30 years’ experience in the resource industry, having worked as a geologist on various gold, base metal and technology metal projects. He brings invaluable geological, technical and development expertise to Aurum, most recently as an executive director at Tietto Minerals’, which progressed from an IPO to gold production at the Abujar gold project in West Africa. Strizek has worked as an executive with management and board responsibilities in exploration, feasibility, finance and development-ready assets across Australia, West Africa, Asia and Europe.
Game-changing gold exploration at prolific Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa.
OPINION — Goldenomics 103: Gold Protects and Performs
By Darren Brady Nelson
US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs certainly caused quite the stir in the markets on April 2.
Gold dropped about 6 percent, and silver 12 percent. A week later, a pause was announced, which ended on August 1. Gold and silver have since risen approximately 11 percent and 24 percent, respectively.
Six month gold and silver price performance.
Source: Trading Economics (gold) and (silver).
Unless you are a professional, or even amateur, trader, it is best to look at gold and silver investment with a perspective of years or decades, rather than just days, weeks or even months. Since the start of the COVID-19 panic in March 2020, gold and silver have exploded 123 percent and 192 percent.
10 year gold and silver price performance.
Source: Trading Economics (gold) and (silver).
In the shorter term, the gold price is driven by what economist John Maynard Keynes called “animal spirits.” In the longer term, it is driven by “monetary spirits.” And not just as protection, but also for performance. The Presidential Gold Guide highlights both in chapters four and five.
Source: Fisher Liberty Gold.
Gold unsurprisingly protects
Economist and investor Mark Skousen has wisely noted that: “Since we left the gold standard in 1971, both gold and silver have become superior inflation hedges.” Gold has more than countered the results of inflation, as measured by CPI, and the drivers of inflation, as measured by M3.
And the numbers back that up. The Gold Protects chart below compares the gold price, CPI and M3 in terms of cumulative growth of each from 1971 to 2025. That is throughout the whole era of gold as an investment, which officially started in 1974 once private ownership was restored.
During this era, gold grew by 541 percent, CPI by 214 percent and M3 by 384 percent. Annual average growth for gold was 10 percent, CPI at 4 percent and M3 at 7 percent. Maximums were 92 percent, 14 percent and 29 percent, respectively. CPI only failed to grow twice, ie. 0 percent in 2009 and 2015. M3 decreased twice, by -4 percent in 2023 and -6 percent in 2024.
Gold surprisingly performs
The highly respected In Gold We Trust (IGWT) report states: “When dealing with the specific level of gold allocation, it is advisable to differentiate between safe-haven gold and performance gold. The Big Long strategy emphasizes the potential of performance gold in the coming years.”
IGWT thus recommends an investment portfolio "rule of thumb" that includes 15 percent in “safe-haven gold” and 10 percent in “performance gold.” The Gold Performs chart below compares gold price, S&P 500 and nominal GDP in terms of cumulative growth of each from 1971 to 2025.
Gold grew by 541 percent, the S&P 500 by 484 percent and GDP by 339 percent. Annual average growth for gold was 10 percent, with the S&P 500 at 9 percent and GDP at 6 percent. Maximums were 92 percent, 45 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Gold did have a higher standard deviation of 27 percent, compared to 17 percent for the S&P 500 and 3 percent for GDP.
Animal and monetary spirits
Gold protects as a hedge or safe haven, not just from inflation, but from the flip side of that same coin of the boom-bust cycle. Both are driven, in the longer term, not by “animal spirits,” but by “monetary spirits.”
Inflation is when money inflation has a widespread impact as price inflation. A bubble is when money increases have a more concentrated impact such as in certain asset values. The bubble eventually bursts when “monetary spirits” are finally reined in by monetary realities.
I say “monetary spirits” because of the role of fiat money, as indicated by, say, M3. When money supply outstrips money demand in a localized way, then that is a bubble, and when in a general way, that is inflation.
The former shows up in certain asset, wholesale and/or producer prices, whilst the latter shows up in CPI. Asset prices include the S&P 500. But nominal GDP is also "ginned up" as it is ultimately a price times quantity measure as well. Price is expressed in money terms.
Conclusion
Gold can have ups and downs, as standard deviation indicates, due to the “animal spirits” of fear and uncertainty, that tend to be daily, weekly or monthly. Yet gold both protects and performs due to the “monetary spirits” of inflation and boom-bust, which tend to be decennially.
In particular, gold performs when the S&P 500 does not, like in the aftermaths of the 2001/2002 dot-com collapse, the 2008/2009 global financial crisis and 2020/2021 COVID-19 lockdowns.
Therefore, when it comes to gold, “follow the money” of central bank “money printing” and fractional reserve bank “fountain pen money,” for both superior inflation protection and boom-bust performance.
And besides, Skousen rightly "begged the question" as follows: “Gold and Silver have always had value, never gone to zero. Can you say the same for stocks and bonds?”
About Darren Brady Nelson
Darren Brady Nelson is chief economist with Fisher Liberty Gold and policy advisor to The Heartland Institute. He previously was economic advisor to Australian Senator Malcolm Roberts. He authored the Ten Principles of Regulation and Reform, and the CPI-X approach to budget cuts.
Click here to read Goldenomics 101: Follow the Money, and here to read Goldenomics 102: The Shadow Price of Gold.
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