Oriole improves Mbe anomalism definition

Oriole Resources plc said infill soil sampling had “significantly” improved the definition of previous gold-in-soil anomalism at its 80%-owned Mbe gold project in Adamawa, Cameroon.

ROBUST

Mbe is one of five licences within the company’s package of contiguous exploration licences, of the Eastern Central Licence Package covering 2,266 km^₂.

Earn-in partner BCM International Ltd, funding up to US$4 million in exploration and expenditure, began infill soil sampling in February sampling at the MB01 prospect.

Oriole said that results from 4,537 samples delivered up to 8,174 parts per billion (ppb) gold.

Increased data resolution from the infill identified three key zones, including the previously defined northern target (MB01-N) and southern target (MB01-S), for more targeted follow-up.

MB01-S has a soil anomaly over 1.15km by up to 0.75km with more than 500 ppb gold at its core.

A more diffuse third zone has been outlined along strike of MB01-N to the northeast, extending over 0.5km by up to 0.5km.

A planned 5,500m trenching programme has started in order to provide three-dimensional data by mapping and sampling the rocks underpinning the soil anomalies.

Results, expected during Q3 2024, will help to define drilling targets for the 2024-25 field season.

Oriole added that a second infill soil sampling programme was nearly complete over the broader regional soil anomalism, which also covers two ground geophysical targets of MB_target A and MB_target B. Results are anticipated in Q3.

Additional pit sampling delivered best results of 260.03 g/t gold from 556 samples with 160 samples (31.18%) grading over 0.5 g/t gold.

Executive director exploration and business development, Claire Bay, said that MB01-S was in particular looking extremely robust.

“The team has worked extremely hard to ensure that our programmes remain on schedule, and I’m pleased to report that follow-up trenching has already commenced over these three targets.

“This will help us to build our geological model and to guide a maiden drilling programme in the next field season. 

“Results from the initial metallurgical test work are also extremely encouraging and, with a second soil sampling programme nearing completion over the wider licence area, there exists the potential for further target identification.”