Significant New Drilling Results at Tavsan

Ariana Resources PLC
21 December 2023
 

Ariana Resources PLC NEWTrade on AIM logo


21 December 2023

AIM: AAU

SIGNIFICANT NEW DRILLING RESULTS AT TAVSAN

Ariana Resources plc ("Ariana" or "the Company"), the AIM-listed mineral exploration and development company with gold mining interests in Europe, is pleased to announce recent resource and extension drilling results from the Tavsan Project, outlining the progress of the mine development work. The project is operated via Zenit Madencilik San. ve Tic. A.S. ("Zenit"), in partnership with Proccea Construction Co. and Ozaltin Holding A.S. and is 23.5% owned by Ariana.

Highlights:

·    Tavsan 2023 drilling campaign is still ongoing, with 8,994.3m completed; comprising 104 diamond drillholes drilled since November 2022.

·    Best new intercepts to date include: 

TAV-D023-23 12.1m @ 2.52g/t Au + 9.38g/t Ag from 114.6m

TAV-D027-23 11.0m @ 2.18g/t Au + 5.00g/t Ag from 137.3m

TAV-D025-23 6.2m @ 3.54g/t Au + 4.56g/t Ag from 102.1m

TAV-D020-23 8.8m @ 2.41g/t Au + 5.24g/t Ag from 45.3m

·    2,147 assay results received to date, with 809 remaining samples pending analysis at the Kiziltepe Mine Laboratory ("KML").

·    Mine construction is advancing well according to current scheduling, with the first gold production expected during Q2 2024.

Dr. Kerim Sener, Managing Director, commented:

"The latest drilling results from the ongoing drilling programme at Tavsan continue to demonstrate scope for expanding the Resource. Some of our deeper holes on the project have been yielding high grades over c.10m intervals, which is highly encouraging and suggests that there may be further depth continuity to parts of the Tavsan deposit than previously indicated.  Further drilling is underway, and we will continue to test the strike and depth continuity of mineralisation, particularly in the North Zone and North Zone Extension. We anticipate that approximately a further 5,000m of drilling is planned.

"We are currently working on revisions to our geological model based on the new data, which will ultimately contribute to a revised Mineral Resource Estimate. This in turn will be used to update production and development plans during Q1 2024, and we remain on track for first gold from Tavsan during Q2 2024."

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK Domestic Law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("UK MAR").

6.6 Mt at 1.44 g/t Au and 5.26 g/t Ag for 307,000 oz Au and 1.1 million oz Ag (all categories). The resource is de-risked, with 83% classified in the Measured & Indicated JORC Resource categories. The resource includes a high-grade domain of 1.1 Mt at 2.74 g/t Au and 4.89 g/t Ag for 96,000 oz Au and 171,000 oz Ag. There is a significant additional potential of 1.7 Mt of below cut-off grade material occurring in the 0.5 to 0.7 g/t Au range for c.34,000 oz Au, which is not currently classified as part of the resource.


Figure 1: Summary map showing the completed drillhole collar positions for the Tavsan Project. 


·    TAV-D023-23 12.1m @ 2.52g/t Au + 9.38g/t Ag from 114.6m

including 1.0m @ 11.83g/t Au + 1.15g/t Au from 114.6m

·    TAV-D027-23 11.0m @ 2.18g/t Au + 5.00g/t Ag from 137.3m

including 1.1m @ 5.98g/t Au + 5.98g/t Ag from 139.1m

·    TAV-D025-23 6.2m @ 3.54g/t Au + 4.56g/t Ag from 102.1m

including 1.4m @ 10.64g/t Au + 1.84g/t Ag from 102.1m

·    TAV-D020-23 8.8m @ 2.41g/t Au + 5.24g/t Ag from 45.3m

including 2.2m @ 6.25g/t Au + 3.75g/t Ag from 45.3m

·    TAV-D022-B-23 9.4m @ 1.66g/t Au + 8.06g/t Ag from 225.2m

·    TAV-D025-23 12.0m @ 1.23g/t Au + 2.46g/t Ag from 132.6m

·    TAV-D109-22 12.9m @ 0.94g/t Au + 2.43g/t Ag from 73.6m

·    TAV-D111-22 6.4m @ 1.82g/t Au + 5.94g/t Ag from 56.2m

).

 

Hole ID

From

(m)

To

(m)

Length

(m)

Au

(g/t)

Ag

(g/t)

TAV-D98-22

16.7

17.7

1.0

0.54

0.25

39.1

40.2

1.1

0.72

5.14

TAV-D103-22

19.3

20.4

1.1

0.66

4.54

22.0

26.9

4.9

1.48

13.97

41.5

46.5

5.0

1.04

0.25

50.5

60.7

10.2

0.82

3.86

67.0

68.0

1.0

0.55

0.25

69.0

70.0

1.0

1.09

0.25

73.0

74.0

1.0

0.57

0.25

TAV-D106-22

4.0

6.0

2.0

1.69

7.00

10.0

11.0

1.0

0.76

2.71

27.8

28.8

1.0

1.25

3.77

38.8

40.8

2.0

0.78

1.89

TAV-D108-22

112.0

113.0

1.0

0.50

0.91

113.9

114.9

1.0

0.51

0.72

125.6

126.8

1.2

0.59

3.03

142.5

143.8

1.3

0.52

0.25

146.7

147.9

1.2

0.59

1.49

TAV-D109-22

57.5

62.1

4.6

0.59

3.83

73.6

86.5

12.9

0.94

2.43

91.1

96.4

5.3

1.30

2.29

101.3

103.3

2.0

0.69

0.25

TAV-D111-22

56.2

62.6

6.4

1.82

5.94

70.5

75.4

4.9

0.73

2.70

76.7

77.9

1.2

0.80

1.65

91.0

92.3

1.3

0.71

0.67

TAV-D112-22

16.5

19.3

2.8

1.16

10.60

TAV-D113-22

86.9

92.4

5.5

1.35

4.67

103.4

104.7

1.3

0.55

0.25

TAV-D114-22

47.8

51.6

3.8

0.61

7.53

TAV-D003-23

48.5

49.5

1.0

1.08

6.62

52.3

53.3

1.0

7.16

9.03

TAV-D004-23

43.0

44.0

1.0

0.59

2.46

TAV-D005-23

35.8

37.3

1.5

0.81

7.76

TAV-D011-23

136.4

140.5

4.1

0.85

1.21

TAV-D017-23

23.5

24.7

1.2

0.74

11.02

26.8

27.8

1.0

0.53

2.57

TAV-D018-23

52.2

54.4

2.2

0.65

4.27

TAV-D019-23

79.7

81.7

2.0

0.73

7.05

86.9

90.6

3.7

1.32

5.10

TAV-D020-23

45.3

54.1

8.8

2.41

5.24

including

2.2

6.25

3.75

TAV-D021-23

117.6

120.3

2.7

0.92

16.22

TAV-D022-A-23

206.8

209.6

2.8

1.63

5.53

TAV-D022-B-23

209.3

218.1

8.8

1.03

12.20

220.1

223.0

2.9

0.67

13.21

225.2

234.6

9.4

1.66

8.06

244.7

249.6

4.9

0.65

3.97

TAV-D023-23

114.6

126.7

12.1

2.52

9.38

including

1.0

11.83

1.15

TAV-D024-23

80.3

86.5

6.2

1.36

0.63

91.5

93.2

1.7

2.68

2.26

TAV-D025-23

102.1

108.3

6.2

3.54

4.56

including

1.4

10.64

1.84

129.4

130.6

1.2

0.79

3.42

132.6

144.6

12.0

1.23

2.46

TAV-D026-23

80.9

86.0

5.1

0.81

5.12

101.2

102.4

1.2

0.62

9.15

109.4

112.2

2.8

1.19

3.08

TAV-D027-23

137.3

148.3

11.0

2.18

5.00

including

1.1

5.98

5.98

167.4

170.7

3.3

1.63

4.30

174.5

176.4

1.9

0.73

3.36

TAV-D028-23

115.0

116.1

1.1

0.62

12.06

TAV-D029-23

137.8

140.4

2.6

2.14

16.21

TAV-D032-23

89.7

93.4

3.7

1.15

11.06

TAV-D033-23

121.3

126.3

5.0

1.21

21.39

133.8

134.8

1.0

0.78

2.85

136.7

137.7

1.0

0.93

12.32

TAV-D035-23

8.3

9.3

1.0

2.16

4.11

24.5

25.5

1.0

0.75

4.97

TAV-D036-23

0.5

2.7

2.2

0.67

1.27

13.1

14.6

1.5

1.16

28.59

TAV-D037-23

47.3

48.3

1.0

0.63

0.25

Table 1: Significant gold and silver intercepts calculated for the results from the recent Tavsan drilling programme, using a 0.5g/t Au minimum cut-off and allowing for up to 1m internal dilution.

 

 

) in more detail than had been previously possible. Future work on the project will include geophysical Induced Polarization/Resistivity studies, isotope analysis and geochronology of mineralised samples.

Figure 2: 3D model of the Tavsan deposit showing the potential extents of the mineralised jasperoid in pink. 

Sampling and Assaying Procedures

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7407 3616

Michael de Villiers, Chairman


Kerim Sener, Managing Director


Tel: +44 (0) 20 7628 3396

Roland Cornish / Felicity Geidt


Tel: +44 (0) 20 7886 2500

John Prior / Hugh Rich / Atholl Tweedie


WHIreland Limited (Joint Broker)

Harry Ansell / Katy Mitchell / George Krokos

Yellow Jersey PR Limited (Financial PR)

Tel: +44 (0) 207 2201666

 

Tel: +44 (0) 7983 521 488

Dom Barretto / Shivantha Thambirajah /
Bessie Elliot

arianaresources@yellowjerseypr.com

 

Beaumont Cornish Limited ("Beaumont Cornish") is the Company's Nominated Adviser and is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish's responsibilities as the Company's Nominated Adviser, including a responsibility to advise and guide the Company on its responsibilities under the AIM Rules for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed solely to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and will not be responsible to any other persons for providing protections afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to the proposed arrangements described in this announcement or any matter referred to in it.

About Ariana Resources:

Ariana is an AIM-listed mineral exploration and development company with an exceptional track-record of creating value for its shareholders through its interests in active mining projects and investments in exploration companies. Its current interests include gold production in Turkey and copper-gold exploration and development projects in Cyprus and Kosovo.

 

The Company holds 23.5% interest in Zenit Madencilik San. ve Tic. A.S. a joint venture with Ozaltin Holding A.S. and Proccea Construction Co. in Turkey which contains a depleted total of c. 2.1 million ounces of gold and other metals (as at February 2022). The joint venture comprises the Kiziltepe Mine and the Tavsan and Salinbas projects.

 

The Kiziltepe Gold-Silver Mine is located in western Turkey and contains a depleted JORC Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resource of 222,000 ounces gold and 3.8 million ounces silver (as at February 2022). The mine has been in profitable production since 2017 and is expected to produce at a rate of c.20,000 ounces of gold per annum to at least the mid-2020s. A Net Smelter Return ("NSR") royalty of 2.5% on production is being paid to Franco-Nevada Corporation.

 

The Tavsan Gold Mine is located in western Turkey and contains a JORC Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resource of 307,000 ounces gold and 1.1 million ounces silver (as at November 2022). Following the approval of its Environmental Impact Assessment and associated permitting, Tavsan is being developed as the second gold mining operation in Turkey and is currently in construction.  A NSR royalty of up to 2% on future production is payable to Sandstorm Gold.

 

The Salinbas Gold Project is located in north-eastern Turkey and contains a JORC Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resource of 1.5 million ounces of gold (as at July 2020). It is located within the multi-million ounce Artvin Goldfield, which contains the "Hot Gold Corridor" comprising several significant gold- copper projects including the 4 million ounce Hot Maden project, which lies 16km to the south of Salinbas. A NSR royalty of up to 2% on future production is payable to Eldorado Gold Corporation.

 

Ariana owns 100% of Australia-registered Asgard Metals Fund ("Asgard"), as part of the Company's proprietary Project Catalyst Strategy. The Fund is focused on investments in high-value potential, discovery-stage mineral exploration companies located across the Eastern Hemisphere and within easy reach of Ariana's operational hubs in Australia, Turkey, UK and Zimbabwe.

 

Ariana owns 75% of UK-registered Western Tethyan Resources Ltd ("WTR"), which operates across south-eastern Europe and is based in Pristina, Republic of Kosovo. The company is targeting its exploration on major copper-gold deposits across the porphyry-epithermal transition.  WTR is being funded through a five-year Alliance Agreement with Newmont Mining Corporation (www.newmont.com) and is separately earning-in to up to 85% of the Slivova Gold Project.

 

Ariana owns 58% of UK-registered Venus Minerals Ltd ("Venus") which is focused on the exploration and development of copper-gold assets in Cyprus which contain a combined JORC Indicated and Inferred Resource of 17Mt @ 0.45% to 1.10% copper (excluding additional gold, silver and zinc.

 

Panmure Gordon (UK) Limited and WH Ireland Limited are brokers to the Company and Beaumont Cornish Limited is the Company's Nominated Adviser.

 

For further information on Ariana, you are invited to visit the Company's website at www.arianaresources.com.

 

"Ag" chemical symbol for silver;

 

"Au" chemical symbol for gold;

 

"g/t" grams per tonne;

 

"KML" Kiziltepe Mine Laboratory;

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