Ariana Resources unveils “superb” resource upgrade at Dokwe gold project
Published: 08:08 04 Mar 2025 GMT
Ariana Resources PLC (AIM:AAU) has a new ‘in pit’ mineral resource estimate (MRE) for the Dokwe Gold Project, in Zimbabwe, delivering a 9% increase in its inventory.
In-pit measured and indicated resources now stand at 19.69 million tonnes, at 1.54 grams per tonne, representing some 977,000 ounces of gold.
The project’s total in-pit resource amounts to 44.90 million tonnes, at 0.98g/t gold, for 1.42 million ounces of gold.
Today’s revised estimates use improved geological and economic inputs, and now support the ongoing Feasibility Study for the Dokwe project. It envisages a 2 million tonne per year processing plant, to yield up to 100,000 ounces a year over a ten-year mine life.
“An absolutely superb result”, is how managing director Dr Kerim Sener described the new estimates.
"Dokwe is an advanced and high-value asset at the feasibility stage, which continues to demonstrate potential for development as a 2Mtpa operation over a ten-year mine life for a production rate of up to 100kozs per year," Sener said in a statement.
“As part of the Feasibility Study, we are looking to stage our development pathway to minimise up-front capital expenditure, maximise early revenue and maintain significant long-term optionality across the production schedule.
"The revised optimised in-pit resource is supported by improved confidence in the underlying geological model.”
Sener highlighted that the Ariana team expects Dokwe can be developed into a major mining hub in the longer term, and said it is one of the most significant developments of its kind in Zimbabwe.
“We are looking forward to fine-tuning other elements of our Feasibility Study through 2025, including a new drilling programme which we plan to commence in June.
“This programme will involve additional drilling for metallurgical and geotechnical purposes, as well as resource confirmatory and step-out drilling.”
