West African gold developer Cora Gold has announced a drilling campaign exceeding 12,000 metres at its Sanankoro Gold Project in southern Mali. The company said the program is intended to expand its resource base and support growth beyond its current mine plan. The work will include reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling across the broader project area.
The drilling campaign will target both expansion of existing deposits and testing of high-priority exploration targets. Cora Gold said the initiative is part of an effort to develop Sanankoro into a larger, long-life gold operation. The company also linked the program to its projected ten-year production schedule.
Cora Gold stated that the campaign follows a financing package completed earlier this year. The funding fully covered Sanankoro through construction and into production. The company said this has enabled it to accelerate exploration and development activities.
Drilling allocation across Zone B, Zone C and Selin
The upcoming drill program will focus on mineralised zones including Zone B, Zone C, and Selin. Cora Gold said it will also evaluate underexplored strike extensions and nearby greenfield prospects. The company provided an allocation of total drilling activity by area.
Zone B is set to receive 40% of the drilling allocation, while Selin will take 30%. Cora Gold said Zone A and Zone C together account for 25%, with greenfield exploration targets taking 5%. The results are expected to be incorporated into an updated Mineral Resource Estimate once assay results become available.
The company said the objective includes increasing the size of the current resource inventory. It also aims to improve geological confidence and identify new zones that could support future mine expansion. Cora Gold did not provide additional details on timing for the updated MRE beyond completion of drilling and assay analysis.
Zone B targeted for deeper extensions and continuity
Cora Gold said Zone B will receive the largest share of drilling activity among all target areas. Management attributed the priority to active artisanal mining operations, strong mineralisation, and relatively limited deep drilling completed to date. The company described the planned work as testing extensions of known mineralised zones at depth.
The campaign at Zone B is also intended to improve continuity within the current resource model. Cora Gold said targeting deeper sections is designed to reduce geological uncertainty and strengthen confidence in resource estimates. The company added that deeper drilling could potentially identify additional high-grade gold mineralisation.
Cora Gold further stated that improving resource continuity at Zone B could affect future mine planning and long-term production potential. No changes to the existing mine plan were specified in connection with this work. The company framed the drilling as a step toward strengthening resource confidence ahead of possible expansion.
Selin exploration focused on southern portion and deeper testing
The Selin deposit is another major focus area within the program, according to Cora Gold. The company said historical drilling at Selin has been relatively shallow and widely spaced, which it said has limited understanding of the deposit’s full scale and continuity. It plans to concentrate new drilling on the southern portion of the deposit.
Cora Gold said management expects additional exploration there could expand known mineralisation. The company described its approach as increasing drill density and extending exploration to greater depths. It said this is intended to develop a clearer view of Selin’s overall size and economic potential.
The company added that results could support future resource upgrades and contribute additional feed for the planned mining operation. No specific assay outcomes or target depths were provided in the announcement. Cora Gold did not specify whether Selin results would be used for reserve conversion within any defined timeframe.
Infill drilling planned on about 50-metre spacing at Zone C
At Zone C, Cora Gold said the program will shift toward improving resource confidence through systematic infill drilling. It plans drilling on approximately 50-metre spacing to better define geological structures. The company said this work is aimed at strengthening continuity of known mineralised zones.
Cora Gold stated that infill results are expected to support future resource classification upgrades. It also said improved geological confidence would enhance long-term mine planning. The company noted that increasing geological certainty becomes more important as projects move closer to development.
No details were provided on how infill results would translate into specific classifications or categories within an MRE update. The announcement also did not specify whether additional metallurgical or engineering studies are tied directly to Zone C infill drilling. It remained focused on assay-driven updates following completion of drilling.
Greenfield targets near infrastructure and underexplored structures
Cora Gold said part of the program will test several high-priority greenfield targets near current and planned infrastructure. It described these targets as largely undrilled despite showing promising geological characteristics. The proximity to planned mining facilities was cited as a factor in how quickly discoveries could potentially be incorporated into future mine plans.
The company stated that successful greenfield results could reduce development costs and accelerate resource growth. Management also said it believes the broader Sanankoro permit package remains significantly underexplored with potential for additional discoveries. No list of greenfield targets or their locations was included in the announcement.
Cora Gold added that the Sanankoro project covers a prospective land package containing five major gold-bearing structures plus numerous emerging exploration targets. It said many structures have seen only limited exploration, leaving upside potential across the project area. As exploration progresses, it aims to build a larger regional resource inventory supporting future production growth.
DFS-backed economics underpin expansion beyond initial schedule
Cora Gold linked its confidence in the exploration program to results from a recently completed Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS). CEO Bert Monro was cited as saying Sanankoro is a robust, high-margin gold project with attractive economics and a projected mine life of ten years. Management said it believes the current mine plan represents only a fraction of the project’s ultimate potential.
The company stated that the new drilling campaign is designed specifically to identify opportunities beyond the initial production schedule. It also described establishing a foundation for long-term expansion as part of its purpose for running RC and diamond drilling across multiple target areas.
Cora Gold said resource growth is one of its highest strategic priorities during construction and development activities. It described combining resource expansion drilling, infill programs, and greenfield exploration to increase Sanankoro’s scale while extending operational life beyond an envisioned decade-long period. With funding secured and exploration momentum building, it expects an updated Mineral Resource Estimate after completion of drilling and assay analysis.
