Panthera Resources has expanded the known gold mineralisation at the Kwademen prospect within its Bido project in Burkina Faso, outlining a conceptual exploration target of 700,000 to 1.6 million ounces of gold following a reverse-circulation drilling campaign covering 4,086 metres.
The programme comprised 34 reverse-circulation holes and identified mineralised intervals extending the interpreted dimensions of the system. Results included 56 metres grading 1.16 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, including 28 metres at 2.04 g/t, alongside an interval of 40 metres at 0.59 g/t, including 18 metres at 1.02 g/t. Panthera reported that gold mineralisation has been traced over approximately 1.4 kilometres of strike, with interpreted widths ranging from 100 metres to 330 metres. The results provide a basis for further drilling to establish the continuity and extent of the mineralised zones.
Drilling Results Define the Scale of the Kwademen System
The exploration target reflects the potential scale of the gold system identified at Kwademen. The reported mineralised intervals include broad zones of gold-bearing material, while the interpreted strike length and widths indicate the dimensions of the area being investigated.
The results will require further geological assessment to establish how consistently mineralisation extends between drill holes and across the interpreted system. Grade distribution and continuity will be important in determining the extent to which the exploration target can be supported by additional drilling.
The conceptual target of 700,000 to 1.6 million ounces is not a mineral resource estimate. It cannot currently be used as the basis for mine planning or economic studies, and further exploration is required before any part of the target can be converted into a resource classification.
Infill Drilling Planned for Resource Definition
Panthera intends to undertake additional infill drilling to improve geological confidence and assess whether the mineralisation can support a JORC-compliant mineral resource estimate.
The next stage will focus on establishing sufficient continuity and confidence in the mineralised zones to support formal resource definition. Conversion of part of the exploration target into a mineral resource would provide a more defined basis for evaluating the potential scale of the Bido project. The current drilling has established the interpreted dimensions of the Kwademen mineralised system, but the extent to which the conceptual target can be confirmed remains dependent on further exploration results.
Grade Distribution and Mining Economics Remain Unresolved
The broad mineralised intervals identified at Kwademen may be relevant to evaluating bulk-mining concepts, rather than development approaches dependent exclusively on narrow, high-grade zones. However, the distribution of gold grades across the mineralised system remains an important consideration.
The potential economic viability of a large-tonnage gold deposit at moderate grades would depend on factors including metallurgical performance, stripping ratios and infrastructure requirements, which influence operating costs.
These parameters have not yet been established for Bido. The immediate exploration priority is therefore to test the continuity of mineralisation through tighter drilling and determine whether the geological evidence can support a formal mineral resource estimate within the conceptual range identified by Panthera.
