Aurum Resources Hits 24m at 6.31 g/t Gold Outside BST1 Resource Ahead of MRE Update
Key Takeaways
- Aurum Resources has confirmed gold mineralisation outside the current BST1 Mineral Resource Estimate boundary, with 22 diamond drill holes totalling 6,172.80m returning multiple high-grade intercepts including 24m @ 6.31 g/t Au and 1.30m @ 155 g/t Au.
- The BST1 deposit currently stands at 22Mt @ 0.8 g/t Au for 570koz, with an updated MRE targeting early Q4 CY2026 and a Definitive Feasibility Study expected late CY2026 — both feeding directly into a construction decision.
- The Indicated Resource at BST1 is currently just 6.9Mt @ 0.9 g/t Au for 190koz, and management has stated drilling is on track to materially increase this figure in the next update — a classification upgrade that directly strengthens DFS inputs.
- Aurum expects to hold over A$95 million in cash following its recent A$52.5 million placement, providing a funded runway through concurrent drilling, studies, and permitting to a construction decision.
- First gold is targeted for the first half of 2028, with mining licence grant and funding finalisation identified as the current critical path items ahead of an early 2027 construction start.
High-grade gold confirmed outside current resource at Boundiali’s BST1 deposit
Aurum Resources (ASX: AUE) has received assay results from 22 diamond drill holes totalling 6,172.80m at the BST1 deposit within its 3.22Moz Boundiali Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire. The headline result: drilling has intercepted gold mineralisation outside the current Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), extending the footprint of a deposit that already stands at 22Mt @ 0.8 g/t Au for 570koz.
The MRE cut-off date is end of September 2026, with an updated MRE targeted for early Q4 CY2026. A Boundiali Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) is then expected in late CY2026.
Aurum’s balance sheet is well positioned to fund concurrent drilling, studies, and permitting. Following completion of its recent A$52.5 million placement, the company expects to hold a cash balance of over A$95 million.
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Standout intercepts from the latest BST1 drilling batch
The 22 diamond drill holes were a mix of infill, step-out, and extensional drilling, designed to test the strike and depth limits of known mineralisation, upgrade Inferred Mineral Resources to Indicated, and classify previously unclassified mineralisation. Most holes returned multiple mineralised zones downhole, a strong signal of mineralisation continuity across the deposit.
The top intercepts from this batch include:
- 2.63m @ 76.74 g/t Au from 195.20m, including 1.30m @ 155.00 g/t Au (BSDD0137)
- 24m @ 6.31 g/t Au from 108m, including 7m @ 19.25 g/t Au (BSDD0143)
- 1.43m @ 53.54 g/t Au from 74m (BSDD0134)
- 9.50m @ 7.59 g/t Au from 168.50m, including 2.85m @ 21.12 g/t Au (BSDD0135)
- 5m @ 13.19 g/t Au from 195m, including 1.64m @ 39.20 g/t Au (BSDD0135)
- 1m @ 45.25 g/t Au from 121m (BSDD0126A)
- 0.65m @ 61.29 g/t Au from 101.35m (BSDD0132)
- 8.50m @ 3.94 g/t Au from 269m, including 3.50m @ 6.52 g/t Au (BSDD0123)
- 1m @ 32.53 g/t Au from 124m (BSDD0144)
- 3m @ 9.89 g/t Au from 181m, including 0.60m @ 47.94 g/t Au (BSDD0130)
All intercepts are reported as downhole lengths using a 0.2 g/t Au cut-off with up to 3m consecutive internal dilution and no top cut applied.
Dr Caigen Wang, Managing Director
“…We have again intersected shallow high-grade gold, including 1.30m @ 155 g/t Au from 192.5m (BSDD0137), as well as broader zones such as 24m @ 6.31 g/t Au from 108m (BSDD0143). We are encouraged that our drilling at BST1 is on track to materially increase the Indicated Resource (currently 6.9Mt @ 0.9 g/t Au for 190koz) in Boundiali’s next MRE update, expected early in the December quarter. The updated MRE will then feed into a Boundiali DFS due late this year…”
Gold system remains open — follow-up drilling planned
Gold mineralisation at BST1 remains open along strike and at depth, and follow-up drilling to test the mineralisation identified outside the current resource is being planned. Aurum believes there remains high potential for blind discoveries beyond the currently drilled outcropping anomalies, providing a clear pathway for continued resource growth in CY2026 and beyond.
At the time of the announcement, more than 120,000m of diamond core had been drilled at Boundiali in CY2026 (based on drill logs), including more than 36,000m on the BST tenement.
The table below sets out the deposit-level resource data for BST1 as disclosed in the announcement body text, alongside the other Boundiali deposit data as presented in Figure 4 of the source announcement. Note that the Figure 4 data is drawn from a visual map format; figures are reproduced as labelled in that figure.
| Deposit | Tonnes (Mt) | Grade (g/t Au) | Gold (oz) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BST1 | 22 | 0.8 | 570,000 | Current MRE; update targeted early Q4 CY2026 |
| BD Target 1 | 18.6 | 1.3 | 750,000 | From Figure 4 |
| BD Target 2 | 34.0 | 0.8 | 830,000 | From Figure 4 |
| BD Target 3 | 8.8 | N/A | 320,000 | From Figure 4 |
| BM Target 1 | 9.0 | 0.9 | 250,000 | From Figure 4 |
Note: Figure 4 data is sourced from a visual map in the ASX announcement. Column labels are reproduced as presented. Readers should refer to the original announcement for full deposit detail.
What is a Mineral Resource Estimate — and why does this update matter?
A Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) is a technical calculation of how much gold is likely to exist within a defined area of ground, and at what concentration. It is classified by geological confidence into three categories: Inferred (least certain), Indicated (moderately confident), and Measured (highest confidence). The higher the classification, the more reliable the estimate.
Classification matters because economic studies — particularly a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS), which assesses whether a project can be built and operated profitably — place greater weight on Indicated and Measured resources than on Inferred. Banks and project financiers apply the same logic when assessing development funding.
That is precisely why the current drilling campaign at BST1 is significant. The holes are specifically designed to upgrade Inferred resources to Indicated by drilling at closer spacings that allow geologists to define the gold mineralisation with greater confidence. The current BST1 Indicated Resource stands at 6.9Mt @ 0.9 g/t Au for 190koz, and Managing Director Dr Caigen Wang has stated that drilling is on track to materially increase this figure in the next MRE update. A larger, higher-confidence resource base directly strengthens the inputs that feed into the DFS.
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Development milestones stacking up — from MRE to construction
The drilling results sit within a rapidly advancing development timeline. The near-term catalyst sequence Aurum has outlined is as follows:
- BST1 MRE update — targeted early Q4 CY2026 (drill cut-off end September 2026)
- Boundiali DFS — expected late CY2026
- Mining Licence grant — pending; noted by the MD as the current key focus
- Funding finalisation and construction start — targeted early 2027
- First gold — targeted first half of 2028
Underpinning this timeline is a substantial drilling commitment. The Boundiali program targets 150,000m of diamond core drilling in CY2026, up 50% versus the prior plan, using 16 company-owned diamond drill rigs. Owning the rig fleet rather than contracting out gives Aurum direct control over drilling pace and costs.
Beyond Boundiali, a 30,000m diamond drilling program is planned to grow the 1.16Moz Napié resource, expected to commence in Q4 CY2026. Across both projects, Aurum holds a combined group resource of 4.4Moz gold (3.22Moz Boundiali and 1.16Moz Napié).
Aurum’s drilling activity at Boundiali extends well beyond BST1, with the BMT3 and BMT1 targets also returning exceptional grades, including intercepts reaching 367 g/t Au, further demonstrating the scale of mineralisation across the broader project.
Dr Caigen Wang, Managing Director
“Our focus now is grant of the Mining Licences and completion of the DFS, with the goal of finalising funding and starting construction in early 2027, targeting first gold in the first half of 2028…”
Dr Caigen Wang, Managing Director
“Boundiali continues to grow in both scale and confidence, and today’s results reinforce that trajectory…”
With a cash balance of over A$95 million expected following completion of the recent placement, Aurum’s balance sheet is positioned to support concurrent drilling, studies, and permitting activity through to a construction decision.
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