Critical Resources Lands in Suriname to Fast-Track Two Gold Projects Near Major Mines
Key Takeaways
- Critical Resources has management in Suriname now, fast-tracking due diligence so exploration can start as soon as conditions precedent on the Gonini and Greenstars acquisitions are satisfied.
- The two projects total ~199 km² of granted gold mining rights, with Gonini at ~164 km² about 66 km from Newmont's Merian mine and Greenstars at ~35 km² about 35 km west of Zijin's Rosebel.
- A field crew is being organised to mobilise in the coming weeks for verification sampling at Greenstars and first-pass sampling at Gonini, followed by soil and auger geochemistry.
- Gold Fields' C$77 million investment in Founders Metals and La Mancha's 19.9% stakes in Miata Metals and Greenheart Gold show fresh capital flowing into Suriname gold.
- Both projects are early-stage with no Mineral Resources, Ore Reserves or Exploration Results, and binding agreements with both vendors are still being prepared.
Suriname gold due diligence fast-tracked as management lands in-country
Critical Resources Limited (ASX: CRR) has management in Suriname now, fast-tracking due diligence across the Gonini and Greenstars Gold Projects so exploration programs can start as soon as the conditions precedent are satisfied. The update follows the Gonini announcement of 23 September 2026 and the Greenstars announcement of 28 September 2026.
Together the two projects cover ~199 km² of granted gold mining rights, with Gonini at ~164 km² and Greenstars at ~35 km². Both are early-stage. No Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves have been estimated for either project, and no Exploration Results are reported.
Tim Wither, Managing Director
“…We continue to fast-track the due diligence on Gonini and Greenstars so that we can get boots on the ground as soon as practicable, and being here in Suriname with our vendors, counsel and advisers is the most direct way to do that…”
What this tells you is that the company is trying to move from securing title to field execution within weeks. The coming weeks are described as an important period, with management on site and establishing an in-country presence to begin first-pass sampling.
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What is management doing on the ground?
Management is progressing legal, title and technical due diligence with the vendors, in-country counsel and advisers. It is also meeting local communities and key officials, and planning the first field programs.
Site visits and stakeholder meetings
The planned activities include:
- Gonini site inspection: both exploitation rights in the historic Sara Creek district, including existing artisanal workings, access and camp infrastructure.
- Greenstars site inspection: the right and its road access from Paramaribo, the small-scale alluvial workings and two areas identified by the Vendor as prospective, ahead of verification sampling during due diligence.
- Field crew and logistics: planning field logistics, site access and camp arrangements for a crew being organised to mobilise in the coming weeks.
- Stakeholders and set-up: meetings with the vendors, local communities, relevant government agencies and the company’s in-country advisers, while progressing the establishment of its Suriname operating entity.
Field programs lined up
The sampling plan is staged, and each step depends on the one before it:
- Once mobilised, the field crew will start verification sampling at Greenstars and first-pass sampling at Gonini. Mr Wither said the crew is being organised to mobilise “in the coming weeks, subject to finalisation”.
- Subject to completion, the company then intends to run first-pass soil and auger geochemistry across interpreted prospective geological contacts at both projects.
- Guiana Shield structural specialists have been engaged to provide structural interpretation that will focus the programs.
- Suriname’s orogenic gold is concentrated along shear zones, fold hinges and greenstone contacts. Mapping these controls is described as fundamental in deeply weathered terrain, where outcrop is scarce.
For readers wanting to see how the structural work will focus the field programs, our deep-dive into the GexplOre structural interpretation program explains the two-stage scope, the priority target areas at Gonini and the expected mid-November deliverables.
Two complementary granted gold projects
The two projects sit in different parts of the country, and each is close to a major operating mine.
- Gonini (~164 km²): two granted exploitation rights in the historic Sara Creek district, where gold was discovered in 1876. It lies about 66 km from Newmont’s Merian mine. Generations of small-scale miners have worked the district, but there is no record of modern systematic exploration on the Gonini rights.
- Greenstars (~35 km²): a single granted exploitation right in the Para District, road-accessible from Paramaribo. It sits about 35 km west of Zijin’s Rosebel gold mine, with active small-scale alluvial workings in the project area.
Both acquisitions are staged, with most of the consideration deferred and conditional on completion. The key commercial terms are summarised in the company’s announcements of 23 and 28 September 2026.
Why is Suriname attracting global gold capital?
What is a greenstone belt and why does it matter?
A greenstone belt is a band of ancient volcanic and sedimentary rock. These belts commonly host orogenic gold, which forms along zones where rock has been squeezed and deformed.
The Guiana Shield and West Africa’s Birimian Shield are interpreted to have been joined before the Atlantic opened, and share comparable gold-bearing geology. The Birimian hosts an estimated 500+ Moz of discovered gold, against around 100 Moz for the Guiana Shield, reflecting materially less systematic modern exploration.
For you as an investor, that gap is the core of the exploration thesis: under-explored ground next to a proven neighbour. It remains a thesis only, and results from other projects are not indicative of mineralisation at Gonini or Greenstars.
Proven jurisdiction and fresh investment
Suriname already hosts two large producers, and recent deals show capital arriving:
- Rosebel (Zijin): in production since 2004. It reportedly produced 5.65 Moz between 2004 and 2021 and 306,535 oz in 2025, and was acquired by Zijin for US$360 million in 2023.
- Merian (Newmont): in production since 2016.
- Exports: gold accounted for ~79% of Suriname’s 2024 exports (~US$2.0 billion).
- Gold Fields: completed a C$77 million investment in Founders Metals in September 2026, lifting its stake to approximately 19.9%.
- La Mancha: holds 19.9% of Miata Metals, following a C$25.2 million financing in August 2026, and 19.9% of Greenheart Gold.
The company says these transactions show growing investor interest in Suriname’s gold exploration sector, without implying a comparable outcome for CRR.
Based on the company’s review, no other ASX-listed Australian company holds rights to granted gold tenure in Suriname. That is the company’s own assessment rather than an independent finding.
| Company | Listing | Suriname projects | Status (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newmont | NYSE: NEM | Merian (75% Newmont / 25% Staatsolie) | Producing since 2016 |
| Zijin Mining | SSE: 601899 | Rosebel | Producing since 2004; 306,535 oz in 2025 |
| Founders Metals | TSXV: FDR | Antino | Exploration and drilling; Gold Fields ~19.9% |
| Miata Metals | TSXV: MMET | Sela Creek, Nassau | Exploration and drilling; La Mancha 19.9% |
| Greenheart Gold | TSXV: GHRT | Majorodam, Igab, Tosso Creek | Exploration; drilling at Tosso Creek; La Mancha 19.9% |
| Critical Resources | ASX: CRR | Gonini, Greenstars | Due diligence; ~199 km² of granted exploitation rights, subject to completion |
Third-party information has not been independently verified by Critical Resources and is provided for regional and jurisdictional context only.
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What’s next for CRR in Suriname?
Binding agreements with both vendors are in preparation. Completion of each acquisition remains subject to conditions precedent that may not be satisfied.
CRR continues to actively assess further opportunities across Suriname to expand beyond ~199 km², subject to completion of the acquisitions. It will pursue only those that meet its criteria for title, access and cost of entry, and will keep the market informed in accordance with its continuous disclosure obligations.
Beyond Suriname, the company’s portfolio includes the Mavis Lake Lithium Project in Ontario, Canada, the Halls Peak Base Metals Project in New South Wales, and gold projects in New Zealand.
The takeaway is an early-stage, fast-moving entry into an active jurisdiction. The catalysts to watch are satisfaction of the conditions precedent, field crew mobilisation and the first sampling results, none of which is guaranteed.
Ready to Explore Critical Resources’ Suriname Gold Opportunity?
Critical Resources (ASX: CRR) is fast-tracking due diligence on the Gonini and Greenstars Gold Projects, which together cover ~199 km² of granted gold mining rights near Newmont’s Merian and Zijin’s Rosebel mines. With management on the ground and first-pass sampling planned, the company is moving quickly from securing title to field execution.
Investors wanting to follow the next catalysts can explore the Critical Resources investor page for the latest updates. It covers the company’s Suriname strategy, project details and wider portfolio.