Turaco Gold Hits 11m at 4.33g/t as Begnopan Drilling Eyes Reserve Inclusion
Key Takeaways
- Turaco Gold has reported standout extensional intercepts at Begnopan including 11m @ 4.33g/t gold and 15m @ 3.41g/t gold from the first 69 holes of a 113-hole, ~13,000m program.
- Approximately 70% of Begnopan's 260koz MRE is currently Inferred, which is why it was excluded from Turaco's maiden 1.91Moz Probable Ore Reserve announced in June 2026 — successful infill drilling could change that.
- Mineralisation at Begnopan remains open in all directions, with a ~1km undrilled corridor between Begnopan and the adjacent Adiopan mineralisation representing additional upside as community engagement progresses.
- An MRE update targeting Q4 CY2026 will incorporate Begnopan resource growth and potential classification upgrades alongside contributions from Woulo Woulo, Asupiri–Adiopan, and a maiden MRE for Niamienlessa.
- Metallurgical test work on Begnopan fresh mineralisation delivered 89% gold leach extraction, supporting the deposit's processing credentials as the project advances into the DFS.
Begnopan drilling delivers high-grade extensions and infill success at Afema
Turaco Gold (ASX: TCG) has reported significant drilling results from the Begnopan Deposit at its Afema Gold Project in south-east Côte d’Ivoire, with both extensional and infill objectives successfully achieved across the first 69 holes of a ~13,000m, 113-hole program.
Begnopan is one of several deposits along the 35km Afema Shear, and the current program builds directly on the maiden 260koz Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) announced in October 2025. The program had two clear objectives: infill drilling to upgrade Inferred resources toward Indicated classification for potential JORC Ore Reserve inclusion, and extensional drilling to test for new mineralisation beyond the known resource boundary.
Standout extensional intercepts from the first 69 holes include:
- 11m @ 4.33g/t gold from 72m, including 4m @ 10.50g/t gold from 78m (BEGRC0089)
- 15m @ 3.41g/t gold from 124m (BEGRCDD0061)
- 23m @ 1.95g/t gold from 115m (BEGRCDD0067)
- 6m @ 6.50g/t gold from 84m (BEGRC0087)
- 10m @ 3.78g/t gold from 83m (BEGRC0047)
Standout infill intercepts include:
- 24m @ 3.30g/t gold from 105m (BEGRC0094)
- 5m @ 7.26g/t gold from 75m, including 3m @ 10.54g/t gold from 75m (BEGRC0085)
- 9m @ 3.97g/t gold from 55m (BEGRC0059)
Mineralisation at Begnopan remains open in all directions. Managing Director Justin Tremain framed the results within the broader Afema drilling campaign:
Justin Tremain, Managing Director
“Since releasing the Afema PFS in June 2026, we have reported drilling results demonstrating clear and significant extensions to the Woulo Woulo, Asupiri–Adiopan and Begnopan Deposits. Importantly, these extensions are at excellent gold grades across all three deposits.”
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Understanding what Begnopan means for the Afema resource base
Why resource classification upgrades matter
In JORC-compliant reporting, not all mineral resources carry the same weight. An Inferred resource reflects a lower level of geological confidence, meaning there is insufficient drilling density to reliably model the grade and continuity of the mineralisation. An Indicated resource, by contrast, has sufficient drilling density to support higher confidence estimates. Critically, only Indicated (and Measured) resources can be converted into a JORC Ore Reserve, which is the figure used to underpin mine planning, financing, and feasibility studies.
Approximately 70% of Begnopan’s 260koz MRE is currently classified as Inferred. This is precisely why Begnopan was excluded from Turaco’s maiden 1.91Moz Probable Ore Reserve, announced in June 2026 as part of the Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS). The infill drilling program now underway is designed to increase the geological confidence of those Inferred ounces. If successful, classification upgrades from Inferred to Indicated could potentially facilitate Begnopan’s inclusion in a future Ore Reserve update and the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS).
Where Begnopan sits within the broader Afema project
Begnopan sits immediately south-east of the 650koz Jonction Deposit and along strike to the north-east of the 1.28Moz Asupiri-Adiopan MRE. The current drill program has identified several sub-parallel mineralised trends, including a ‘Begnopan West’ zone associated with the hangingwall contact of a coarser-grained quartz-sandstone, analogous to the ‘Asupiri West’ trend identified at the adjacent deposit.
A ~1km gap in historical drilling separates the south-eastern portion of Begnopan from the Adiopan mineralisation. The ‘Aboullie’ village sits within this gap and, to minimise community disruption, the area has not yet been drilled. As community engagement progresses, this undrilled corridor represents potential upside for the resource.
The current Afema Project MRE by deposit is summarised below:
| Deposit | Tonnes | Gold Grade | Ounces (‘000) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woulo Woulo | 53.5Mt | 1.0g/t | 1,700 |
| Herman | 2.0Mt | 1.6g/t | 100 |
| Jonction | 9.8Mt | 2.1g/t | 650 |
| Anuiri | 10.2Mt | 1.8g/t | 570 |
| Asupiri | 33.8Mt | 1.2g/t | 1,280 |
| Begnopan | 5.1Mt | 1.5g/t | 260 |
| Heap Leach Stockpile | 1.4Mt | 0.9g/t | 40 |
| Toilesso | 1.0Mt | 1.4g/t | 40 |
| Total | 116.7Mt | 1.2g/t | 4,650 |
Source: Table Six, Afema Project JORC 2012 Mineral Resource Estimate by Deposit. Figures may not add up due to appropriate rounding.
MRE update and DFS on track for Q4 CY2026
The total Afema Project MRE currently stands at 4.65Moz gold, updated in June 2026 as part of the completed PFS. Turaco has confirmed the MRE update is targeted for Q4 CY2026, incorporating drilling completed to the end of September 2026.
Four contributors are expected to drive resource growth in the update:
- Resource growth at Woulo Woulo
- Resource growth at Asupiri–Adiopan
- Resource growth at Begnopan, with potential classification upgrades
- A maiden MRE for Niamienlessa
The updated MRE will then form the basis of the DFS currently underway. The PFS confirmed Afema as a potential +200,000ozpa gold producer. Tremain indicated that the recent resource extensions are expected to further bolster the DFS:
Justin Tremain, Managing Director
“We expect the addition of these recent resource extensions to further bolster the DFS with the potential for increased total and annual gold production.”
Drilling is continuing at the Adiopan and Woulo Woulo Deposits, with further results expected over the coming weeks. Four rigs are currently operating on site.
Metallurgy confirms Begnopan’s processing credentials
Metallurgical test work on Begnopan fresh mineralisation delivered an overall gold leach extraction of 89% from a ~1.0g/t gold head grade. The process route involves a primary whole ore grind at 75μm, followed by sulphide flotation to a low mass recovery concentrate of 3.2%, ultra fine grinding of the concentrate at 12μm, and then oxidative and cyanide leaching.
Strong recoveries at low mass concentrate pull is a positive indicator for processing economics as the project advances into the DFS. Full metallurgical detail is available in the ASX announcement dated 3 September 2025.
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Investment thesis: a deposit growing in every direction
Begnopan is one of several deposits growing simultaneously along the 35km Afema Shear, each delivering high-grade extensional intercepts. The structural significance for investors is straightforward: Begnopan is currently excluded from the 1.91Moz Probable Ore Reserve, which was based on a US$2,000/oz gold price assumption. Any successful classification upgrade from Inferred to Indicated, and subsequent inclusion in a future Ore Reserve update, would represent a direct addition to the reserve base rather than something already reflected in the current estimate.
With 113 holes of new drilling at Begnopan feeding into the DFS, and the MRE update targeted for Q4 CY2026, the near-term catalyst timeline is clearly defined. The DFS follows, incorporating an expanded resource base and updated economics.
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