Dalaroo Metals Raises $2.5M to Launch Bondoukou Gold Project Drilling

Dalaroo Metals Secures $2.5 Million to Launch Bondoukou Drilling Campaign, Appoints New Chairman

Dalaroo Metals (ASX: DAL) has announced a $2.5 million capital raise alongside the appointment of Bilal Ahmad as Non-Executive Chairman, marking an operational turning point as the Dalaroo Metals Bondoukou gold project drilling and chairman appointment signals the company's readiness to commence systematic drilling at its Bondoukou Gold Project in Côte d'Ivoire. The funding fully supports a planned 10,000-metre Phase 1 RC drilling campaign, transitioning Bondoukou from an advanced target-definition stage into active drill testing for the first time.

The raise is notable not just for its size but for the degree of internal conviction behind it. Every board member and senior manager is participating, with combined internal participation of approximately $1 million, including a $400,000 personal commitment from the incoming Chairman.

A Fully Funded Drill Campaign Targeting an Extensive Gold Corridor

The Bondoukou Gold Project sits within the Birimian Greenstone Belt of West Africa, a geological terrane long recognised for its gold-bearing potential across the region. Through soil sampling, auger drilling, geological mapping and structural interpretation programmes, Dalaroo has defined a gold-anomalous corridor that now forms the basis of its Phase 1 drill targets.

Three priority target areas have been delineated within what the company refers to as the Gold Ridge corridor:

• Wilfred Prospect — the initial focus of Phase 1 drilling, with targets associated with interpreted geological contacts, structural complexity, gold anomalism, and nearby artisanal workings
• Mag Target Area — earmarked for progressive expansion following Wilfred results
• Ali Target Area — part of the broader multi-target drill strategy within the same corridor

Previous exploration work has defined an approximately 7 km gold corridor at Gold Ridge, with peak soil assays reaching 23.26 g/t Au and a separate 4.3 km anomaly with a peak of 2,188 ppb Au, as referenced in prior ASX releases. The Phase 1 programme represents the first systematic drill test of this anomalism.

"Securing $2.5 million represents an important step forward for Dalaroo as we prepare to transition the Bondoukou Gold Project from target definition into systematic drilling. Results from this first phase will provide critical geological and structural information to refine subsequent RC and diamond drilling across the broader Gold Ridge corridor." — CEO John Morgan

Capital Raise Structure at a Glance

The raise is structured across two tranches. Tranche 1, valued at approximately $2.015 million, involves 33,583,334 shares and matching options issued under existing ASX listing rule capacity, with settlement expected around 17 August 2026 and trading to commence around 19 August 2026.

Tranche 2, valued at $485,000, involves 8,083,333 shares and matching options issued to directors, subject to shareholder approval at a General Meeting expected in September 2026. Furthermore, the lead manager's fee has been settled in securities rather than cash, meaning the full $2.5 million cash proceeds remain available to the company for operational deployment.

Where the Funds Are Going

The proceeds are earmarked primarily for advancing Bondoukou, with a defined allocation across near-term priorities:

• Execution of the 10,000-metre Phase 1 RC drilling campaign at Bondoukou, the primary deployment of funds
• Drill testing and follow-up exploration across the Wilfred, Mag and Ali target areas
• Geological modelling, assay interpretation and planning of subsequent RC and diamond drilling informed by Phase 1 results
• Continued technical evaluation and target generation across Dalaroo's broader Côte d'Ivoire portfolio
• Low-cost exploration planning activities in Greenland and Western Australia
• Placement costs, general working capital and corporate purposes

What Is RC Drilling and Why Does It Matter Here?

Understanding Reverse Circulation Drilling

Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling is a widely used exploration technique in which a drill bit is pushed into the ground while compressed air forces rock chips back up through a central tube to the surface. Samples are collected at regular intervals, typically every metre, and sent to a laboratory for assay to determine gold or other metal concentrations.

RC drilling is generally considered cost-effective and fast, making it well suited for initial drill testing of large anomalous zones. It allows a company to test geological hypotheses across multiple target areas efficiently, consequently generating subsurface data that can help direct more targeted diamond drilling at a later stage.

For Bondoukou, Phase 1 RC drilling will be the first time targets identified through extensive surface work — including soil sampling that returned peak values of 23.26 g/t Au — are tested at depth. The results are intended to determine whether the surface gold anomalism has a drillable geological source beneath it.

Glossary of Key Terms

Bilal Ahmad Steps Up as Non-Executive Chairman

Alongside the capital raise, Dalaroo announced the elevation of Bilal Ahmad from Non-Executive Director — a role he has held since June 2024 — to Non-Executive Chairman, effective 3 August 2026.

According to the announcement, Ahmad brings more than 15 years of strategic investment experience across ASX-listed companies and private ventures, with activity spanning resources, technology and life sciences. He currently serves as Chairman of Critical Resources Limited and as a Non-Executive Director of Altair Minerals Limited, and holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.

His appointment is accompanied by a $400,000 personal commitment into the Placement, subject to shareholder approval, making him one of the larger individual participants in the raise.

"The project represents a compelling opportunity within one of West Africa's most prospective and rapidly developing gold regions. The strong demand received from investors, including investors with experience supporting Côte d'Ivoire-focused mining companies, reinforces our confidence in the direction of the Company." — Bilal Ahmad

The Internal Participation Signal

One notable aspect of this announcement is the level of internal financial commitment behind the raise, with leadership placing its own capital alongside external investors.

Internal and associated participants therefore represent approximately 40% of the total raise. The remaining capital was drawn from new and existing external investors, including investors based in West Africa with experience supporting Côte d'Ivoire-focused mining companies.

Looking Ahead: Key Milestones and Timelines

Beyond Bondoukou, Dalaroo continues to maintain its broader portfolio, with planned completion of remaining technical interpretation at the Blue Lagoon Project in Greenland — where a recent ground-penetrating radar survey reported 50 metres of sediments — and at projects in Western Australia.

Why Investors Should Keep Watching Dalaroo

The Dalaroo Metals Bondoukou gold project drilling and chairman appointment positions the company's next phase with full funding in place and a leadership team that has backed its own strategy with direct capital. The raise removes a near-term funding overhang for the Phase 1 drill campaign, while the structure of internal participation points to confidence among those closest to the project.

Several elements make this a company worth monitoring closely:

• Full funding in place for a 10,000-metre RC programme at an advanced, multi-target gold project
• Approximately 7 km gold corridor already defined at Gold Ridge, with surface results supporting systematic drill testing for the first time
• A project location within the Birimian Greenstone Belt, a geological setting historically associated with gold discoveries in West Africa
• Regional investor participation from parties reported to have experience in Côte d'Ivoire-focused mining
• An experienced new Chairman who has committed $400,000 personally, subject to shareholder approval
• A multi-jurisdiction portfolio spanning Côte d'Ivoire, Greenland and Western Australia

In summary, the Dalaroo Metals Bondoukou gold project drilling and chairman appointment represents a decisive step forward. With $2.5 million secured, a 10,000-metre Phase 1 RC drill campaign funded, and a new Chairman personally invested in the outcome, investors with an interest in West African gold exploration have a clear window to monitor ahead as drilling commences and results progressively define the Gold Ridge corridor.

All financial figures are in Australian dollars unless otherwise stated. This article is based on Dalaroo Metals' ASX announcement dated 3 August 2026.

Ready to Follow Dalaroo Metals as Drilling Gets Underway?

With $2.5 million secured, a 10,000-metre Phase 1 RC drilling campaign fully funded, and a new Chairman personally committed to the tune of $400,000, Dalaroo Metals (ASX: DAL) is entering a pivotal chapter at its Bondoukou Gold Project. For investors looking to follow the drill results as they emerge across the Gold Ridge corridor, visit the Dalaroo Metals website to learn more about the company, the project, and how to stay across developments as they unfold.