MetalsGrove Mining Identifies Multiple Gold Targets at Vavoua Permit

MetalsGrove Mining Identifies Multiple Gold Targets at Vavoua Permit in Côte d'Ivoire

MetalsGrove Mining Vavoua gold targets in Côte d'Ivoire have emerged as a key focus for Metalsgrove Mining Ltd (ASX: MGA), following early-stage exploration results from the Vavoua Permit. Several gold-anomalous areas have been generated from initial soil and termite mound sampling programs, marking a significant step forward for the company's West African operations.

Work to date has defined the 35 km² Dubaso Prospect in the north of the permit, along with two additional gold-anomalous areas in the southwest associated with a regional shear zone. According to the 23 June 2026 ASX announcement, these outcomes are part of a systematic programme across the broader Central West Gold Project, which covers 1,315.84 km² along the Abujar–Napié gold trend in the Oumé–Fetekro Birimian greenstone belt.

Managing Director and CEO Lijun Yang commented on the results:

"The results from our initial exploration programs at the Vavoua Permit are highly encouraging and continue to demonstrate the effectiveness of our systematic exploration approach. The definition of the 35km² Dubaso Prospect from initial soil sampling, combined with favourable geology including sheared intermediate volcanics and quartz veining, highlights the potential for the discovery of gold mineralisation."

Dubaso Prospect: Coherent Gold Anomalies Over 35 km²

The Dubaso Prospect has been identified in the northern portion of the Vavoua Permit through broad-spaced soil sampling. According to Metalsgrove Mining Ltd, soil sampling on an 800 m by 800 m grid has highlighted a coherent cluster of low-order gold anomalies.

Key technical outcomes at Dubaso include:

• A 35 km² area characterised by low-order gold anomalies of 2 to 10 ppb Au, with a peak value of 90 ppb Au
• Anomalies associated with a broad zone of sheared intermediate volcanics and multiple zones of quartz veining
• A 4.5 km-wide belt of sheared intermediate volcanic rocks mapped across the prospect
• 400 m × 100 m infill soil sampling currently underway
• Geological mapping and rock-chip sampling in progress to refine potential mineralised trends

The combination of a coherent geochemical footprint and a structurally favourable host environment is consistent with the style of orogenic gold systems typical of the West African Birimian greenstone terranes.

For investors, the current stage at Dubaso indicates several important points:

• Early-stage geochemical targeting has produced a continuous anomaly rather than isolated values.
• The host rocks and structures are similar to those associated with known gold deposits elsewhere in the belt.
• The programme remains in the sampling and mapping phase, with no drilling yet undertaken on Vavoua PR-454.

Southwest Vavoua: Termite Mound Sampling Defining Two Anomalies

In the southwest of the Vavoua Permit, Metalsgrove Mining Ltd has adjusted its exploration technique due to complex near-surface conditions. The regolith in this area is highly leached and surface soils are largely devoid of gold, which reduces the effectiveness of conventional soil sampling.

An orientation study concluded that termite mound sampling is the most appropriate first-pass tool in this setting.

Results from the termite mound programme include:

• Two gold-anomalous areas located on a major regional shear zone
• A southern anomaly covering 10 km²
• A northern anomaly covering 5 km², remaining open to the north
• Both anomalies scheduled for further termite mound sampling and auger drilling

This approach reflects a methodical response to local geological conditions. Termites transport material from depths of up to around 15 m to build mounds, and sampling this material allows geochemists to test below the strongly leached near-surface horizon — which can be critical in tropical terrains.

From an investor perspective, the termite mound anomalies offer further promise:

• They extend Metalsgrove Mining Ltd's target pipeline beyond the Dubaso Prospect.
• They are associated with a major structural zone that may have acted as a fluid pathway for gold-bearing solutions.
• They remain at an early, pre-drilling stage, with auger programmes planned to better understand gold distribution in the regolith.

Understanding Systematic Gold Exploration

Early-stage gold exploration is often misunderstood as a single event driven by drilling. In reality, companies such as Metalsgrove Mining Ltd apply a staged exploration framework that progressively reduces geological uncertainty and focuses expenditure on the most promising targets.

Why Is Staged Soil and Termite Mound Sampling Important?

In unexplored or "greenfields" regions, drilling without prior geochemical and geological work can be highly inefficient. Furthermore, a stepwise approach allows:

• Wide-area coverage at relatively low cost.
• Progressive sharpening of anomalies before committing to drilling.
• Early identification of unproductive areas.

According to the Vavoua announcement, Metalsgrove Mining Ltd uses a six-stage sampling framework:

The Dubaso Prospect is currently in Stage 3, with 400 m × 100 m infill underway. The southwest termite mound targets are, however, advancing towards Stage 5, where auger drilling will be used.

Key Exploration Concepts Explained

To support interpretation of Metalsgrove Mining Ltd's results, several technical concepts are worth clarifying:

• ppb Au (parts per billion gold): A unit for very low gold concentrations in soils or rocks. For example, 90 ppb Au means 90 parts of gold per 1,000,000,000 parts of sample. For surface soils, anomalous values can be much lower than in rock.
• Sheared intermediate volcanics: Volcanic rocks of medium composition that have been deformed by movement along faults. Shearing can create zones where fluids move more easily and may deposit gold.
• Quartz veining: Fractures filled with quartz. In many orogenic gold systems, gold commonly occurs in or near quartz veins.
• Regolith: The layer of weathered rock, soil, and loose material above fresh bedrock. In tropical climates, this layer can be thick and chemically altered, which can remove gold from the uppermost parts of the soil.
• Termite mound sampling: A technique where material from termite mounds is sampled because termites bring soil from depths of up to around 15 m below surface.
• Auger drilling: A shallow drilling technique used to sample regolith and saprolite. It is less expensive than deep drilling and is often used to test beneath soil or termite anomalies.

By understanding these concepts, investors can better interpret what early-stage anomalies might represent and why multiple techniques are applied across different parts of a project.

Regional Setting: Position Within a Proven Gold Belt

The Vavoua Permit forms part of the MetalsGrove Mining Vavoua gold targets programme within the broader Central West Gold Project, which includes four permits under joint venture and application arrangements.

The permits are located within the Oumé–Fetekro Birimian greenstone belt along the Abujar–Napié gold trend — a structural corridor that hosts several multi-million-ounce gold deposits. Key contextual points include:

• The Central West Gold Project is located approximately 100 km north of the 3.8 Moz Abujar Gold Mine.
• It is also approximately 160 km south of the 1.2 Moz Napié Gold Project.
• Côte d'Ivoire contains around 35% of the Birimian Group rocks of the West African craton, which host multiple large gold systems.

The permit details are summarised below:

Vavoua PR-454, where the Dubaso and termite mound anomalies have been identified, was granted on 3 December 2025 for an initial four-year period and is renewable for two further three-year periods. Metalsgrove Mining Ltd is not aware of any previous systematic gold exploration across its four permits.

For investors, this positioning implies:

• Geological similarity to known gold-producing corridors in West Africa.
• Large permit coverage along a single trend, offering multiple targets within a coherent regional context.
• True early-stage exposure, given the absence of prior systematic exploration and drilling on Vavoua.

Planned Work Programme: Moving Anomalies Toward Drill-Ready Status

Metalsgrove Mining Ltd has outlined the next phases of work designed to refine current anomalies and assess their potential as future drill targets.

Planned activities at the Dubaso Prospect include:

• Completion of 400 m × 100 m infill soil sampling to improve definition of gold-anomalous trends.
• 800 m × 100 m infill soil sampling at Dubaso, subject to assay results from ongoing work.
• Continued geological mapping and rock-chip sampling to identify and characterise mineralised structures.

For the southwest termite mound targets, the company has scheduled:

• Further termite mound sampling to expand existing anomalies, particularly where the northern anomaly remains open to the north.
• Orientation auger drilling along lines adjacent to gold-anomalous termite mounds to test gold distribution in the regolith.
• Assessment of auger and sampling data to determine the suitability of advancing targets to higher-density work and eventual drilling.

These steps align with the staged framework described by Metalsgrove Mining Ltd and illustrate a clear progression from geochemical screening to more detailed subsurface assessment.

Why This Matters to Investors

From an investment perspective, the MetalsGrove Mining Vavoua gold targets announcement provides several points of interest:

• Multiple emerging targets: One soil-defined prospect (Dubaso, 35 km²) plus two termite mound anomalies (10 km² and 5 km²) along a major shear zone.
• Large-scale land position: A total project area of 1,315.84 km² along an established gold trend with no known prior systematic exploration across the four permits.
• Targeted methodology: Adapting from soil to termite mound sampling in complex regolith indicates a considered technical approach tailored to local conditions.
• Clear forward programme: Defined infill sampling, mapping, additional termite mound work and auger drilling provide a sequence of upcoming technical milestones.

As with any early-stage gold exploration, results at this point are geochemical and geological rather than resource-based. However, Metalsgrove Mining Ltd has stated that these programmes are expanding its pipeline of exploration targets and providing guidance on which techniques are most effective across the Central West Gold Project.

Key takeaway: Metalsgrove Mining Ltd's initial sampling at the Vavoua Permit has outlined the 35 km² Dubaso Prospect and two termite mound anomalies aligned with a regional shear zone. With ongoing infill soil sampling, mapping, termite mound programmes and auger drilling planned, the company is advancing a series of early-stage targets within a large, undrilled landholding situated between known multi-million-ounce gold deposits in Côte d'Ivoire.

Want to Learn More About MetalsGrove Mining's West African Gold Projects?

MetalsGrove Mining Ltd (ASX: MGA) is advancing a large-scale, early-stage exploration programme across its 1,315.84 km² Central West Gold Project in Côte d'Ivoire, with multiple emerging targets now defined at the Vavoua Permit. For investors seeking exposure to greenfields gold exploration along a proven West African gold trend, find out more about the company and its projects by visiting metalsgrove.com.au.