MetalsGrove Mining Uncovers 18km Gold Trends at Zuénoula, Côte d’Ivoire

MetalsGrove Mining Uncovers 18km of Gold-Anomalous Trends at Côte d'Ivoire's Zuénoula Permit — Multiple Drill Targets Taking Shape

The Metalsgrove Mining Zuénoula gold discovery in Côte d'Ivoire has taken a significant step forward, with MetalsGrove Mining (ASX: MGA) releasing new soil sampling results from its Zuénoula Permit in central-west Côte d'Ivoire. The findings reveal 18 kilometres of combined northeast-trending gold anomalous trends across three major prospect areas, significantly advancing the company's path toward drill target definition.

Multiple drill-ready targets are expected by October 2026, with drilling to follow at the start of the dry season. Furthermore, the announcement builds on earlier results from the Fifty-Five Prospect and expands the story to encompass a district-scale picture — one that is beginning to look highly compelling for investors tracking early-stage gold exploration in West Africa.

Three Prospects, One Coherent District-Scale Story

The standout result from this announcement is the identification of three distinct gold-anomalous trends, each oriented to the northeast and together spanning an impressive 18 kilometres of combined strike length. These are not isolated anomalies — their parallel northeast alignment mirrors the orientation of major regional fault structures, which is a classically favourable configuration for orogenic gold systems hosted in Birimian greenstone belts.

Here is a snapshot of each prospect:

The peak soil value of 1,242 ppb Au (1.24 g/t Au) — among the highest soil-level readings recorded on the permit — was recovered from sample KN1566, located near the boundary with the adjoining Kounahiri West Permit application area.

This is particularly significant because it suggests the anomalous trend does not terminate at the Zuénoula permit boundary but continues northeast into Kounahiri West, a permit where MetalsGrove is earning up to 90% ownership upon grant.

Managing Director & CEO Lijun Yang commented: "The emerging 18km combined multiple northeast-trending gold anomalous trends, including a peak soil result of 1.24 g/t gold located near the border of the Zuénoula and Kounahiri West permits, provides increasing confidence that the general anomalous trend remains open to the northeast and extends towards our adjoining Kounahiri West Permit application area, reinforcing the broader district-scale potential across our highly strategic landholding."

Understanding Soil Sampling in Gold Exploration — Why Does It Matter?

What is soil geochemical sampling?

Soil sampling is one of the earliest and most cost-effective tools in a gold explorer's toolkit. As gold-bearing rock weathers over geological time, trace gold particles migrate into the soil directly above and downslope of mineralised structures. By systematically collecting and assaying soil samples across a permit, geologists can identify anomalous concentrations of gold — measured in parts per billion (ppb) — that indicate the presence of mineralisation at depth.

Why does the threshold matter?

MetalsGrove is reporting results above 70 ppb Au as anomalous, with values above 100 ppb considered highly significant at this early exploration stage. The peak result of 1,242 ppb Au is roughly 17 times the anomaly threshold — a standout reading that strongly supports the identification of a meaningful gold system below the surface.

Why does the northeast orientation matter?

When anomalous soil trends align with known regional fault structures — as they do here — it increases the geological credibility of the system. Structural controls are a key ingredient in orogenic gold deposits, which are the dominant deposit type across Côte d'Ivoire's Birimian greenstone belts.

Quick Glossary

• ppb Au: Parts per billion gold — the standard unit for soil geochemical assays at greenfields stage
• g/t Au: Grams per tonne gold — equivalent unit used when ppb values become large (1,000 ppb = 1 g/t)
• Strike length: The horizontal extent of a geological trend along its longest axis
• Birimian greenstone belt: An ancient geological terrain in West Africa that hosts many of the region's major gold deposits
• Auger drilling: Shallow, low-cost rotary drilling used to sample below transported surface cover, ahead of deeper reverse circulation (RC) or diamond drilling
• LiDAR: Light Detection and Ranging — a high-resolution aerial survey technique used here to generate detailed topographic maps for exploration planning

High-Grade Soil Results at a Glance

The table below presents all soil samples from Zuénoula PR-750 assaying above 70 ppb Au, as reported in the announcement:

Assays have now been received for 1,617 soil samples, with a further 388 samples pending laboratory analysis at Bureau Veritas in Abidjan — an internationally accredited facility that uses fire assay methodology, considered one of the most reliable techniques for gold determination.

Technology Enhancing Exploration Precision

A notable element of this program is MetalsGrove's integration of high-resolution LiDAR and orthophotography survey data into the exploration workflow. Captured by a DJI Matrix 300 RTK drone at a resolution of 3cm and a point cloud density of 94 points per square metre, the LiDAR imagery allows the exploration team to analyse topography, model geochemical dispersion patterns, and plan future infill sampling and auger drill traverses with high precision.

Importantly, the announcement notes that most of the very high soil sample results coincide with topographic crests — consistent with residual soils directly overlying mineralised bedrock rather than transported material. Consequently, this increases the geological confidence in the anomalies considerably.

What Comes Next — A Clear Roadmap to Drilling

MetalsGrove has outlined a structured, phased exploration program designed to tighten target definition and advance toward drilling. The pathway is systematic and well-sequenced.

Immediate Infill Sampling Programs

• Central Prospect: 200m x 50m grid — 500 samples scheduled
• Fifty-Five Prospect: 200m x 50m grid — 630 samples scheduled
• Vavoua Permit (adjoining): 800m x 100m infill — 470 samples currently being collected

Three field crews are currently active, with approximately 1,500 additional soil samples scheduled across these programs. In addition, a further 388 soil samples are currently with Bureau Veritas pending assay results.

Upcoming Milestones

The confirmation that auger drilling is feasible during the wet season (June to September) is a meaningful development. It provides a mechanism for continued newsflow during a period when surface drilling programs would typically be on pause, and it will generate subsurface geological data to sharpen RC/diamond drill targeting.

The Investment Thesis — District Scale in a Proven Gold Address

A 1,315 km² foothold in one of West Africa's premier gold belts

MetalsGrove's Central West Gold Project covers a combined 1,315 km² across four permits, strategically positioned along the Abujar–Napié gold trend within the Oumé–Fetekro Birimian greenstone belt. The project sits approximately 100 km north of the Abujar Gold Mine and 160 km south of the Napié Gold Deposit — established reference points that validate the geological address.

No prior systematic exploration — a true greenfields opportunity

MetalsGrove confirms that no previous systematic gold exploration has been conducted within any of its four permit areas. This is a genuinely underexplored landholding in a jurisdiction that contains 35% of the Birimian Group rocks across the West African craton — the world's largest Proterozoic gold-producing region.

The anomalies are growing, not shrinking

Each successive round of sampling results has expanded rather than closed off the footprint of gold anomalism. The trends are open to the northeast, the peak results are intensifying, and the structural interpretation is becoming more coherent. This is precisely the exploration narrative investors want to see building.

The Kounahiri West connection

The peak soil result of 1.24 g/t Au was recorded at the Zuénoula permit boundary, with the trend interpreted to continue into the Kounahiri West application area. If and when that permit is granted, MetalsGrove would hold 90% ownership of a permit area covering 338 km² that may already host a continuation of the most significant trend identified to date. This cross-permit connectivity represents meaningful optionality embedded in the current exploration story, further reinforcing the broader significance of the Metalsgrove Mining Zuénoula gold discovery in Côte d'Ivoire.

Why Investors Should Keep Watching MetalsGrove

MetalsGrove is executing a disciplined, systematic exploration program in a world-class gold address that remains largely untested by modern exploration methods. The combination of a large and growing anomalous footprint, a clear technical pathway to drilling, experienced field teams, and a connected permit portfolio creates a compelling setup heading into the second half of 2026.

Key reasons to monitor the company closely include:

1. Multiple drill targets expected by October 2026 — a near-term, high-impact catalyst
2. Auger drilling during the wet season provides continued newsflow through mid-year
3. 388 soil samples pending assay — near-term results expected to further define and potentially expand anomalous trends
4. Peak soil value of 1.24 g/t Au at the permit boundary suggests the most exciting trend may extend into adjoining ground
5. District-scale landholding of 1,315 km² in a proven Birimian greenstone belt with no prior systematic exploration
6. LiDAR-assisted targeting adding technical rigour to an already well-structured program

Key Takeaway: The Metalsgrove Mining Zuénoula gold discovery in Côte d'Ivoire continues to grow in scale and significance. MetalsGrove Mining (ASX: MGA) is rapidly advancing one of the more interesting early-stage gold stories in West Africa, with 18 kilometres of combined gold-anomalous trends now mapped across three prospects at Zuénoula, multiple drill targets expected by October 2026, and a district-scale permit portfolio positioned along a proven gold trend. With pending assay results, active field crews, and auger drilling on the horizon, the news pipeline into the end of 2026 is well stocked.

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

With 18 kilometres of gold-anomalous trends mapped across three prospects, multiple drill targets expected by October 2026, and a district-scale 1,315 km² permit portfolio in one of West Africa's most prolific Birimian greenstone belts, MetalsGrove Mining (ASX: MGA) is building a compelling early-stage gold exploration story in Côte d'Ivoire. To learn more about the company, its projects, and how this exploration programme is progressing toward drill-ready targets, visit the official MetalsGrove Mining website at metalsgrove.com.au.