B2Gold Corp. (TSX: BTO) has obtained additional positive exploration drilling results from the Fekola Complex in Mali.
The company also re-affirmed its 2022 total gold production guidance of 990,000 to 1,050,000 ounces (including 40,000 to 50,000 attributable ounces projected from Calibre Mining Corp. following consecutive monthly gold production records at the Fekola Mine in October and November 2022.
Highlights
- At the Mamba Zone, exploration is focused on expanding high-grade sulphide mineralization shoots: Drilling is targeting up to three plunging bodies of sulphide mineralization (one originating at Mamba Main Zone, one originating at Mamba West, and one potentially originating at Mamba North). Mineralization remains open at depth.
- Hole BND_119 returned 9.48 grams per tonne (g/t) gold over 14.60 m from 309.40 m and 5.01 g/t gold over 15.10 m from 347.60 m and further establishes the continuity of the high grade sulphide shoot in Mamba Main Zone. BND_119 intersected some of the highest grade sulphide drilled to date at the Anaconda Area.
- Hole MSD_230 returned 2.38 g/t gold over 26.21 m, from 354.79 m (including a higher-grade interval of 3.76 g/t gold over 14.00 m, from 367.00 m) and extends the southernly plunge extent of known mineralization below the current resource pit by an additional 200 m.
- At the Cobra Zone, the mineralized footprint expanded south following recent drill results on the Bakolobi permit: Exploration is focused on expanding saprolite mineralization near surface and sulphide mineralization at depth.
- Hole MSR_997 returned 4.46 g/t gold over 3.62 m from 209.00 m and 3.08 g/t gold over 24.12 m from 220.00 m (sulphide). Mineralization appears to have a shallow north plunge, still open along strike, to the north and to the south.
- Hole BKAC_0157 returned 1.46 g/t gold over 36.00 m from 19.00 m (saprolite), demonstrating the near surface saprolite potential of the Cobra Zone extension onto the Bakolobi permit.
- Saprolite mineralization discovered at the new Boomslang Zone (800 m to the west and parallel to the Cobra Zone): Opportunity remains for further discoveries of north to south trending deposits parallel to the Mamba Zone and Cobra Zone.
- Hole BKAC_0342 returned 1.97 g/t gold over 30.00 m from 12.00 m (saprolite). Additional reverse circulation and diamond drilling is underway to follow up on saprolite intercepts and test for the presence of underlying sulphide mineralization.
- At the Dandoko permit, drilling has validated the known high-grade saprolite zone at Seko: Drilling to provide metallurgical test work material confirmed significant grade-width intercepts.
- Hole DDSK22_138 returned 18.84 g/t gold over 21.80 m from 112.00 m (saprolite), and hole DDSK22_129 returned 3.31 g/t gold over 23.65 m from 31.00 m, and 5.87 g/t gold over 50.50 m from 58.00 m (saprolite).
- Fekola sets back-to-back monthly production records: The Fekola Mine in Mali produced 79,967 ounces of gold in October 2022, and 95,460 ounces of gold in November 2022, consecutive monthly production records. Mining from the high-grade Fekola open-pit Phase 6 is anticipated to continue through the balance of 2022 and into 2023.
2022 Mali Exploration Drilling Programme
In 2022, B2Gold is conducting a $35 million exploration program on the Fekola Complex (including Fekola, Cardinal, Anaconda Area, Bakolobi, and Dandoko), where recent drilling has been focused on the Anaconda Area, including the Mamba, Adder, Anaconda, Cascabel, Viper, and Cobra zones.
To date in 2022, B2Gold has completed approximately 169,000 m of combined diamond, reverse circulation and aircore drilling on the Fekola Complex. Metallurgical and infill drilling are currently underway on the recently acquired Dandoko permit, where approximatley 700 kg of saprolite material will be collected for recovery variability testing from eight new diamond drill holes.
For further information please visit: https://www.b2gold.com/
