Iamgold Corporation will start a 3 000 m reverse circulation drilling programme targeting three main zones at the Dalafin gold project, in Senegal, in which Aim-listed Oriole Resources, formerly Stratex International, holds an 85% interest.
Iamgold has the option to spend $8-million in expenditure to earn a 70% interest in the project.
Previous drilling results reported an average grade of 2.48 g/t gold.
The new drilling programme is planned at 50 m hole spacing and to a downhole depth of 100 m, at a 58˚ declination and a true depth of 85 m.
Iamgold has also mobilised a second rig and a 500 m diamond drilling campaign will start shortly, to validate the two best intersections previously reported by the company, the results of which included 9.6 m grading 16.08 g/t and 15 m grading 6.10 g/t.
Iamgold expects to complete both drilling programmes before the end of the year.