Aim-listed IronRidge Resources has started Phase 2 of a drilling programme at the Zaranou gold project, in Côte d'Ivoire.

The company plans on undertaking 8 000 m of aircore (AC) drilling and 1 000 m of reverse circulation (RC) drilling.

Historical intercepts at the project include 6 m grading 15.11 g/t gold from 26 m, 22 m grading 3.39 g/t gold from 8 m and 2 m grading 7.11 g/t gold from 36 m.

The company will test mineralisation continuity over an initial 3 km strike target zone, within the 8 km gold corridor that was tested in Phase 1 of the drill programme.

IronRidge says the drill programme should take about a month to complete, while the company remains cognisant of Covid-19 health and safety requirements on site.

The company previously had to temporarily shut down its exploration work, owing to Covid-19 impacts on field staff and operations, however, activity has resumed.

IronRidge expects initial results from Phase 2 at the end of the second quarter ending June 30.

Pending results of the second phase programme and demonstrating mineralisation continuity at 160 m spacing, the next step is to infill mineralised trends at 80 m line spacing and start drill testing other high-priority exploration targets.

"The scale of the Zaranou system is impressive, with hard-rock artisanal workings mapped over a 16 km strike and soil anomalism defining over 47 km strike of prospective structure.

"To date we have only drill tested 8 km strike in wide-spaced AC traverses and RC holes; now we will focus on a 3 km zone within the area to test mineralisation continuity,” explains CEO Len Kolff.

He adds that after a short period of operations shutdown, the company has carefully reviewed in-country operational procedures, discussed operational impacts with key stakeholders and communities, and implemented a Covid-19 management plan allowing for work to be safely resumed.