Ariana Resources (ASX:AA2): High-grade results reinforce growth outlook at Tavsan

Ariana Resources has released a detailed update on its ongoing drilling program at the Tavsan Mine in western Türkiye, outlining a series of high-grade intercepts that strengthen the geological model across the North Zone and point to further resource growth.

The results provide investors with a clearer picture of how the deposit is evolving as the company advances an extensive 15,000 metre program that is scheduled to culminate in a revised JORC Resource in the September quarter of 2026.

Highlights

• Assay results returned for 71 diamond drillholes in the North Zone.

• Best intercepts include 5.10 metres at 7.23 grams per tonne gold with 3.61 grams per tonne silver, and 8.50 metres at 3.70 grams per tonne gold with 2.09 grams per tonne silver.

• Mineralisation confirmed to extend beyond current geological outlines at depth and along strike.

• Infill drilling supports improved mine planning for future open pits.

• A full JORC Resource update will follow completion of the 15,000 metre program.

The latest results from the Tavsan North Zone reflect a consistent exploration strategy aimed at both increasing confidence in existing resources and testing extensions to the mineralised system.

Ariana and its partners have now completed more than 9,480 metres of HQ diamond drilling at Tavsan this year, with 5,345 metres focused on the North Zone alone.

Assays for all 71 holes have been received, allowing the company to present a coherent view of mineralisation across multiple domains.

The intercepts confirm continuity within the high-grade domain, a key factor for future reserve conversion.

Importantly, peripheral drilling has demonstrated that mineralisation extends deeper than previously interpreted, with the mineralised envelope now tracked across an approximate 90 metre by 200 metre area.

Drilling between planned pits has also closed gaps of 50 metres by 125 metres, supporting a more cohesive pit design scenario.

The scale of work at Tavsan underpins the project’s growing strategic importance within Ariana’s portfolio.

The mine has produced gold from the Main Zone for almost two years, and heap-leach operations commenced in the past month.

The North Zone is expected to become the next open pit in the sequence, and the present drilling is designed to refine that transition by improving geological confidence and enabling robust mine planning.

The deposit currently hosts a JORC 2012 Resource of 7.65 million tonnes at 1.26 grams per tonne gold for 311,000 ounces, with silver credits of 1.1 million ounces.

The Managing Director, Dr Kerim Sener, noted the significance of the results, stating:

“These results relate to the drilling recently completed in the Tavsan North zone, which will become the next open pit to be developed for the mine. The new data confirms our understanding of the geology and demonstrates the continuity of some higher-grade zones in this area.”

The extensive QA/QC framework described in the release provides additional confidence.

Assay work is conducted at the company’s accredited Kiziltepe Mine Laboratory, supplemented by external check analysis through ALS Global.

The program employs systematic blank, standard, and duplicate testing, with internal results showing strong correlation and compliance with established quality thresholds.

Next phase of development

Ariana Resources latest drilling reinforces the consistency of the Tavsan system and indicates meaningful potential for resource expansion once the full program is complete.

With infill holes supporting mine design and step-out holes extending known mineralisation, the company appears well placed as it moves toward its 2026 resource update.

Against a backdrop of ongoing production from the Main Zone and the recent start-up of heap-leach operations, the North Zone results provide a clear data-driven foundation for the next phase of development.

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