Ryan Chigoche
The AIM and ASX-listed explorer said results from its 2025–2026 drilling programme indicate that mineralisation at Dokwe North continues at least 150 metres beyond the existing resource area, reinforcing the project’s long-term growth prospects.
Recent drilling has returned several encouraging intercepts, including 22 metres at 1.49 grams per tonne gold from 111 metres, 8 metres at 1.20 grams per tonne from 65 metres, and 1 metre at 3.77 grams per tonne from 101 metres.
The company said the results confirm that mineralisation remains open and occurs within shallow oxidised zones, a setting generally considered favourable for potential open-pit development.
At Dokwe Central, additional drilling has also delivered positive results, including 2 metres at 4.67 grams per tonne gold from 174 metres and 4 metres at 1.56 grams per tonne from 52 metres. Early work at the Sinkwe prospect has similarly continued to return indications of shallow gold mineralisation, adding further support to the broader prospectivity of the Dokwe project area.
Taken together, the results point to more than isolated mineral hits, instead suggesting a relatively consistent mineralised system with continuity across different zones. The combination of intercept widths and grades indicates that gold is occurring in thicknesses that could be considered meaningful in a potential mining scenario, particularly when viewed alongside the shallow depth profile reported in parts of the system. This also adds weight to the view that the mineralisation remains open, leaving room for further resource growth as drilling continues to step out from the current boundary.
Managing Director Kerim Sener said the company is now focusing on more detailed drilling to support upcoming feasibility studies and advance technical planning at Dokwe Central. He added that a resource update is expected in the second half of 2026 as the project moves into its next stage of development planning.
Dokwe is already regarded as one of Zimbabwe’s larger undeveloped gold assets, hosting a combined mineral resource of more than 1.4 million ounces of gold across Dokwe North and Dokwe Central.
The two deposits sit in close proximity but display different geological characteristics. Dokwe North is characterised by broader, lower-grade mineralisation, while Dokwe Central contains higher grade zones, giving the project development flexibility depending on future mining scenarios.
The deposit was initially identified through regional soil sampling and lies within Zimbabwe’s well known greenstone belt terrain, an area historically associated with significant gold production. Since Ariana’s acquisition through its 2024 merger with Rockover Holdings, the resource has increased by about 40%, supported by ongoing drilling and improved geological understanding.
Earlier studies suggest the project could support a phased development approach, potentially including open-pit mining and a processing plant capable of producing up to 100,000 ounces of gold per year under a larger-scale development scenario.
The latest drilling results continue to reinforce Ariana’s view that Dokwe still holds significant expansion potential, with further exploration expected to refine the resource base and guide future development decisions as the company advances toward a revised resource update in the second half of 2026.
