Ariana Resources is advancing technical studies at its Dokwe gold project in Zimbabwe, with metallurgical testing and mine infrastructure assessments forming part of work towards completing a feasibility study, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Ryan Chigoche
The progress is outlined in the company’s third-quarter activities update for the period ended September 30, 2026. The studies are examining key requirements for developing the 1.6-million-ounce project, including ore processing, mine design and the infrastructure needed to support operations.
Managing Director Dr Kerim Sener said several components of the feasibility programme had progressed during the quarter, including metallurgical testing, geotechnical work and investigations into water supply.
“Key feasibility work progressed during the quarter, including the dispatch of eight tonnes of metallurgical samples to China for testwork with Xinhai Mining Services, completion of geotechnical drilling at Dokwe Central and commencement of water-bore drilling in an area known to host an aquifer. Studies into mine design, tailings management and site infrastructure also advanced with various consulting groups, supporting the continued development planning for Dokwe.”
A major part of the programme is establishing how Dokwe’s ore will respond to processing. Ariana has delivered eight tonnes of metallurgical samples to Xinhai’s laboratory in Yantai, China, for testing. The samples have been prepared into 28 composites under the supervision of Independent Metallurgical Operations.
Three bulk composites are earmarked for testing in China, while the remaining mine schedule and variability samples are being sent to Perth, Australia. The results will help establish the processing characteristics of the ore and guide decisions on the proposed plant.
The processing work is being matched by assessments of the ground conditions where the mine would operate. At Dokwe Central, Ariana has completed six geotechnical holes covering 1,251 metres. Selected samples have been sent to a specialist laboratory in South Africa, with consultants OHMS preparing a report to inform the proposed pit design.
How the mine handles waste is another consideration. Ariana has engaged Knight Piésold to assess possible layouts for waste rock dumps and the tailings storage facility.
The options under review include conventional slurry disposal, filtered tailings and combined tailings and waste rock facilities. The assessment will consider storage capacity, land requirements and haulage distances, all of which will influence the eventual mine layout.
Water availability is also being investigated as the company considers the infrastructure needed to support operations. Ariana is drilling 12 priority boreholes north of Dokwe, covering a planned 2,155 metres, to test the Forest Sandstone aquifer beneath the Karoo basalts.
The programme follows earlier hydrological and geophysical investigations. The drilling is intended to establish whether the aquifer can meet the project’s requirements, although its capacity has yet to be confirmed.
Ariana is also planning further drilling to check areas earmarked for infrastructure. The company believes sterilisation drilling carried out in 2021 did not adequately cover the expanded potential resource area or account for revised mining and processing rates.
The next programme is expected to involve 23 reverse circulation holes covering 2,300 metres, followed by a further 14 holes totalling 1,400 metres. The second phase will test the contact between volcanic and sedimentary formations.
The work is intended to establish whether mineralisation extends beneath proposed infrastructure sites. This would help the company assess whether placing facilities in those areas could restrict access to potentially mineable gold.
Alongside the engineering work, Ariana is updating its estimates of the deposit. AMC Consultants has been appointed to prepare an independent Mineral Resource Estimate under the JORC 2012 Code, while Auralia Mining Consultants is undertaking an Ore Reserve update. The reviews will incorporate approximately 11,000 metres of recent drilling.
Sener said the company’s priorities included completing the feasibility study, updating resource and reserve estimates and advancing investigations into water, power, infrastructure and environmental requirements.
Ariana ended the September quarter with £17.3 million in cash, equivalent to approximately A$32.7 million.
Dokwe was assigned a pre-tax net present value of US$1.056 billion in the company’s May 2026 pre-feasibility study update. The project remains at the feasibility and development-planning stage, with the ongoing studies expected to help establish the technical requirements for a future development decision.
