LONDON-listed Ariana Resources PLC says drilling at its Dokwe North project in Tsholotsho, Matabeleland North Province, has revealed high-grade gold intercepts, reinforcing the potential for resource expansion beyond the current geological model.
Dokwe North is described as a “transformative greenfield discovery” located in a previously under-explored area of Zimbabwe’s Archaean Greenstone Belt.Zimbabwean cultural products
The site was largely ignored by explorers until it was acquired in the early 2000s, and it is now considered one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in the country. Gold is Zimbabwe’s largest export, with production hitting a record 46,7 tonnes last year.
The project, if successful, can contribute towards Zimbabwe’s efforts to ramp up gold production capacity and bolster economic growth and drive the generation of foreign currency needed to support the country’s gold-backed ZiG currency.
Although Dokwe North is a greenfield project (a new, undeveloped site), it is at an advanced stage of exploration, having completed a pre-feasibility study (PFS) and moving toward a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS).
Arian Resources said results from its latest reverse-circulation (RC) drilling programme at the Dokwe Gold Project returned strong grades that confirm the continuity of mineralisation within the area.
Among the most significant results was an intercept of four metres at 16,9 grammes of gold per tonne from 69 metres in drill hole DRC25, which the company described as one of the best RC hits recorded during its 2025-2026 drilling campaign.
Other notable intercepts include 10 metres at 7,67 g/t gold from 110 metres in hole DRC23 and 10 metres at 4,91 g/t gold from 156 metres in hole DRC22.
Ariana said the results indicate that the mineralised system extends beyond the current resource envelope, with potential for near-surface oxide resource growth stretching up to 150 metres to the north-east of the existing model.
Ariana recently completed an expanded RC drilling programme at the project, which totalled 5 659 metres across 31 holes, exceeding the initial exploration plan of 4 000 metres across 26 holes.
According to the company, additional drill holes were sunk at Dokwe Central and Dokwe North following encouraging geological indications encountered during the early phases of the campaign.
Further step-out drilling at Dokwe North, conducted between 50 and 100 metres beyond hole DRC25, has already been completed, although assay results from those holes are still pending.
Managing director Mr Kerim Sener said the latest results strengthen the case for expanding the existing mineral resource at Dokwe.
He said the company estimates the Dokwe mineral resource at about 1,1 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 1,52 g/t.
“These results confirm that the Dokwe North mineralised system continues beyond the limits of the current resource model towards the north-east.
“It is particularly encouraging that we can report several high-grade intersections, including four metres at approximately 17 grammes per tonne of gold, which highlight the strength and continuity of the mineralised shear zone,” said Mr Sener.
Ariana is now preparing to move into the next phase of exploration, with Phase Two diamond drilling at Dokwe North scheduled to begin in late March 2026.
The upcoming programme is expected to test deeper extensions of the mineralised system while also supporting a potential update of the project’s resource estimate under the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) reporting code.
“Our next planned phase of diamond drilling later this month aims to confirm the structural interpretation, test further extensions of the system and support future resource growth at Dokwe,” Sener said.
The Dokwe project is considered one of the most advanced undeveloped gold deposits in Zimbabwe and forms part of Ariana’s strategy to expand its resource base across Africa.Zimbabwean cultural products
Ariana is an Alternative Investment Market and Australia Stock Exchange-listed mineral exploration and development company focused on gold, copper and silver, with key projects in Europe and Africa.-herald
