• Ariana Resources is set to launch Phase 2 diamond drilling at the Dokwe North gold project in Zimbabwe in late March 2026
• Recent RC drilling returned high-grade intercepts, including 4m at 16.90 g/t gold, strengthening evidence that mineralisation extends beyond the current resource model
• The Dokwe Mineral Resource currently stands at 1.1 million ounces at 1.52 g/t, with exploration suggesting the system may extend up to 150 metres beyond the existing resource envelope

Harare - Ariana Resources PLC is set  to launch a Phase 2 diamond drilling at its Dokwe North gold project in Zimbabwe later this month, following a series of high-grade intercepts that suggest the mineralised system extends beyond the boundaries of the current resource model according to the latest circular.

The programme is expected to provide more precise geological information than the RC campaign, allowing Ariana to refine its structural interpretation of the deposit and evaluate the full extent of the mineralised system.

The London- and Sydney-listed exploration company said the next phase of drilling will focus on confirming the geological structure of the deposit, testing extensions of the mineralised system and supporting a potential JORC-compliant resource update.

‘’ Ariana plans to begin Phase 2 diamond drilling at Dokwe North in late March 2026 as a prelude to a potential JORC resource review, managing director Kerim Sener said.

The decision to move into diamond drilling follows encouraging results from a recently completed reverse circulation (RC) drilling campaign, which returned several high-grade gold intercepts and strengthened the case for expanding the project’s existing resource base.

Among the standout results was 4 metres grading 16.90 grammes per tonne (g/t) gold from 69 metres in drill hole DRC25, one of the strongest intersections recorded during Ariana’s 2025–2026 exploration programme.

Other notable intercepts included 10 metres at 7.67 g/t gold from 110 metres in hole DRC23, and 10 metres at 4.91 g/t from 156 metres in hole DRC22, further confirming the continuity of mineralisation within the principal shear zone that hosts the deposit.

According to the company, the drilling results indicate that the Dokwe North mineralised system extends beyond the limits of the current resource model, with potential for near-surface oxide mineralisation to continue up to 150 metres beyond the existing resource envelope toward the north-east.

Ariana expanded the RC drilling campaign after early results revealed promising geological indications. The programme ultimately covered 5,659 metres across 31 drill holes, exceeding the initial exploration plan of 4,000 metres across 26 holes.

Additional step-out holes drilled between 50 and 100 metres beyond the high-grade DRC25 intercept are still awaiting assay results, meaning further extensions to the mineralised system remain possible.

Sener said the results confirm the strength and continuity of the Dokwe mineralised system and justify the transition into the next phase of exploration.

The Dokwe Mineral Resource currently stands at 1.1 million ounces of gold at an average grade of 1.52 g/t, positioning it among the more significant undeveloped gold deposits in Zimbabwe’s southern mining region.

Rising Interest in Zimbabwe’s Gold Exploration

The developments at Dokwe come as Zimbabwe’s gold sector continues to attract growing interest from international mining companies and junior explorers.

Gold remains Zimbabwe’s largest single mineral export, generating approximately US$5 billion in export receipts in 2025, underpinned by deliveries of 36.7 tonnes. With internal projections suggesting output could approach 50 tonnes this year, the price surge has the potential to materially strengthen foreign currency inflows, fiscal revenues, and external stability.

Elevated global gold prices  driven by strong central bank demand, geopolitical tensions and macroeconomic uncertainty  have further increased the attractiveness of new exploration projects across Africa.

Zimbabwe’s greenstone belts and the Zimbabwe Craton remain among the most prospective geological formations for gold in the region, hosting numerous large deposits and historical mines.

Within this context, the Dokwe project, located in southern Zimbabwe near the Botswana border, has long been considered a potentially significant open-pit gold development opportunity.

The upcoming diamond drilling confirms extensions of high-grade mineralisation beyond the current resource boundary, Ariana could move closer to expanding the project’s resource base and strengthening the case for eventual mine development.

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