ASX-listed Predictive Discovery has announced more solid results from infill drilling at the BC deposit of its Bankan gold project, in Guinea, which should allow the company to upgrade some of its inferred mineral resources to indicated status.

The company has been drilling below the prefeasibility study (PFS) pit design in support of an overall definitive feasibility study on the project and to identify additional deposits to prolong the current Bankan estimated mine life of 12 years.

As of July 16, Predictive completed 1 019 m of drilling across seven holes at the BC deposit, which hosts a current mineral resource of 487 000 oz.

The BC deposit is located about 3 km west of the main NEB deposit. Another target, called 800W, is located about 400 m north-west of NEB and has no mineral resources attributed to it.

For this deposit, Predictive has completed 22 holes totalling 1 585 m of drilling, with some of the intercepts including 15 m of gold grading 22.2 g/t from 13 m, 18 m of gold grading 2.03 g/t from 40 m and 8 m of gold grading 4.57 g/t from 23 m.

Predictive MD Andrew Pardey says the very positive results at 800W build on previous exploration drilling programmes and continue to define a shallow orebody and reinforce the opportunity to increase the current 207 000 oz BC ore reserve.

Meanwhile, the best intercepts for the BC deposit below the PFS pit include 43 m of gold grading 5.58 g/t from 128 m; 22 m of gold grading 2.01 g/t from 176 m; 18 m of gold grading 2.07 g/t from 91 m; and 8.1 m of gold grading 2.52 g/t from 108 m.  

Predictive expects to announce final results from the BC infill drilling programme soon, while more resource development drilling continues to advance at the Gbengbeden, SB and Argo targets.

The company is in the application process for a mining permit for Bankan, with its environmental- and social-impact assessment having been submitted for approval in June.