Avanti Gold appoints Cisse as CEO
Executive Summary
- Avanti Gold Corp. appoints Mohamed Cisse as Chief Executive Officer, effective March 16 2026 (formerly interim CEO since Dec 2025).
- The exploration team, led by the new CEO, completed a multi‑site visit to Lubumbashi, Kalemie and Misisi, engaging local stakeholders and presenting the 2026 exploration budget.
- Avanti outlines its 2026 drilling program for the Misisi project (≈42,000 m total), with Phase 1 (≈15,000 m) funded by a private placement closed Oct 23 2025 and Phase 2 (≈27,000 m) slated for late Q3 2026.
Key Details
- CEO Appointment
- Mohamed Cisse officially assumes the role of CEO on March 16 2026; served as interim CEO since Dec 2025.
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Background: former Managing Director of Syama (Resolute Mining), prior senior roles at Randgold Resources; BSc Mining Engineering (University of Pretoria) and Executive MBA (London Business School).
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Site Visit & Stakeholder Engagement
- Travel during the last week of February 2026 to Lubumbashi → Kalemie → Misisi.
- Meetings with MMG Ltd. general manager (Feb 23) to present the 2026 exploration budget for Misisi.
- Multidisciplinary team (logistics, community relations, safety, geologists) conducted surveys on drilling pads (Feb 24).
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Engagements with FARDC commander covering the 180‑km road corridor; discussions on security protocols and road escort arrangements.
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Community Engagement Framework
- Presentation of Avanti’s mission and development of a “terms of reference” for community engagement.
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Objectives: transparent communication, address community concerns, mitigate social risk, build trust, ensure regulatory compliance.
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Misisi Project – Resource Summary
- Akyanga deposit (central Misisi) hosts NI 43‑101 inferred resource: 40.8 Mt @ 2.37 g/t Au = ~3.11 Moz gold (based on 19,956 m historic drilling).
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Resource open at depth and along strike; defined to a $1,500/oz pit shell, vertical depth 350 m, strike length 2,100 m.
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2026 Drilling Program
- Total planned drilling: ~42,000 m (diamond + reverse‑circulation).
- Phase 1 – ≈15,000 m, start late Q1 2026; fully financed by private placement (closed Oct 23 2025). Focus on Akyanga footprint expansion and Akyanga East target testing; includes ground surveying, sampling, mapping at Ngalula, Tulonge, Lubitchako, Kilombwe.
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Phase 2 – ≈27,000 m, start late Q3 2026; aims to extend resources at Akyanga and drill additional high‑priority targets.
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Operational Milestones & Next Steps
- Camp refurbishment at Misisi village to increase exploration capacity.
- Ongoing road repairs on the 180‑km Kalemie–Misisi corridor (20 km identified for immediate work).
- Mobilization of four drill rigs (Simba Drilling) from Mwanza; en route to Kigoma.
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Development of community engagement terms of reference underway.
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Assay Results
- Historical sample preparation and assaying completed; results will be released in stages as they become available.
Notable Quotes
“Mohamed is a rare talent whose career across the DRC and Mali has been defined by excellence and integrity… His appointment as CEO reflects the board's complete confidence in his vision for Avanti.” – Sir Sam Jonah, Chairman, Avanti Gold
“I am honoured to engage with the communities of Misisi… Our commitment is clear: to listen, to engage openly and to ensure that our activities create meaningful opportunities for residents.” – Mohamed Cisse, CEO, Avanti Gold