Awale Confirms BBM's Continuity with 2.0 g/t Gold Equivalent over 72 Metres and Looks Toward Underground Potential

The most recent news release (February 23, 2026) reports significant drilling results from the BBM gold-copper discovery at the Odienné Project. Key intercepts include 2.0 g/t AuEq over 72 metres (a metallurgical twin hole) and 2.0 g/t AuEq over 32 metres. These results confirm the grade and thickness continuity of the plunging high-grade core. Furthermore, the company has completed a 7,000-metre step-down program (11 holes) targeting the system to a vertical depth of 600 metres, with assays currently pending. This news follows a high-grade hit at the Charger target (52.8 g/t Au over 9m) reported in late January 2026.

The news is Routine - Positive. While the intercepts are strong (2.0 g/t AuEq over 72m), they are largely in line with previous results from the BBM core zone and include a "twin hole" specifically for metallurgy, which confirms rather than expands the known resource. The material impact lies in the de-risking of the upcoming Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) scheduled for Q2 2026. The confirmation of continuity is essential for resource classification (Inferred to Indicated). The "Game Changer" potential now rests on the pending assays from the 7,000m step-down program, which could significantly increase the volume of the deposit by proving underground scalability to 600m depth.

Awalé Resources is focused on the Odienné Project in Northwest Côte d'Ivoire. The project is a district-scale discovery characterized by Iron Oxide Copper Gold (IOCG) and intrusive-related systems. The project is split between the Odienné East JV (managed by Awalé, funded by Newmont) and 100%-owned permits (Sienso, Sama, Seydou). Flagship targets include BBM (Gold-Copper), Charger (High-grade Gold breccias), and Empire (Gold).