Oriole Resources plc has started 2,500 metres’ step-out diamond drilling in 10 holes at the Mbe South orogenic gold deposit in the Adamawa Region, central Cameroon.
MRE
The programme aims to expand the inaugural JORC inferred mineral resource estimate for the MB01-S deposit of 24.8 million tonnes, at a grade of 1.09 g/t gold, for 870,000 ounces contained gold, published in October 2025.
The company said that the deposit was currently open in all directions and at depth.
Step-out drilling, representing phase III work, targets potential extensions of the MB01-S system to the south, west, northwest and northeast.
“It is expected to add further gold ounces to the global resource base at Mbe later this year,” said the company.
Following completion of phase II drilling at the MB01-N target, a separate JORC MRE is expected to be published during the early quarter of 2026.
MB01-N currently has a JORC exploration target of 15Mt to 20Mt at 0.77 to 0.94 g/t gold for 370,000oz to 605,000oz contained gold.
Chief executive officer Martin Rosser added: “Our ongoing and recent drilling activities at Mbe are all designed to build upon the substantial maiden MRE reported at MB01-S last year and to continue to grow the project’s enterprise value.”
Oriole said it continued to formalise earn-in partner and operator BCM International Ltd’s 50% interest in Mbe, under a joint venture agreement.
Mbe is the company’s main project and one of five contiguous licences – which also include Ndom, Pokor, Niambaram and Tenekou – within the 2,266 km2 Eastern Central Licence Package.
The Eastern CLP and the Western CLP, which includes the Mana, Dogon and Sanga licences, comprise the company’s broader, district scale Central Licence Package.