Mano taps ‘river of gold’ in Sierra Leone

Vancouver — Mano River Resources (MNO-V) and Golden Star Resources (GSC-T) have cut impressive gold intercepts at their jointly held Yirisen project in central Sierra Leone.

Mano’s drilling returned high-grade intersections of 14 metres grading 7.77 grams gold per tonne in core hole YDD1 and 9.1 metres averaging 15.99 grams gold in hole YDD2.

Yirisen (“river of gold” in the local language) is on the North Pampana licence, at the southern end of the Sula Mountains greenstone belt.

The project hosts gold mineralization in shear-zone-associated vein structures over an inferred strike of 3.8 km. Multiple bands of high-grade gold are observed across widths of up to 200 metres. A long history of artisanal gold production has exposed additional mineralization outside of the veins, thus increasing the project’s potential.

The area was explored by the Geological Survey of Sierra Leone in the late-1950s, the Northern Province Prospecting Venture in the 1960s, and a United Nations-funded program in the mid-1980s.

The initial five holes have so far covered 100 metres of strike along the trend, which remains open. Twenty-five drill holes (2,500 metres) are planned for the ongoing first phase of work.

Channel sampling has returned up to 6 metres grading 3.34 grams gold in an area 1 km north of the current drilling.

Golden Star can earn a 51% interest in the Pampana, Sonfon and Nimini gold licences by spending US$6 million on exploration over four years. The company can increase this to 71% if Mano does not co-fund a feasibility, and to 85% if Mano does not co-fund mine development.

Mano River is at the forefront in the re-entry of mineral explorers to newly stabilized Sierra Leone, where more than 10,000 sq. km are under licence. The West African nation hosts gold and diamond deposits and holds large areas of Archean terrain considered prospective for further discoveries.

Mano River also trades on the London Stock Exchange AIM (Alternative Investment Market) and has 210 million shares outstanding. At presstime, the dual-listed issue was up on the results, gaining 4.5 to close at 25 on a volume of 89,500 on the TSX Venture Exchange and up a half pence to close at 9.25p with volume of 854,238 shares on the AIM.