Golden Star Resources Ltd. is pleased to announce an update on the continued drilling programs within its Wassa mining concession in Ghana, where there are currently three surface diamond drill rigs working. Two of the surface rigs continue to test the up and down dip extensions of the current and planned reserve infrastructure and the third rig is infill drilling the Panel 3, B-Shoot upper area (“Upper Mine”) (within mineral reserve) ahead of planned development in 2023.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Up-Dip Drilling – Two drill holes were collared 50 metres (“m”) north and south of the initial up-dip extension hole BSDD20-003 which intercepted 20.9m at 6.9 grams per tonne (“g/t”) and successfully extended the B-Shoot structure 125m up-dip.
- BSDD21-010, drilled 50m to the south of BSDD20-003, intersected 19.0m at 4.6 g/t
- BSDD21-013, drilled ~ 50m to the north, intersected numerous zones of mineralization including 4.1m grading 7.9 g/t, 12.1m grading 4.8 g/t, 3.0m grading 8.5 g/t and 4.3m grading 11.0 g/t
- The expedited drilling of this up-dip target is therefore quickly delivering an expansion of the B-Shoot structure adjacent to planned reserve infrastructure
- Down-Dip Drilling – A previously unknown hanging wall zone has been identified in some of the holes targeting down-dip mineralization, with the best intersection coming from BSDD21-015M which intersected 9.1m grading 4.5 g/t.
- Near-Mine Drilling – Testing below the old SAK open pits has also intersected a significant zone which will require further follow up. SAKDD21-004 intersected 8.3m grading 4.2 g/t.
- Upper Mine Infill – Infill definition drilling has confirmed the presence of higher-grade mineralization. BSU21-829-01 intersected 12.1m grading 9.0 g/t and BSU21-820-03 returning 17.1m grading 8.8 g/t. These results show grades higher than reserve grade for this area.
- 2021 Mineral Resource Update – The results of the 2021 exploration and infill drilling program will be included in the 2021 year end mineral resource update that is expected to be completed in Q1 2022. Some of the targets are expected to be assessed for inclusion in the mineral reserve.
Andrew Wray, President and Chief Executive Officer of Golden Star, commented: “We are pleased to report positive progress being made on the drilling programs as part of the exploration and infill drilling initiatives. The exploration team has moved quickly to follow up on the recent up-dip and down-dip drilling success with further drilling to test the continuity of a new up-dip zone. Drilling in Q3 2021 was aimed at further testing of this target with the ambition of delineating a resource in the 2021 year-end resource update.
The mine geology team has also made positive progress with the infill drilling of the Upper Mine resource area. The confirmation of a higher-grade zone within this reserve area further focusses our attention on the drilling and development of this new production area, with the aim of advancing development from 2023.”
Table 1: Up-Dip and Down-Dip Significant Drilling Results Q3 2021
| HOLE ID | Azimuth (°) | Dip (°) | From (m) | To (m) | Drilled Width (m) | ~True Width (m) | Grade Au (g/t) | Drilling Objective |
| BSDD21-009D2 | 84.1 | -59.4 | 586.7 | 602.0 | 15.3 | 13.2 | 2.08 | Down dip |
| BSDD21-009D2 | Including | 586.7 | 593.5 | 6.8 | 5.9 | 3.33 | Down dip | |
| BSDD21-010 | 92.5 | -52.5 | 487.0 | 507.0 | 20.0 | 19.0 | 4.60 | Updip |
| BSDD21-010 | Including | 487.0 | 491.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 14.20 | Updip | |
| BSDD21-011M | 96.8 | -57.5 | 181.0 | 195.0 | 14.0 | 13.9 | 2.01 | Down dip |
| BSDD21-011M | Including | 181.0 | 184.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.74 | Down dip | |
| BSDD21-013 | 93.3 | -61.3 | 236.0 | 241.0 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 7.87 | Updip |
| BSDD21-013 | 94.0 | -60.6 | 394.9 | 410.0 | 15.1 | 12.1 | 4.83 | Updip |
| BSDD21-013 | Including | 394.9 | 399.0 | 4.1 | 3.3 | 14.81 | Updip | |
| BSDD21-013 | 90.5 | -60.5 | 527.0 | 531.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 8.51 | Updip |
| BSDD21-013 | 89.2 | -59.4 | 572.0 | 577.2 | 5.2 | 4.3 | 10.95 | Updip |
| BSDD21-013 | 86.1 | -60.3 | 656.0 | 664.0 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 5.21 | Updip |
| BSDD21-015M | 90.5 | -52.5 | 259.0 | 272.5 | 13.5 | 9.1 | 4.47 | Down dip |
| BSDD21-015M | Including | 264.0 | 270.0 | 6.0 | 4.1 | 8.62 | Down dip |
Wassa Up and Down-Dip Resource extension drilling
The Wassa up and down-dip drilling for Q3 2021 involved three rigs drilling nine holes totalling 6,288m to bring the 2021 total drill metres to 17,463m for this program. The drilling has been successful in expanding the known mineralization both up and down-dip of the existing and planned reserve infrastructure.
Down-Dip Drilling: Some of the earlier down-dip intersections have now been followed up with drilling from underground platforms as part of the ongoing infill drilling program. It is expected that this is now drilled to a resolution sufficient to be included in the 2021 year-end mineral resource update and be available to assess for inclusion in the mineral reserve:
- Surface drilling – During Q3 2021, the surface drilling program included BSDD21-015M which intersected 9.1m grading 4.5 g/t in a newly identified hanging wall zone.
- Underground drilling – BSDD20-005M from the 2020 surface drilling program on section 19600 N, intersected 18.1m grading 3.6 g/t and has now been followed by underground drilling which has extended this zone to the north and south 125m and 50m, respectively. Most of the down-dip intersections from the 2020 and 2021 surface drilling will now be tested from underground. The last 2021 down-dip directional diamond drill hole is in progress and is testing the Northern up-plunge extension of the deeper mineralization, following up on a significant intersection in BS18DD308D2 which cut 18.4m grading 6.3 g/t.
Up-Dip Drilling: The up-dip drilling continues to focus on following up on the intersection drilled in BSDD20-003 on section 19200N, which extended the mineralization 125m up-dip cutting 20.9m grading 6.9 g/t. Several holes have been drilled 50m north and south of this intersection and both have confirmed the strike extent of this zone, with the following highlights:
- BSDD21-010 drilled 50m to the south on section 19150N which intersected an estimated true width of 19.0m at a grade of 4.6 g/t.
- The hole drilled 50m to the north on section 19250N, BSDD21-013, intersected numerous significant zones (see Table 1), of which the zone from 527m to 531m, grading 8.5 g/t may be correlated with BSDD20-003.
The 2021 up-dip drilling is drawing to a close, with the results expected to be included in the year-end mineral resource update. Should this drilling and subsequent drilling in this area delineate significant mineralization, it will open a new mining area above and to the east of the current mining infrastructure.
Wassa Near-Mine Surface Exploration Drilling
Table 2: Wassa Near-Mine Drilling Results Q3 2021
| HOLE ID | Azimuth (°) | Dip (°) | From (m) | To (m) | Drilled Width (m) | ~True Width (m) | Grade Au (g/t) | Drilling Objective |
| DMHDD21-001 | 242.0 | -49.9 | 125.0 | 130.0 | 5.0 | 4.8 | 1.45 | Down Dip Extension |
| DMHDD21-001 | 242.6 | -48.6 | 169.0 | 171.8 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.70 | Down Dip Extension |
| DMHDD21-002 | 235.8 | -49.3 | 156.6 | 159.0 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 1.42 | Down Dip Extension |
| DMHDD21-002 | 235.9 | -48.8 | 171.0 | 173.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.41 | Down Dip Extension |
| SAKDD21-004 | 268.8 | -39.7 | 292.5 | 295.5 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 1.66 | Down Dip Extension |
| SAKDD21-004 | 271.4 | -39.5 | 394.0 | 403.0 | 9.0 | 8.3 | 4.22 | Down Dip Extension |
| SAKDD21-004 | Including | 399.0 | 403.0 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 6.74 | Down Dip Extension | |
| SAKDD21-005 | 275.1 | -51.0 | 444.0 | 448.0 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 1.58 | Down Dip Extension |
| SAKDD21-005 | 277.2 | -50.3 | 514.0 | 515.5 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 2.83 | Down Dip Extension |
The Wassa near-mine exploration focused on wide spaced drilling to test down-dip extensions of mineralization beneath several of the historical open pits within the Wassa mining concession, outside of the Main Wassa trend. Nine holes were completed in 2021, totaling 3,457m.
Most of the holes intersected down-dip extensions of mineralization where projected. The SAK drilling returned a significant intersection that will require further follow-up. SAKDD21-004, which was drilled on the most southerly of the tested sections, intersected 8.3m grading 4.2 g/t.
Wassa Upper Mine Surface Resource Definition Drilling
The Wassa Upper Mine resource definition drilling commenced in Q3 2021 and focussed on infill drilling the western side of the Upper Mine – B-Shoot area (as shown in figure 6 below). The Upper Mine was previously included in an open pit push back and is now slated for underground mining, as outlined in the NI 43-101 “Technical Report on the Wassa Gold Mine, Mineral Resource & Mineral Reserve Update and Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Southern Extension Zone”, filed by the Company on March 1, 2021. All of the target mineralization is currently classified as an indicated resource, therefore the infill drilling is intended to better refine the position of the underground development, from which further tight spaced grade control drilling can be conducted prior to final stope design and mining.
To date results have been received for three holes, confirming the presence of higher grade mineralization in this area, with better than expected widths and grades in some cases:
- BSU21-820-01 returning 12.1m grading 9.0 g/t
- BSU21-820-03 intersecting 17.1m at a grade of 8.8 g/t
- These results show grades higher than reserve grade for this area
Drilling in this area will continue for the rest of 2021 and the results will be included in the year-end mineral resource and reserve updates.
Table 3: Wassa Upper Mine Drilling Results Q3 2021
| HOLE ID | Azimuth (°) | Dip (°) | From (m) | To (m) | Drilled Width (m) | ~True Width (m) | Grade Au (g/t) | Drilling Objective |
| BSU21-820-01 | 89.4 | -61.4 | 229.9 | 242.0 | 12.1 | 12.1 | 8.97 | Resource Definition |
| BSU21-820-01 | Including | 233.0 | 237.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 24.21 | Resource Definition | |
| BSU21-820-02 | 87.0 | -57.9 | 214.3 | 222.1 | 7.8 | 7.5 | 1.11 | Resource Definition |
| BSU21-820-02 | 86.8 | -60.2 | 238.0 | 244.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 0.88 | Resource Definition |
| BSU21-820-02 | 84.9 | -61.6 | 259.0 | 261.8 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.84 | Resource Definition |
| BSU21-820-03 | 90.5 | -52.5 | 187.0 | 204.2 | 17.2 | 17.1 | 8.81 | Resource Definition |
| BSU21-820-03 | Including | 187.0 | 193.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 23.05 | Resource Definition | |
| BSU21-820-03 | 91.0 | -53.3 | 230.9 | 234.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.04 | Resource Definition |
| BSU21-820-03 | 90.8 | -53.5 | 245.0 | 248.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 7.75 | Resource Definition |
A full dataset for the 2021 drilling results is available on the exploration section of the Company website via the following link https://s1.q4cdn.com/789791377/files/doc_downloads/exploration/Wassa-2021-Intersection-data-V2.pdf