Canadian company Ashanti Gold has identified new mineralised zones at its Anumso project in the Ashanti Region after completing a sampling programme.

The soil sampling programme tested previously underexplored areas, with results determining the presence of multiple parallel mineralised zones totalling up to 480m in width at certain areas of the project's mineralisation.

The company is planning to apply its analysis of the findings to guide further exploration on the project by trenching and drilling.

Ashanti Gold CEO Tim McCutcheon said: “New opportunities for gold mineralisation and the understanding that the material at Anumso has favourable gold recovery characteristics is great news for the company.”

According to the company, preliminary metallurgical test work indicated high levels of gold recovery.

"The company has the right to earn up to 75% of Goldplat's interest in the project by incurring $3m of expenditure towards exploration work."

Around 1,200 samples were collected at 20m intervals along lines 200m apart along 10.3km of strike exposure as part of the sampling process.

Based on the results, more than 30 parts per billion (ppb) of gold were found, with 24 samples containing in excess of 100ppb Au.

The company has the right to earn up to 75% of Goldplat's interest in the project by incurring $3m of expenditure towards exploration work. The project is a 29km² mining lease.

Goldplat said that an initial extended gravity recoverable gold test indicated the potential of recovering up to 72.9% of the gold by employing gravity methods.

Furthermore, Goldplat stated that Ashanti is planning to undertake further work to optimise process conditions and evaluate variability.