Casablanca – Gold exploration activities in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains have produced technically encouraging results, even as unusually severe weather conditions forced a temporary suspension of drilling operations. The developments relate to the Tichka East gold project, located south of Marrakech, where a Canadian exploration company has been conducting a drilling campaign aimed at confirming and expanding known mineralized zones.

The Tichka East project lies approximately 80 to 90 kilometers south of Marrakech, at an elevation close to 2,500 meters. The mountainous environment and limited infrastructure already pose logistical challenges under normal circumstances. In recent weeks, however, prolonged episodes of heavy rainfall combined with repeated snowfall—conditions described as uncommon for this part of Morocco—have significantly disrupted access to the site, leading to the suspension of drilling activities in mid-December 2025.

Progress achieved before suspension

Prior to the interruption, the drilling program had reached an advanced stage. Eight diamond drill holes were completed, representing a total of 1,311.9 meters drilled out of a planned 1,500 meters. The average drilling rate reached approximately 11 meters per operational day, a pace considered satisfactory given the rugged terrain and high-altitude setting of the project.

These drill holes form part of a structured exploration strategy designed to test the continuity, grade distribution, and structural controls of gold mineralization previously identified at Tichka East. The data collected during this phase are viewed as a key step in refining the geological interpretation of the project and informing future exploration decisions.

Early assay results strengthen geological interpretation

Analytical results are currently available for five of the completed drill holes, all of which have been fully sampled and analyzed. Among them, drill hole TCK1 delivered the most notable results, intersecting several gold-bearing intervals. The most significant intersection reported includes a continuous 13-meter interval grading 6.12 grams of gold per tonne, within which a higher-grade section of 2 meters returned 22.28 grams per tonne. Additional intersections included 16 meters grading 1.98 grams per tonne, including a one-meter interval at 11.55 grams per tonne.

These results are still undergoing validation and detailed interpretation, but they already support the hypothesis of continuous gold mineralization across multiple structural levels. Technical assessments indicate that the observed mineralization is consistent with the project’s existing geological and structural model, reinforcing expectations that mineralized zones may extend beyond the areas tested so far.

Laboratory work and pending results

In addition to the five drill holes already analyzed, one further hole has been sampled and submitted to Afrilab, an ISO-certified laboratory based in Marrakech. Core samples from two other drill holes remain on site and are awaiting safe transport to the same laboratory once access conditions improve. Two final drill holes are still planned to complete the original 1,500-meter drilling target.

Project operators have indicated that all outstanding assay results will be disclosed only after they have been received, verified, compiled, and fully integrated into updated geological, lithological, and structural models. This approach is intended to ensure data accuracy and consistency before drawing broader conclusions regarding the project’s resource potential.

Weather challenges and operational impact

The decision to suspend drilling was primarily driven by safety and logistical concerns. Heavy rainfall and snowfall caused extensive damage to access roads, rendering several routes impassable. This disrupted the movement of personnel, drilling equipment, water supplies, and other essential logistical support.

Despite repeated efforts by field teams to repair and stabilize the road network, these interventions were repeatedly undermined by renewed weather disturbances. In light of these conditions, project management prioritized worker safety and equipment integrity, officially suspending drilling operations on December 12, 2025. A resumption of activities will depend on sustained improvements in weather conditions and the restoration of safe access to the site.

Outlook and next steps

Despite the weather-related interruption, the technical progress achieved to date is viewed as positive. The structural model developed for the Tichka East project is considered robust, and exploration teams believe the potential for extending mineralized zones remains high. This potential exists both within the main structural corridor already identified—particularly in what is known as Zone B—and in other parts of the project area that have seen limited modern exploration.

Once conditions permit, the next phase of work is expected to focus on completing the remaining drill holes, integrating all assay and structural data into updated geological models, and prioritizing targets for a subsequent drilling campaign. These steps are intended to refine the understanding of gold distribution across the project and support longer-term exploration planning.

Project scale and partnership framework

The Tichka East project covers a total area of 82 square kilometers and consists of seven exploration permits. Under a partnership agreement with Morocco’s National Office of Hydrocarbons and Mines, the Canadian operator may earn up to an 85% interest in the project by committing total exploration expenditures of $2.39 million over a three-year period.

Previous exploration work at Tichka East identified three main gold zones extending over several kilometers, along with a broader set of regional metallic anomalies that have yet to be examined using contemporary exploration methods. The current drilling campaign forms part of a wider effort to reassess these zones under modern geological standards and evaluate their long-term development potential, even as short-term progress remains influenced by challenging climatic conditions.