Dalaroo Metals Defines 7km Gold Corridor With RC Drilling in July 2026

Dalaroo Metals Defines a 7km Gold Corridor at Gold Ridge — Maiden RC Drilling Set for July 2026

Dalaroo Metals (ASX: DAL | OTCQB: DALMF) has delivered a landmark exploration update from its Gold Ridge Project in Côte d'Ivoire, with soil geochemistry results defining a coherent ~7km gold-in-soil corridor across three distinct prospect areas. The Dalaroo Metals Gold Ridge 7km gold corridor drilling in July 2026 milestone includes a standout peak assay of 23.26g/t Au — an exceptional surface soil reading by any measure — and confirms that the Gold Ridge system has expanded dramatically in scope over just a few months of systematic work.

With 529 samples returning values above 25ppb Au, 127 samples above 100ppb, and 19 samples above 500ppb, the dataset paints a compelling picture of a large, continuous gold system that has yet to see a single RC or diamond drill hole. That changes in July 2026, when a +20,000m RC drilling programme is scheduled to commence.

From Single Target to District-Scale System in Under Four Months

Perhaps the most striking aspect of this announcement is the pace at which Gold Ridge has grown as an exploration target. The defined gold anomaly has expanded as follows:

This threefold expansion in strike length within a matter of months reflects both the scale of the underlying geological system and the effectiveness of the company's systematic exploration approach. Crucially, the corridor remains open — mineralisation has not been closed off at either end.

The broader structural and geophysical trend interpreted across the project area extends to approximately 9km, suggesting further potential for the anomaly to grow with continued work.

Three Distinct Prospect Areas, One Coherent Corridor

The completed soil programme has now defined three separate high-priority target clusters, each representing a standalone drill target while also forming part of the larger connected mineralised corridor.

The Northern Mag Prospect contains the highest-grade surface expression, with multiple samples exceeding 1g/t Au: 23.26g/t, 3.25g/t, 2.54g/t, 2.09g/t, and 1.96g/t. These values cluster within a 1.5km strike zone underpinned by a tight 100ppb Au contour anomaly, pointing to a potentially robust mineralised source at depth.

The Central Wilfred Prospect is notable for a different reason — a continuous gold anomaly extending along a single soil sampling line across the eastern side of the dataset. The company's geologists interpret this as potentially reflecting a broader mineralised structural corridor or fold-related fluid pathway, rather than a simple contact-controlled occurrence.

The Southern Ali Prospect rounds out the system, extending 2.0km along strike and up to 1.0km in width, with consistent gold anomalism supporting the interpretation of a coherent mineralised trend that may link southward with the Wilfred zone.

"Gold Ridge has rapidly evolved from a single exploration target into what we believe is a district-scale gold system with significant discovery potential. Despite these highly encouraging results, the corridor remains untested by drilling."
— John Morgan, CEO, Dalaroo Metals

What Makes a 23.26g/t Soil Result Significant?

Understanding Gold-in-Soil Geochemistry

Soil geochemistry is one of the most widely used tools in early-stage gold exploration. It involves collecting small soil samples — typically from the B-horizon, which is the layer immediately beneath surface organic material — and analysing them for trace element concentrations.

Results are normally reported in parts per billion (ppb). Background gold values in soils typically sit below 10ppb, while values above 25ppb are generally considered anomalous. Furthermore, results exceeding 100ppb indicate strong geochemical responses, and values above 500ppb (0.5g/t) are considered exceptional.

A result of 23.26g/t Au (23,260ppb) in soil is several orders of magnitude above typical background levels. While soil samples do not directly equate to the grades one would expect from drilling — soils can be influenced by supergene enrichment, mechanical concentration near quartz veins, and proximity to artisanal workings — such results are highly unusual and generally indicate the presence of a significant underlying gold source.

For context, Dalaroo's samples were collected from the B-horizon at approximately 40cm depth, specifically targeting residual fine-grained soils above bedrock. This is the most geochemically representative horizon for detecting gold derived from bedrock mineralisation.

Glossary of Terms

• ppb (parts per billion): Unit used to measure trace element concentrations in geochemistry; 1,000ppb = 1 gram per tonne (g/t)
• B-Horizon: The soil layer beneath the organic-rich topsoil, above bedrock; considered the most reliable horizon for detecting bedrock-derived gold anomalies
• Anomaly / Anomalous: A geochemical value meaningfully above background, potentially indicating underlying mineralisation
• Birimian Greenstone Belt: A Paleoproterozoic geological province across West Africa known for hosting significant gold deposits
• Structural corridor: A zone controlled by faults, shear zones, or fold structures that provides pathways for gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids
• RC Drilling (Reverse Circulation): A cost-effective drilling method commonly used in early-stage gold exploration to obtain rock chip samples from depth

Geological Context: Why Gold Ridge Is in the Right Zip Code

Gold Ridge sits within the Birimian Greenstone Belt of northeastern Côte d'Ivoire — one of the most prolific gold-producing geological terranes in the world. The Birimian belt hosts numerous multi-million-ounce gold deposits across West Africa, and Côte d'Ivoire has become an increasingly active exploration destination.

Gold Ridge's neighbours provide important context:

• ~35km northwest of Endeavour Mining's Tanda-Iguela Gold Project, described as one of the most significant recent gold discoveries in Côte d'Ivoire
• Immediately adjacent to Koulou Gold's Gontougo Project — Endeavour Mining currently holds approximately 20% of Koulou Gold, which recently closed a C$30 million private placement to fund expanded exploration in the same district

The proximity to these projects is relevant not because it guarantees similar outcomes at Gold Ridge — the project remains at an early stage with no mineral resource yet defined — but because it confirms the geological fertility of the district and the level of institutional interest in the region.

Gold mineralisation at Gold Ridge is, furthermore, interpreted to be structurally controlled, consistent with the broader regional model. Key geological controls identified to date include:

• Fold-limb structures and associated lithological contacts
• Regional shear zones and quartz veining systems
• Volcano-sedimentary contacts
• Rheological contrasts between lithological units

The convergence of soil geochemistry, structural mapping, airborne magnetic geophysics, and extensive artisanal gold workings across the ~7km corridor provides multiple independent lines of evidence pointing to a coherent mineralised system.

Auger Drilling Underway, Maiden RC Campaign Just Weeks Away

The company is not standing still. A ~5,000m auger drilling programme has already commenced in the highest-priority portion of the corridor — the Northern Mag Prospect — and will work southward across the full anomaly. Auger drilling is a low-cost, rapid method for improving sub-surface definition prior to committing to more expensive RC drilling.

The auger programme is specifically designed to:

1. Improve definition of gold anomalism beneath transported cover and duricrust
2. Refine the structural interpretation of the mineralised corridor
3. Enhance understanding of gold distribution and continuity
4. Prioritise high-confidence targets for the maiden RC drilling programme

Most significantly, an initial contract for the +20,000m RC programme has already been signed with FTE Drilling, with the campaign scheduled to commence in July 2026. This removes execution risk from the near-term timeline and means that first-pass drill results from a previously untested 7km gold corridor could be in hand within months.

Upcoming Catalysts — Summary Timeline

"The extension of the anomaly by a further 2.7km confirms the continuity of the system and highlights the significant exploration potential that remains along the broader 9km corridor. We are excited to commence systematic subsurface testing through the auger drilling programme and advance the strongest targets toward RC drilling."
— Frank Twum-Berima Bosompem, Exploration Manager, West Africa

The Investment Case: Why Gold Ridge Deserves Attention

Gold Ridge has several characteristics that exploration investors look for in early-stage gold projects:

Scale and continuity: A ~7km gold-in-soil anomaly with multiple high-grade centres is a genuinely large exploration footprint. The corridor remains open in multiple directions, and the broader geophysical trend extends to ~9km.

High-grade surface expression: A peak soil result of 23.26g/t Au, supported by multiple other results above 1g/t Au, indicates a strong geochemical signal from a potential bedrock source. Results of this magnitude in soil are uncommon in exploration programmes globally.

Multiple independent datasets in alignment: The gold anomaly correlates with magnetic geophysics, geological mapping, structural interpretation, quartz vein mapping, and artisanal gold workings. Multi-dataset convergence, consequently, increases confidence in the quality of the drill targeting model.

Entirely undrilled: Despite the compelling surface expression, not a single RC or diamond drill hole has been completed at Gold Ridge. The project sits at the maximum point of optionality — the upcoming drilling programme will test this system for the first time.

Imminent, fully contracted drill programme: With a drilling contract already signed and the programme scheduled for July 2026, the path from exploration concept to drill-tested results is well-defined and near-term.

District context: The Birimian Greenstone Belt has demonstrated an ability to host genuinely large gold systems. However, while Gold Ridge remains at an early stage and no mineral resource estimate has been defined, the geological characteristics are consistent with those commonly associated with significant West African gold discoveries.

Why Investors Should Watch Dalaroo Metals

Dalaroo Metals is a diversified ASX-listed explorer with a portfolio that spans West Africa, Greenland, and Western Australia. The Gold Ridge Project has emerged as the company's most active and rapidly advancing asset, going from initial soil sampling to a fully defined 7km drill-ready corridor in just a few months.

The scale of the geochemical anomaly, the quality of the technical work underpinning the targeting model, and the imminent commencement of a large-scale maiden drilling programme combine to make this a high-interest period for the company. For investors focused on early-stage gold exploration with genuine discovery potential, the next several months at Gold Ridge will be critical.

Key Takeaway:

The Dalaroo Metals Gold Ridge 7km gold corridor drilling in July 2026 represents a compelling exploration milestone — a ~7km gold-in-soil corridor in one of West Africa's most active gold districts, supported by exceptional surface grades, multi-dataset convergence, and a geological model consistent with Birimian-hosted gold systems. With a contracted +20,000m RC drilling programme commencing July 2026 and the project entirely untested by drilling, investors should watch closely as this system is tested for the first time.

Ready to Follow Dalaroo Metals' Maiden Drilling Campaign at Gold Ridge?

With a ~7km gold-in-soil corridor defined, exceptional surface grades recorded, and a fully contracted +20,000m RC drilling programme set to commence in July 2026, Dalaroo Metals (ASX: DAL | OTCQB: DALMF) is approaching a potentially transformative period in its exploration story. For investors seeking early-stage gold exposure in one of West Africa's most prolific geological belts, the Gold Ridge Project represents a rare opportunity to follow a completely undrilled system as it is tested for the very first time. To learn more about Dalaroo Metals, its projects, and how to stay across upcoming drilling results, visit the company's official website at www.dalaroometals.com.au.