First Au Limited (ASX: FAU) has commenced its maiden 3,000m diamond drilling program at the Nimba Gold Project in Liberia. First Au is an advanced gold and base metals exploration company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, pursuing exploration programs at its Victorian Goldfields Project in East Gippsland and its 100% owned Gimlet Gold project near Kalgoorlie. The company announced that a brand new track-mounted diamond drill rig has been mobilised to the site.
The drilling program is being executed under a strategic contract with Hong Kong-registered Hit N Drill Ltd (HND), involving two diamond rigs committed to the Liberian drilling. A key element of the agreement is that ownership of one of the drill rigs will be transferred to FAU at no additional cost upon completion of the program. The drilling will target structural controls beneath historical gold intersections, newly mapped oxide and sulphide zones, and strike and dip extensions of artisanal gold workings.
The Nimba Gold Project is located within an 831 km² exploration license in Nimba County, northern Liberia. It sits within the Archean West African Craton, known for multi-million-ounce gold deposits. According to the company, the project is less than 25 km southwest of Côte d’Ivoire’s Ity Gold Mine, suggesting a shared geological setting. Extensive artisanal mining activity is evident across the license area.
FAU Chairman Daniel Raihani stated that mobilising the drill rig to Nimba is a major milestone. He also noted that gaining ownership of a rig provides a long-term exploration advantage in West Africa, a prolific gold district. The company believes the program, which will test high-priority targets, could be a genuine company-maker.
