Uber(US:UBER) Thenewswire·2026-02-04 12:00Core Insights - Stellar AfricaGold Inc. has provided an update on the exploration progress at the Zuénoula Gold Project in Côte d'Ivoire, highlighting the establishment of a significant gold exploration target through district-scale soil sampling [2][3]. Exploration Progress - A 1 km by 1 km soil sampling has defined the first gold exploration target on the Zuénoula project [2]. - Initial sampling has identified a gold anomalous cluster within a NE-trending magnetic feature, indicating potential mineralization [4][5]. - Field sampling commenced on January 10, 2026, with 200 out of the planned 320 soil samples collected and 124 assayed [5][35]. - A second sampling crew is being mobilized to enhance sampling capacity [2][3]. Joint Venture Details - The Zuénoula Gold Project is a joint venture between Stellar's Ivorian subsidiary Aucrest SARL and MetalsGrove Mining Ltd, with MetalsGrove able to earn up to a 50% interest by incurring US$3 million in exploration expenditures and up to 80% by spending US$6 million [3][19]. - The project covers an area of 395.78 square kilometers and is strategically located along the Abujar–Napie gold trend within the Oumé–Fetekro Birimian greenstone belt [30]. Management Commentary - Stellar's President and CEO expressed satisfaction with the rapid commencement of exploration and early indications of gold in soil sampling [3]. - MetalsGrove's CEO highlighted the efficiency of the PortablePPB assay technology, which has expedited the analysis process [3]. Geological Context - The Zuénoula permit is situated in a region with favorable geological characteristics, including mixed volcanic and metasediment lithological sequences, which are strong indicators of gold discovery potential [3][30]. - The area is part of the world's largest Proterozoic gold-producing region, with Côte d'Ivoire containing 35% of the Birimian Group rocks that host multiple multi-million-ounce gold deposits [30].