Avanti Gold (CSE: AGC, Germany: X370) is accelerating operations at the Misisi Gold Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The company has announced the signing of a drilling services contract with Simba DRC Mining Services Ltd. and is currently mobilizing four drilling rigs from Tanzania to the project site. The equipment—consisting of three diamond drill rigs and one multi-purpose rig—is departing from Mwanza and is expected to arrive by the end of February. In parallel, Avanti Gold remains in discussions with other local providers to further increase available drilling capacity if required.
This follows a two-stage exploration program planned for 2026, totaling approximately 42,000 (!) meters of drilling. The initial focus will be on the Akyanga deposit and the nearby Akyanga East target. Additionally, several prioritized target areas along the licensed trend are to be systematically tested throughout the year. For operational implementation, Avanti has also appointed a new program manager and strengthened the local team in key positions.
Avanti Gold Brings Four Drill Rigs to Misisi and Strengthens Local Implementation
The mobilization of the drill rigs follows the conclusion of a service contract with Simba DRC Mining Services. Avanti notes that Simba has relevant experience in the country and has recently provided drilling services for other projects in the region. Furthermore, Minecon Resources and Services Ltd. has been selected as the “Drill Programme Manager” to coordinate the entire drilling program; their mandate was extended following a geological desktop evaluation and detailed program planning for 2026.
At the same time, Avanti is expanding its structures in the DRC. According to the company, three central roles have been filled with experienced personnel: an Exploration Manager, a Security and Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Manager, and an Administration and Logistics Manager. All three positions are effective as of February 1, 2026. This is intended to support—in addition to drilling logistics—the safe and reliable execution of an extensive program in eastern Congo. From management’s perspective, this reinforcement is a key component in ramping up work on the Misisi project within the planned timeframe.
42,000 Meters of Drilling in Two Phases – Initial Focus on Akyanga and Akyanga East
The centerpiece of the announcement is the 2026 drilling program, which is divided into two phases. Phase 1 is scheduled to run from March to July 2026 and comprises 15,000 meters. It focuses on expanding the known footprint of Akyanga as well as drilling to delineate and better define Akyanga East. During this first phase, early-stage work such as field checks, sampling, and mapping is also planned for other target areas to refine the placement of future drill holes.
Phase 2 is planned for August to December 2026 and is expected to cover a further 27,000 meters. In addition to further drilling at Akyanga and Akyanga East, several high-priority targets will then come into focus: Ngalula, Lubitchako, Tulonge, and Kilombwe. Avanti describes the phased approach as an opportunity to ramp up service providers and processes in a controlled manner while incorporating findings from Phase 1 into the target definition for Phase 2. For Akyanga, the company also plans drilling in Phase 2 to densify the database, thereby supporting a better classification of existing resources.
Regarding the distribution of drilling footage, Akyanga dominates: according to the plan, approximately 27,000 meters are allocated to this area over the full year. Akyanga East is slated for 4,500 meters. The four additional targets in Phase 2 are each in the range of 2,000 to 3,500 meters.
Assay Results from Legacy Drill Core Expected – Next Milestones by March
In the short term, Avanti is looking forward to further data momentum: assay results from 2,100 meters of historical diamond drill core are expected to be published “in the coming weeks” as soon as they are available. The material targeted the northwestern extension as well as higher-grade zones in the south of Akyanga. According to the company, the sampled material represents approximately 10% of the total historical drilling meters at Akyanga. The samples arrived at the SGS laboratory in Tanzania on January 22, 2026, and are currently being analyzed.
The arrival of the rigs by the end of February is critical for the schedule of the new drilling campaign. The formal start of Phase 1 drilling is scheduled for March 2026. In terms of content, Avanti is working on a project with an already defined baseline: for the Akyanga deposit, the company cites an inferred resource of 44.3 million tonnes with an average gold grade of 2.37 g/t, corresponding to 3.1 million ounces of gold.
According to the company, the Misisi project comprises three contiguous 30-year mining concessions covering an area of 133 km² along an approximately 55-kilometer trend in the Kibara Gold Belt. With the mobilization now underway and the clearly timed annual program, Avanti Gold is creating the operational foundation to progressively support these licenses with drilling data—starting where a resource is already defined and subsequently expanding to further target areas.
