West African Resources Limited reported consistent high-grade gold intercepts from resource definition drilling at the M1 South inferred resource at its Sanbrado Gold Operations (Sanbrado), Burkina Faso. WAF has also commenced deep infill diamond drilling targeting a potential second underground development at Sanbrado beneath the southern end of the M5 open-pit. Resource definition diamond drilling is in progress at the M1 South underground, targeting the conversion of the Inferred Mineral Resources to Indicated Mineral Resources between 1800mRL and 1600mRL beneath existing Ore Reserves at M1 South.

A total of 32 holes for 11,702m have been drilled to date, with today's release reporting results from the first 30 holes. Results from infill drilling have returned excellent intercepts and confirmed the continuation of consistent high-grade mineralisation between 1800mRL to 1600mRL beneath the current Ore Reserve. Diamond drilling results have generally been higher grade than historic exploration drilling completed by WAF from 2018 to 2020, with M1 South high-grade mineralisation continuing to display predictable geometry and grade.

At approximately the 1600mRL, the deepest line of infill drilling, mineralisation remains open to the northwest. West African has planned further drill holes to close off mineralisation. Significant results from WAF's current underground drilling program include: M1SRD_0207: 25m at 90.17 g/t Au from353m including 6m at 344.03 g/t Au, M1SRD_0219: 24.5m at 38.56 g/t Au from 382m including 5m at 118.7 g/t Au and 10m at 34.42 g/t Au, M1SRD_0197: 26m at 21.86 g/t Au from 214.5m including 7m at 54.98 g/t Au, M1SRD_0209: 20m at 19.47 g/t Au from 321.5m including 6.5m at 51.04 g/t Au, M1SRD_0208: 19.5m at 16.21 g/t Au from 325m including 9.5m at 20.85 g/t Au, M1SRD_0215A: 15.5m at 13.53 g/t Au from 381.5m including 5m at 25.95 g/t Au, M1SRD_0196: 11.5m at 14.42 g/t Au from 245.5m including 1.5m at 82.06 g/t Au, M1SRD_0216: 16m at 9.14 g/t Au from 372.5m including 4m at 21.52 g/t Au, M1SRD_0195: 8.5m at 15.55 g/t Au from 252m including 6m at 20.75 g/t Au, M1SRD_0203: 24.5m at 5.16 g/t Au from 279m including 9m at 10.54 g/t Au.

Previous WAF Surface diamond drilling results within the infilled area between 1800mRL and 1600mRL at M1 South include: TAN18-DD228: 25m at 15 g/t Au from 862m: TAN20-DD233: 32m at 4.9 g/t Au from including 5.5m at 40.4 g/t Au: 854.5m including 4m at 14.3 g/t Au and TAN20-DD236: 15.5m at 20.5 g/t Au from 4.5m at 18.7 g/t Au 852m including 5m at 52.2 g/t Au and 4m at 10.4 g/t Au. Structural modelling of geological features in the new drilling at M1 South has shown that mineralisation controls remain consistent with the current geological model. In the upper levels, most of the mineralisation is concentrated along a left-hand flexure within the S2 foliation, which is also evident at depth.

The exceptional results underpin future underground gold production from the M1 South with the upcoming MRE upgrade expected to report additional ounces to those previously reported. WAF's update of the Ore Reserves estimates for M1 South incorporating these drilling results are expected to deliver a replacement of ounces mined to date. The current drilling campaign is scheduled to be completed in early 2023.

Reporting of updated resources, reserves and 10-year production outlook is on track for First Quarter 2023. Year-to-date actual mined grade of 9 g/t Au has exceeded the M1 South expected reserve grade of 7.5 g/t Au. This has been attributed to an increase in contained metal after close -spaced grade control drilling, refinement of reserve mining shapes resulting in a positive reconciliation when mining higher grade stopes.