West Africa Gold is to commence a drilling programme at the Touban Project in Mali, after initial results suggested strong pgm deposits. The company is now proposing to drill below the historic 80 metre level where drilling was previously terminated. Recently discovered fire assay results showed "very encouraging values" of platinum and palladium.

Elsewhere, in North America, Starfield Resources has announced that exploration at its Ferguson Lake site is well underway. The company reports that the first four holes drilled in the "pit area" has yielded PGE-rich footwall-style of mineralization. In late 2003 drilling yielded high-grade platinum (17.01 g/t) and palladium (10.82 g/t).

Also in Canada, Aurora Platinum has revealed the assay results of its recent exploration drilling program on the Nickel Lake Zone, Foy Offset, Sudbury, Ontario. Platinum and palladium were among the metals believed to be present, with further exploration now anticipated.

Pacific North West Capital has also been developing its Canadian propeorties, with the firm entering into an option agreement whereby it may earn a 100 per cent interest in the Lac Manitou pgm property from Cuesta Geoscience Inc. The Lac Manitou property has revealed numerous indications of nickel, copper and pgms, but no detailed mapping of the border zone has yet been conducted.

Meanwhile, Anooraq Resources chief executive, Ronald W. Thiessen, has detailed drilling results at the Drenthe platinum group metals, gold and nickel deposit, located 250 kilometres north of Johannesburg, South Africa. The drilling program is being carried out under the Boikgantsho Platinum Mine joint venture agreement between Anooraq and Angloplats.

Platinum Group Metals says that it is active on five exploration projects, including two projects with drilling assay results pending, and is focused on platinum, palladium, gold, nickel and copper. Its main projects at the moment include the Tweespalk property on the northern limb of the Bushveld Complex, the War Springs property, also on the northern limb, and Onderstepoort in the western limb. Further drilling is set to target these areas in a bid to develop the company's resources.