RESOURCE UPGRADE RECALCULATIONS HAVE COMMENCED AND WILL BE REPORTED IN
MAY
THE MINERALIZATION IS CURRENTLY OPEN AT DEPTH, TO THE SOUTH, AND TO THE
SOUTHEAST, FURTHER STEP OUT DRILLING IS PLANNED
Trading Symbols
TSXV: AFR
Frankfurt: OWW
VANCOUVER, April 29 /PRNewswire/ - African Metals Corporation ("AFR") is
pleased to report that the Company has received final assay results
from the final six drill holes from a total of 22 diamond drill holes
completed on its Luisha South Project in the Katanga Provence of the
Democratic Republic of Congo.
These results confirm the continuity and grade of mineralization
identified by the June 2010 Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling program,
and again lend further significant support to an upgrade to the
resource model with potential for a higher grade copper core.
Geological consultants, Geosure Pty Ltd, have been commissioned to rerun
the Luisha South Resource Model including the significant new data
returned from the recent diamond drilling program. The upgraded
resource report is expected to be available for reporting in May 2011.
HIGHLIGHTS
New Diamond Core Results Include:
-
15.5 metres at 2.2% copper, 0.8% cobalt from 6.05m (LUDH031)
Including 4.05 metres at 3.5% copper, 0.8% cobalt from 16.8m
-
59.5 metres at 1.7% copper, 0.5% cobalt from 2.2m (LUDH033)
Including 4.35 metres at 3.4% copper, 0.6% cobalt from 23.1m
-
59.45 metres at 1.5% copper, 0.5% cobalt from 24.05m (LURD017)
Including 1.5 metres at 3.9% copper, 2.9% cobalt from 67.8m
Luisha South Diamond Drilling
Rubaco Sprl and DrillTek Sprl, drilling contractors, combined to
complete a total of 1,538.73 metres of diamond core drilling from 22
holes at the Luisha South Project in January 2011. The holes targeted
the down dip and southeast extensions of mineralization highlighted by
the March 2010 geochemical sampling program and the June 2010 RC
drilling program.
The RC drill program enabled a JORC and NI43-101F compliant resource
estimation of the Luisha pit mineralization, resulting in an Inferred
Resource of 5.8 million tonnes at 1.3% copper, and 0.4% cobalt for
75,400 tonnes of contained copper metal and 23,200 tonnes of contained
cobalt metal (using 0.5% copper cut-off).
Some initial RC drill holes either terminated within, or short of the
expected copper and cobalt mineralized horizons, producing substantial
interpolation gaps in the resource block model. The diamond holes in
the most recent program were designed to infill the gaps and further
define the extents of the mineralization and to allow an upgrade in the
reported mineral resource calculation.
The reported analytical results are from six holes; four cored as new
holes in the base of the open pit, and two cored as regional holes
targeting copper in soil geochemical anomalies. To see a map, please
click here: http://files.newswire.ca/138/Luisha_Diamond_Drilling_Figure_1.pdf and here: http://files.newswire.ca/138/Luisha_Diamond_Drilling_Figure_2.pdf. Results from 13 holes have been reported previously, whilst 3 holes
have not been sampled (LURC030 due to poor recoveries, LUDH034 as it
intersected un-mineralized units of basal Red RAT and LURD018 as the
hole collapsed with poor recoveries).
All four of the holes collared in the base of the pit intersected
persistent intervals of copper and cobalt mineralization. The
mineralization is mainly chalcopyrite and carrolite with occurrences of
malachite and heterogenite (non-sulphide copper and cobalt minerals
respectively) visible in the upper portions of the holes. Drill hole
LURD017 was cored from surface, after the RC pre-collar LURC017 had
collapsed preventing re-entry.
The mineralization is hosted within the Mines Series R2 Stratigraphy
(CMN, SD, "BOMZ-SDB-RSF-RSC-DStrat", and "Grey RAT"). Stratigraphic
horizons known to host significant mineralization at other mine sites
within the Katanga Provence, including Tiger Resources' Kipoi mine
located approximately 7.5km along strike to the southeast.
The higher grade assay results from samples collected from this
stratigraphic sequence suggest a possible higher grade core of copper
and cobalt mineralization. The mineralization is currently open at
depth, to the south, and to the southeast, and further step out
drilling is planned for the coming dry season which commences in May.
Mineralization styles observed in the core includes both syngenetic
(bedding parallel and disseminated fine pyrite lenses and blebs
replaced by chalcopyrite and carrolite) and epigenetic (fracture and
vein hosted sulphides).
Diamond core - anomalous intercepts based on a 0.5% Cu cut off are
summarised in Table 1.
Hole Number | East | North | NQ (Tail) (m) | Total Depth (m) | Azim (°) | Dip (°) | From (metres) | Width (metres) | Cu % | Co % |
LUDH028
|
501808
|
8764222
|
102.8
|
102.8
|
360
|
-90
|
9.1
|
41.5
|
1.1
|
0.4
|
LUDH029
|
502038
|
8763735
|
184.2
|
184.2
|
36
|
-60
|
**
|
**
|
**
|
**
|
LUDH031
|
501816
|
8764241
|
35
|
35
|
36
|
-60
|
6.05
|
15.5
|
2.2
|
0.8
|
LUDH031
|
|
|
|
|
|
inc.
|
16.8
|
4.05
|
3.5
|
0.8
|
LUDH033
|
501884
|
8764165
|
97.25
|
97.5
|
360
|
-90
|
2.2
|
59.5
|
1.7
|
0.5
|
LUDH033
|
|
|
|
|
|
inc.
|
23.1
|
4.35
|
3.4
|
0.6
|
LURD017
|
501891
|
8764159
|
108
|
108
|
126
|
-60
|
5.65
|
14.85
|
1.6
|
0.5
|
LURD017
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24.05
|
59.45
|
1.5
|
0.5
|
LURD017
|
|
|
|
|
|
inc.
|
67.8
|
1.5
|
3.9
|
2.9
|
LURD017
|
|
|
|
|
|
inc.
|
80.9
|
2.6
|
3.5
|
0.5
|
LURD023
|
502407
|
8763817
|
(150.8)
|
200.8
|
360
|
-90
|
**
|
**
|
**
|
**
|
Table 1: Anomalous length weighted drill intercepts, Luisha South
Project.
Notes: Grid coordinates are WGS84, Zone 35 South; Azimuth is magnetic;
intersections are down hole widths, not true widths; reported assays
are length weighted average intercepts; intercepts are based on 0.5%
total copper cut off, with no top cut; reported intercepts include a
maximum of two "internal waste" sample intervals of 0.5% copper; inc. =
including; ** = no significant intervals >=0.5% copper.
Drill hole LURD023 was cored as a diamond tail beneath LURC023, a
shallow RC percussion hole that drill tested a copper-in-soil
geochemical anomaly and intersected transported malachite fragments in
the top 2 metres. The diamond core intersected un-mineralized units of
possible Red RAT Formation.
Drill hole LUDH029 was cored as a scout hole testing stratigraphic
continuity between the lower Roan Mines Series R2 units in the open
pit, and the stratigraphically higher Mwashya (R4) units on the ridge
near the southern Licence boundary. The hole intersected thin intervals
of altered units of dolomite, dolomitic siltstone and algal material in
the upper part of the hole, before drilling through a large faulted
zone and terminating in un-mineralized units of possible Red RAT
Formation. The dolomitic and algal units in the top of the hole,
interpreted as being Dipeta (R3) Formation, were weakly mineralized
returning 12 metres at 0.1% copper, 0.1% cobalt from 19.5 metres. The
hole was collared near the northern edge of the large copper-in-soil
geochemical anomaly. To see a map, please click here: http://files.newswire.ca/138/Luisha_Diamond_Drilling_Figure_2.pdf.
Nigel Ferguson, President and CEO of the Company stated,
"We are very pleased to be able to report further significant
mineralised intervals within the Luisha South Project, such as 59.5
metres at 1.7% Cu and 0.8% Co within LUDH033. The higher grade
material running around 3% Cu is giving further encouragement for a
program of potentially deeper drilling aimed at testing mineralised
zones and increasing the resources below the -120m RL level. It is
expected that overall, these new mineralized intervals will
significantly impact on our current resources. Our independent
geologist has already been engaged and will be completing a re-run of
the resource model including all new data. This should be reported to
the market within May."
"AFR has achieved great success in the field and with a potentially
larger resource defined we are hopeful that this will support
commercial operations to upgrade the copper and cobalt mineralisation
through a DMS concentration plant. The Company will be completing
metallurgical test work on representative samples from the project to
allow further processing studies to be undertaken with the aim of
moving into concentrate production by Q3 2011."
With the recent results from the Luisha South Project, the company has
given notice to KMH Sprl that it has withdrawn from the Kalande Project
to enable Company resources to concentrate on further advancing the
Luisha South Project into production.
Nigel Ferguson, AusIMM, President and CEO of the Company and a qualified
person under National Instrument 43-101, has verified data disclosed in
this release.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF AFRICAN METALS CORPORATION
"Nigel Ferguson"
Nigel Ferguson
President & CEO
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER
(AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE)
ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEW
RELEASE.
This News Release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements are statements which relate to future events. These
statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause our or our industry's
actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be
materially different from any future results, levels of activity,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by these
forward-looking statements. While these forward-looking statements,
and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith
and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our
industry, actual results will almost always vary, sometimes materially,
from any estimates, predictions, projections, assumptions or other
future performance suggested herein. Except as required by applicable
law, the Company does not intend to update any of the forward-looking
statements to conform these statements to actual results.
Drill Hole Sampling and Assaying Procedure
The Company undertakes drilling and sampling to strict guidelines. The
core was collected from the drill rig at the end of each shift,
processed for RQD geotechnical logging, and digitally photographed. The
drill core was predominantly NQ in size, with a small percentage of HQ
core in the upper 20m of holes cored from surface in clay soils. Core
was 'fitted' back together whenever possible, and geologically logged
on site by the supervising project geologist. The project geologist
ensured a representative cutting line was marked along the length of
the core and samples highlighted at appropriate intervals. Once the
sample intervals and cut lines had been clearly marked out, the start
and end of each sample interval was cut orthogonal to the long axis of
the core to clearly define the end of each sample interval. The core
was then cut in half lengthways along the representative cut line. A
stand mounted, diamond impregnated electric saw blade purchased from
Johannesburg, South Africa, was used for all core cutting purposes. The
left half of the core was returned to the metal core trays and retained
for future reference; the right half was placed into appropriately
marked and labeled plastic sample bags. Quality Control protocols
enforced by the company require the collection and insertion of
Certified Reference Materials (CRM's) at the rate of one CRM "blank",
one field blank (sand), one CRM "copper standard" and one field
duplicate sample within each sample stream of 20 samples.
Samples were delivered under security by company vehicle to SGS Minerals
Laboratory in Kalulushi, Zambia for sample preparation and analysis.
The laboratory maintains quality assurance protocols in line with ISO
17025, and maintains quality accreditation for commercial laboratories
in line with ISO 9002. The laboratory also participates in
international round robin programs organized by LQSI of the USA.
The sample preparation scheme was PRP90; drying for 4 hours at 105
degrees Celsius; crushing to 2mm with 90% passing 2mm; and pulverizing
of a 1000 gram sub-split of the 2mm chips to 85% passing 75 microns.
Digest was scheme DIG42S; 0.4 grams of pulverized material digested in
a 4 acid mixture on a hot plate at 200 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes,
with subsequent dilution back to 100ml before AAS analysis by method
'AAS42S'. Results for copper and cobalt were reported in percentages.
Lower detection limits were 0.01% for both elements.
About African Metals Corporation.
African Metals Corporation [TSXV "AFR"] is a Canadian listed company
focused on the discovery and development of Copper and Cobalt deposits
in the highly mineralized Katanga Copper Belt of the world renowned
Africa Copper Belt in the Democratic Republic of Congo ("DRC").
AFR purchased all the assets of Chevalier Resources Inc. in March 2010
including a 57% interest in the Luisha South Project contained within
licence PEPM 4881, Katanga Provence, Democratic Republic of the Congo
("DRC") through subsidiaries incorporated in the DRC. In July AFR
negotiated a further 18% interest in the project with the option to
increase the equity interest to 90% based on results. The project is
located 75 kilometres northwest of Lubumbashi, the capital of Katanga
Province and consists of approximately 16.2km².
The Luisha South Project includes a small historical open pit mine and
associated stockpile and is underlain by Roan Group sediments which
host major Cu-Co deposits in the DRC. The Luishia South ore body was
explored between 1923 and 1928 and an oxide deposit with an estimated
pre-production tonnage of approximately 350,000 tonnes at 8.6% Cu was
delineated. The Luisha Project also covers some three kilometres of the
Roan Group strike length which is favorable for Cu-Co mineralization.
AFR is currently conducting metallurgical tests on stockpile Reverse
Circulation drill samples to determine characteristics and heavy media
separation qualities, with the aim of commencing production of an oxide
concentrate by the end of Q3 2011.
Additionally, African Metals has an option to earn an 80% interest in 8
properties held by local company, KMH, covering some 682 square
kilometres within the Katanga Provence Central African Copper Belt in
the southeastern part of the DRC. AFR has delineated several sizeable
soil anomalies within the licenses and is progressing exploration to
test depth continuations of this mineralization.
SOURCE African Metals Corporation