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