African Metals Corporation: Further Broad Copper and Cobalt Mineralisation Intercepted in Drilling at the Luisha South Project
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 09/07/10 -- Nigel Ferguson, the President of African Metals Corporation (TSX VENTURE: AFR)(FRANKFURT: OWW) is pleased to report that the Company has received final assay results from the remaining 14 holes of the 21 holes completed during the June 2010 Reverse Circulation percussion drilling program, conducted on its Luisha South Project in the Katanga Province of Democratic Republic of Congo.
HIGHLIGHTS
-- 42 meters at 1.90% Cu, 0.30% Co from 68m (LURC002) ending in
mineralization;
-- 44 meters at 1.30% Cu, 0.50% Co from 48m (LURC003) ending in
mineralization;
-- 74 meters at 1.20% Cu, 0.40% Co from 38m (LURC005) ending in
mineralization.
Reverse Circulation Drill Assay Results
Titan Drilling Sprl completed a 2,002 meter drilling program at the Luisha South Project in June 2010. Nineteen angled and two vertical holes were drilled in the vicinity of the historical Luisha South Pit. Fifteen holes were collared to the northwest, west and south of the pit, whilst six holes were collared in the pit floor.
Drilling tested the potential for mineralization both down dip and along strike from the current excavated open pit and also tested significant high grade copper and cobalt assay results returned from trench and adit sampling completed earlier in March of this year and reported on the 15th June 2010.
Drill samples were collected from all holes at one meter intervals, and riffle split to produce approximately one kilogram sub-samples for analysis. A total of 1,462 samples including QC controls were dispatched to SGS Minerals laboratory in Kalulushi, Zambia for sample processing and analysis.
Assay results from the first 7 holes (LURC014A to LURC020) indicated that the 'upper' and 'lower' mineralized horizons from mines such as Kipoi Central (Tiger Resources) were present in the Luisha South mineralization (refer AFR press release 23 August 2010).
Assay results from the remaining fourteen of the twenty-one drill holes have now been received including drill holes LURC001 to LURC014.
Holes LURC001, LURC002, LURC003 and LURC005 were collared on the southwest side of the Luisha Pit to test the hanging wall of the historic Pit mineralization. All holes intersected broad intervals of copper and cobalt mineralization. All holes failed to penetrate through to the barren basal sedimentary breccia unit due to ground conditions, indicating that the mineralization is still open at depth and further testing with diamond core tails is required.
Holes LURC013 and LURC014 were collared on the surface on the northwest edge of the pit testing for a transverse fault offset to mineralisation. Both intersected basal sedimentary breccia units, confirming the presence of an offset structure. Ground water issues forced the early abandonment of two of the fourteen drill holes reported, namely LURC006 and LURC012. Drill hole LURC012 terminated in significant copper and cobalt mineralization on the southwest side of the Luisa Pit, whilst LURC006 was terminated above the mineralized stratigraphy down dip of LURC002. Both will be further tested with diamond core tails.
Geological logging and interpretation of the drill chips suggest that the mineralization is hosted by dolomitic siltstone and carbonaceous siltstone of the upper Roan Formation (SD2D to SD3B) and basal dolomitic arenites and stromatolitic units of the Lower Kambove (formerly CMN). The interpretation is significant as these units host the 'third' ore horizon in other nearby mines along the line of lode such as the Kipoi Central copper deposit as defined by Tiger Resources Ltd. Geological interpretations suggest that all 3 mineralized horizons are present in the Luisha Project.
Anomalous length weighted drill intercepts based on 0.5% Cu cut off are summarised in the table below.
To view the table, please visit the following link:
http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/africanmetals.pdf.
Site Visit Completed by Independent Geological Consultant
An independent resource consultant visited the project between the 15th and 17th August as part of the diligence requirements for resource estimation for the Luisha South Project. Initial interpretations by AFR technical staff have been made and now that all remaining assay results have been received, the resource estimation is expected to be finalized and released in early to mid-September.
Soil Sampling of South East Strike Extensions
A regional first phase soil sampling program has been completed to cover any potential south eastern extension to the Luisha South Pit mineralization. Samples were collected at 50 meter spacing on lines 200 meters apart to produce a total of 353 samples. All samples were analyzed by the Niton Analyzer, with all anomalous samples being dispatched to ALS Laboratories in South Africa.
Although significant anomalous material has been identified on several line sections, further infill sampling is required to fully identify potential zones that may warrant drill testing in the future. A program has been planned and will commence shortly.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF AFRICAN METALS CORPORATION
Nigel Ferguson, President & CEO
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.
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 5.5' RC percussion samples were collected from the cyclone at one meter intervals. Individual bags were weighed to determine sample recovery and weights recorded on the appropriate drill logs. The one meter cyclone sample was run through a 50:50 riffle splitter twice to homogenize and was subsequently further split to produce two sub-samples each of approximately one kilogram sample weight. One sub sample was bagged, labeled and stored as reference sample for future use with the other sub-sample being combined with the sub-sample from the subsequent one meter sample interval to produce a two meter sample composite. Holes collared around the surface of the pit had the 2 meter composite samples submitted for analysis. Holes collared in the pit floor had the 1m reference samples submitted for analysis. Quality Control measures included collection of field duplicates and submission of standards with the samples.
Samples were delivered under security by road transport 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, cobalt and manganese were reported in percentages. Lower detection limits were 0.01% for all 3 elements.
About African Metals Corporation.
African Metals Corporation (TSX VENTURE: AFR)(FRANKFURT: OWW) is a Canadian listed company focused on the discovery and development of significant high grade 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 acquired a 100% interest in Chevalier Resources Inc. in March 2010 including a 57% interest in the Luisha Project contained within licence PEPM 4881, Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo ('DRC') through a subsidiary 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 Project includes a small historical open pit mine and associated waste rock pile and is underlain by Roan Group sediments which host major Cu-Co deposits in the DRC. The Luisha South orebody 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 kilometers of the Roan Group strike length which is favorable for Cu-Co mineralization.
Additionally, African Metals has an option to earn an 80% interest in 8 properties held by local company, KMH, covering some 682 square kilometers 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.
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 NEWS RELEASE.
Contacts:
African Metals Corporation
Nigel Ferguson
President & CEO
+1-604-507-2187
+1-604-507-2181 (FAX)
info@africanmetals.com
www.africanmetals.com