AFR Drills 59.5 Metres of 1.7%CU and 0.5%CO and 59.45 Metres of 1.5%CU and 0.5%CO in Diamond Core Drill Hoes at its Luisha South Project
VANCOUVER, April 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --
- 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
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 East North NQ Total Azim Dip From Width Cu Co
Number (Tail) Depth (deg- (deg- (metres)(metres) % %
(m) (m) rees) rees)
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
16.2kmsquared.
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.
For further information:
Jag Sandhu,
Corporate Development
1-604-306-1950
African Metals Corporation
.