Nov 8 2010
African Metals Corporation (TSX VENTURE:AFR)(FRANKFURT:OWW) has provided an exploration update on its on drilling activities at its projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Luisha South Stockpile RC Drilling
Magnum Drilling Sprl completed a 383 meter reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the Luisha South Project in October 2010. Forty two vertical holes (SPRC001 to SPRC042) were drilled at approximately 35m centers on the top of the historic stockpile, located adjacent to the Luisa South open pit.
The geological and analytical results of the RC program will enable a resource estimate of the copper and cobalt content of the stockpile.
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 418 samples including QC controls were dispatched to SGS Minerals Laboratory in Kalulushi, Zambia for sample processing and analysis. Results are expected towards the end of November.
Luisha South Soil Anomalies RC Drilling
Mangum Drilling Sprl also completed a 200 meter reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the Luisha South Project in October 2010. A total of four x 50m vertical scout holes (LURC021 to LURC024) were drilled to test copper in soil geochemical anomalies highlighted by recent regional soil sampling programs (refer AFR press release 27 September 2010).
Drill holes LURC021 and LURC022 intersected maroon to red siltstone and fine grained sandstone. A dark grey to black sub-metallic mineral, possibly manganese, occurred in variable amounts in the upper portions of the holes.
Drill hole LURC023 intersected malachite in the first meter, explaining the 0.39% copper in soil anomaly. The malachite possibly representing float fragments within the soil profile. Both LURC023 and LURC024 drilled through soil cover and onwards into sedimentary breccia, possibly of the Red Rat formation. Minor sulphides were noted in the unit. Diamond tails are planned to be drilled on both holes to test the model of the breccia overlying mineralized dolomitic units, as observed in LURC004 which intersected 8m of copper and cobalt mineralized sediments beneath the overlying Red Rat unit. Drill hole LURC004 was the southeastern most hole completed in the June 2010 RC drilling program.
Samples were collected from all four RC holes at one meter intervals, and riffle split to produce approximately one kilogram sub-samples which were combined to produce a 2m composite for analysis. A total of 116 samples including QC controls were dispatched to ALS Laboratories in Johannesburg, South Africa, for sample processing and analysis. Results are expected towards the end of November.
Luisha South Open Pit Diamond Drilling
Rubaco Sprl commenced a 1000m diamond drilling program on the 17th October 2010. To date, approximately 140m have been completed in two holes, LUDH25 and LUDH26. Both holes are collared in the base of the pit. The drilling program is scheduled to be completed by the end of November.
The diamond drilling program is a combination of new holes from surface and tails to existing RC drill holes. Geological interpretation of the June RC drill program indicated that a number of the holes either finished short of, or within, zones of mineralization; ground water being the common cause of early hole termination. It is envisaged that geological, density, and analytical data from the diamond holes will enable an upgrade to the maiden inferred resource currently reported as 5.8 Million tonnes at 1.3% Cu for 75,400 tonnes of contained copper metal and 0.4% Co for 23,200 tonnes of contained cobalt metal (using 0.5% Cu cut-off –AFR press release 18 October 2010).
Kalande Test Pitting
Basanga Consulting Sprl completed in October a test pitting program at the company's Kalande Project, located approximately 60 kilometers NE of Lubumbashi. A total of 36 test pits were excavated during the program.
Results from previous regional soil sampling program highlighted large scale low grade copper and cobalt anomalies of up to 1200 x 800 meters in dimension, overlying leached prospective Roan Formation (refer AFR press release 22 April 2008). It was interpreted that a lateritic layer was contributing to the masking of the geochemical response. The test pitting program was designed to explore beneath the lateritic layer for evidence of copper and cobalt mineralization.
The test pits were hand excavated from surface with dimensions of approximately 1.0m x 0.5m x 4m deep. All test pits bar nine failed to penetrate beneath the laterite layer. The nine pits revealed clay and strongly leached siltstones and sandstones. Malachite mineralization was not observed in the pits, though dark minerals representing manganese oxides with possible minor heterogenite (cobalt) were observed in the central anomaly in test pits TP12, TP13, TP14 and TP18.
Vertical channel samples were collected from all test pits at one meter intervals. The samples including field duplicates and standards will be analyzed by Niton portable XRF. The results are expected to be available by mid-November.
Kalande RAB Drilling
In response to the more extensive laterite development encountered at the project, Rubaco Sprl completed 127m of open hole scout RAB drilling from five vertical holes in the Kalande Project during October 2010. The RAB program was designed to test the stratigraphy beneath the laterite for mineralization. Test pits TP12, TP13, TP15, TP17 and TP18 were targeted for drilling.
All RAB holes successfully drilled through the laterite layer, and terminated at the water table where sample return was restricted. White clay and leached pale grey to white siltstone and minor sandstone was commonly intersected beneath the laterite.
Drill samples were collected from all RAB holes at one meter intervals, and spear sampled to produce approximately one kilogram sub-samples for analysis. A total of 127 samples were dispatched to ALS Laboratories in Johannesburg, South Africa, for sample processing and analysis. Results are expected towards the end of November.
AFR will be keeping the market updated on progress as and when results become available during this phase of the development of the company.
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.
Source: African Metals Corporation