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Blackthorn Resources Limited advised that copper assay results have been received from the first drill hole S36-023 completed on the Kitumba deposit at the Mumbwa Project in Zambia.
The Company is conducting the Phase 5 exploration program which includes core drilling 16 targets for approximately 8,900 metres. The drilling program commenced in August 2011, utilising three drilling rigs to complete a series of ‘infill’ and ‘step-out’ holes at Kitumba and to drill ‘scout’ holes on regional targets identified nearby. The aim of the drilling program is to better define the inferred mineral resource category at Kitumba, and explore for additional mineralised units to add further volume to the existing mineral resource. S36-023 The first infill target was drilled to intercept the core of the copper mineralisation previously identified at Kitumba. This hole, S36-023, was core drilled at an angle of 70 degrees towards the west (270 degrees) to an end-of-hole depth of 483.1 meters. A series of 522 samples were collected throughout the entire length of the drill hole. These were sent to the AH Knight Laboratory in Kitwe, Zambia for preparation and copper analysis. A sample split was taken and sent to the AH Knight Laboratory in Fairbanks, Alaska for gold analysis. The Company has received all copper assays as reported herein. However, the gold assays for this hole are pending and it is anticipated that these will be available in early November 2011. Drill hole S36-023 is situated in the central part of the Kitumba mineral resource area. The Company is encouraged by these results as they provide further confidence in the continuity and grade distribution within the Kitumba IOCG system. Further drilling and mineralised intercepts are required from other surrounding drill holes to refine the geological and resource models for the area. Geological Observations S36-023 intersected feldspar porphyry syenite and quartz porphyry granite over much of the hole. Textures typical of the Kitumba deposit are observed in the drill core including kaolinite, sericite and extensive hematite alteration as well as brecciation. In-line with other Kitumba drill holes, the upper 150m of S36-023 is leached and copperdeficient. However, this is underlain by a deeply oxidised zone containing zones of supergene copper enrichment, particularly between 300m and 400 metres. These zones are characterised by malachite, chalcocite, dihydrite, cuprite, bornite, native copper, and remnant pyrite and chalcopyrite. Primary hypogene sulphide mineralisation is encountered below this. S36-023 is distinguished by having intersected some of the highest copper grades observed on the Mumbwa Project to date. Drilled thickness intervals are quoted as weighted average grades for mineralised intersections using ≥ 0.25% copper cut-off. True-widths are not quoted as further work is required to correlate data with adjacent drill holes and determine the geometry of mineralisation at Kitumba. True-widths can be a difficult to determine at this early stage in the Project because the geological interpretation at Kitumba represents an intrusive IOCG system, which is considered to be sub-vertical to vertically orientated, with the tendency to pinch and swell at the intersection of major lineaments. More information, click here. |
