Maiden Inferred Resource of 3800 Tonnes Copper and 1700 Tonnes Cobalt for Luisha South Stockpile, Luisha South Project, Katanga Provence, Democratic Republic of Congo
VANCOUVER, June 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --
African Metals Corporation ("AFR") (TSXV:AFR) is pleased to provide initial figures for resources estimated by Geosure Exploration & Mining Solutions Pty Ltd, independent geological consultants, for its Luisha South Stockpile in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The resource as estimated includes:
An Inferred 370,000 tonnes at 1.0% Cu for 3,800 tonnes of contained copper metal and 0.5% Co for 1,700 tonnes of contained cobalt metal. (Note: tonnage figures rounded to the nearest 1,000).
Resource modelling was also completed at various cut off grades as presented in Table One below and includes a higher grade Inferred resource of some 130,000 tonnes at 2% Cu and 0.4% Co for 2,700 tonnes of contained copper metal and 300 tonnes of contained cobalt metal.
Grade Contained
Cut Off Tonnes Copper Grade Cobalt Copper Contained
(Copper %) (000's) (%) (%) (tonnes) Cobalt (tonnes)
0.25 370 1.0 0.5 3,800 1,700
0.75 240 1.4 0.5 3,400 1,100
1.50 130 2.0 0.4 2,700 500
2.00 60 2.8 0.6 1,600 300
Table 1: Resource Modelling results based on various copper cut-off grades.
The resources stated above are acid soluble and have been targeted by AFR to be brought into production through conventional hydrometallurgical processes.
Licence renewal
The Company is also pleased to report the successful renewal of the Small Scale Mining Permit for the Luisha Project until 21st March 2016. The permit renewal will enable AFR to pursue its goal of bringing the Luisha Project into production.
Nigel Ferguson, CEO and President of African Metals Corp, commented:
"The Company is very pleased with this maiden resource estimate, which is expected to continue to grow in the coming months through an updated hard rock resource estimate based on recently completed diamond drilling program. Management expects further increases in the total contained metal content estimated for the Luisha South Project. Concurrently the Company will continue surface drilling to seek extensional mineralisation outside the current resource area." Nigel Ferguson also commented "Recent successful treatment of the oxide stockpile material will allow the Company to further investigate the possibility of placing the stockpile into production before the end of the Calendar year. It is an exciting time in the staged development of the company and the Luisha Project."
MINERAL RESOURCE MODEL
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 40m centers on the top of the Stockpile, located adjacent to the Luisa South open pit. Holes were terminated after penetrating 2m into the soil beneath 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 samples were dispatched to ALS Chemex Minerals Laboratory in Johannesburg, South Africa for sample processing and analysis. The samples were analyzed by multi-element ICP analysis for Cu and Co content after a 4 acid digest (method ME-ICP61)
An independent resource consultant, Geosure Exploration & Mining Solutions Pty Ltd, visited the project between the 14th and 16th May as part of the due diligence requirements for resource estimation for the Luisha South Stockpile. All data was made available to the consultant in order for the resource to be estimated.
Mineral Resource Classification
The Luisha South Mineral Resource Estimate has been prepared by Mr. Michael Montgomery, Director of Geosure Exploration & Mining Solutions Pty Ltd. Mr. Montgomery has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralization under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined the by NI 43-101 standards. The resource is currently being reviewed by AFR personnel and will be submitted to the TSX Venture Exchange in order to meet their pre-filing guidelines for resource disclosures. A NI 43-101 compliant technical report documenting the resource estimate will be filed on SEDAR within 45 days of the date of this news release.
Geosure have classified the Mineral Resource into the Inferred category.
Bulk Density Measurements
ALS Chemex Laboratory in Johannesburg, South Africa as well as undertaking all analytical work for the RC drill samples also provided all bulk density data based on work completed on a suite of 332 samples taken from RC drill chips. A bulk density of 2.84 g/cm3 was utilized for the resource model, representing a simple average of these ALS density results.
Mineralisation Modelling
Geosure Pty Ltd of Brisbane, Australia was contracted to undertake the resource estimations. The Luisha South deposit was modelled using Surpac 6.1.1 software. A digital terrain model was supplied to Geosure for topography. Domains as such were not generated for the stockpile, given the heterogeneous nature of a stockpile. Geostatistical analysis on the sample populations showed no apparent mixed populations and there are no outliers of significance. A 3 dimensional block model was constructed using Surpac Mining Software. The block model was constructed with a parent cell size of 25mN by 25mE and 5mRL. These cells were further sub-blocked to 6.25mN by 6.25mE and 1.25mRL. All relevant attributes were coded into the block model. The block model was validated in detail using Surpac. The following validation checks were performed:
- DTM and block model volume comparisons.
- Visual validation of block model attributes in plan, section and 3 dimensions.
- Individual block audits.
No errors were detected as part of the validation process and as a result the block model is considered robust. Grade estimation was performed using inverse distance methodologies in Surpac mining software. Grade estimates were constrained to within the stockpile DTM. Grade estimation parameters were derived from several trials and included comparing block estimates to mean composite drill grade. The comparison of the composite mean grade and the average block model grades showed a good reproduction. Estimation data was recorded for each estimation pass and recorded as part of the block model. Geological domains were considered as hard boundaries.
Geosure have classified the Mineral Resource into the Inferred category.
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.
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 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 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 gravity separation qualities, with the aim of commencing production of an oxide concentrate by the end of Q3 2011.
For further information:
Jag Sandhu, Corporate Development
+1 604-306-1950
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