Trading Symbols
TSXV: AFR
Frankfurt: OWW
VANCOUVER,
Aug. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - African
Metals Corporation ("AFR") is pleased to report updated resource
estimation figures by Geosure Exploration & Mining Solutions
Pty Ltd, independent geological consultants, for its Luisha South
Project. The revised resource as estimated includes an Inferred
14.7 Million tonnes at 1.1% Cu for 161,700 tonnes of contained
copper metal (up 114% from previous estimate) and 0.3% Co for
44,100 tonnes of contained cobalt metal (up 90% from previous
estimate).
The revised resource as estimated
includes:
An Inferred 14.7 Million tonnes at 1.1% Cu for 161,700 tonnes of
contained copper metal and 0.3% Co for 44,100 tonnes of contained
cobalt metal.
Resource modelling was also completed at various
cut off grades as presented in Table One, and includes a higher
grade Inferred resource of some 0.2 Million tonnes at 2.3% Cu and
0.5% Co for 4,600 tonnes of contained copper metal and 1,000 tonnes
of contained cobalt metal.
Cut Off
(Copper %) |
Tonnes
(000's) |
Grade Copper
(%) |
Grade Cobalt
(%) |
Contained
Copper (tonnes) |
Contained
Cobalt (tonnes) |
0.50 |
14,700 |
1.1 |
0.3 |
161,700 |
44,100 |
1.00 |
7,800 |
1.3 |
0.4 |
101,400 |
31,200 |
2.00 |
200 |
2.3 |
0.5 |
4,600 |
1000 |
Table 1: Resource modelling results based on
various copper cut-off grades
(Note: Grades rounded to one decimal place).
The resources stated above are approximately double those which
the company had targeted through its second round of drilling at
the Luisha South Project and includes significant tonnages of lower
grade material from the hanging wall mineralised zone as well as
depth continuation of higher grade mineralisation from the footwall
zone. The majority of the resource estimate incorporates veined and
disseminated chalcopyrite and carrolite sulphide mineralization,
with oxide malachite and heterogenite mineralization predominantly
in the footwall zone, beneath the base of the pit, and near surface
on the hanging wall.
Nigel Ferguson, CEO and President
of African Metals Corp, commented:
"The Company is very pleased with this resource update, which is
expected to continue to grow in the coming months. A drill rig will
be mobilising to site prior to the wet season starting in November
to infill and extend zones of mineralisation untested by the
previous Reverse Circulation (RC) and Diamond drilling programs.
Management expects further increases in the total contained metal
content estimated for the Luisha South Project and conversion of
resource material from Inferred to Indicated and possibly Measured
resource category. Concurrently the Company will continue surface
drilling to seek extensional mineralisation outside the current
resource area. Mineralization remains open at depth, to the south
and to the southeast."
"AFR has achieved great success in the field and with a larger
resource estimate the company is hopeful that this will support
commercial operations to upgrade the copper and cobalt
mineralisation through a DMS concentration plant and subsequent
floatation circuits. The Company is targeting concentrate
production by the end of Q3, 2011."
MINERAL RESOURCE MODEL
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).
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 technical report documenting the resource
estimation is currently being reviewed by AFR personnel and will be
submitted to the Toronto Venture Exchange in order to meet their
pre-filing guidelines for resource disclosures. An 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.
Bulk Density Measurements
Bulk density work was completed in two stages, bulk density
determinations from RC drill chips and determinations on core from
diamond drilling. In total, 912 bulk density determinations
were made, 266 from RC chips and 646 from diamond drill core. RC
chip bulk densities were measured by SGS Minerals Laboratory in
Kalulushi, Zambia and diamond core
work was completed by AFR staff. A bulk density of 2.5 was used to
complete the resource estimate based on these measurements and is
considered appropriate for these type of rocks.
Mineralisation Modelling
Geosure Pty Ltd of Brisbane,
Australia was contracted to undertake the resource
estimations. A wireframe model of the mineralised system was based
on all available information as at June
2011.
The Luisha South deposit was modelled using Surpac 6.1.4
software. A digital terrain model was supplied to Geosure for
topography. Closed 'wireframe' solids were created to define
geological domains. All modelling was completed in supplied WGS 84
(zone 35 south) co-ordinate system.
Variography was used to describe the spatial variability of both
copper and cobalt. This variability was measured in the form of a
mathematical model known as a variogram. These models were then
used with a kriging algorithm to recreate the spatial continuity
determined through variogram modelling. Drill data was composited
to two (2) metre intervals within geological domains to standardise
sample support.
A 3 dimensional block model was constructed using Surpac Mining
Software. The block model was constructed with a parent cell size
of 25mN by 12.5mE and 2.5mRL. These cells were further sub-blocked
to 12.5mN by 6.25mE and 1.25mRL. All relevant attributes were coded
into the block model.
Grade estimation was performed using ordinary kriging
methodologies in Surpac Mining Software. Grade estimates were
constrained to within the mineralized geological domains. Grade
estimation parameters were derived from several trials and included
comparing block estimates to mean composite drill grade
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
AFRICAN METALS CORPORATION
"Nigel Ferguson"
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.
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.
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 16.2kmĀ².
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 resource estimate
non-compliant in terms of NI 43-101). 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.
SOURCE African Metals Corporation