Karelian
Diamond Resources plc
("Karelian
Diamonds" or "the Company")
26 July 2023
NICKEL-COPPER-PLATINUM
EXPLORATION PROGRAMME IN NORTHERN
IRELAND
-
Stream
sediment samples collected across three licence
areas
-
Samples
dispatched for mineral indicator analysis
Karelian
Diamond Resources plc ("Karelian Diamonds") (AIM: KDR), is pleased
to announce that a Nickel-Copper-Platinum Group Metals exploration
programme has commenced in Northern
Ireland. A
series of stream sediment samples have been collected across three
licences and despatched for analysis to Overburden Drilling
Management Limited in Canada
("ODM").
The
exploration programme follows the discovery of anomalous amounts of
chromite and forsterite olivine and metamorphosed / magmatic
massive sulphide Indicator minerals ("MMSIM"), suggestive of the
presence of Nickel-Copper-Platinum mineralisation, during the
course of a stream sediment sampling programme for diamonds on a
prospecting licence in Northern
Ireland (announced by the Company on 10 March 2022).
A
technical review based on geological and geochemical data,
including the Northern Ireland TELLUS survey, noted soil sample
results of up to 765 ppb Platinum (Pt), 394 ppb Palladium (Pd) and
123 ppb Gold (Au). Mafic and/or ultramafic dyke-sill complexes are
also present in the area, further indicating the possible presence
of Nickel-Copper-Platinum mineralisation. These are similar to
those hosting the world class Noril'sk Nickel-Copper-Platinum
deposit in Russia.
As a
result, two adjacent prospecting licences were acquired, giving the
Company a total exploration area in Northern Ireland of approximately 750
km2
(announced
by the Company on 6 October
2022).
Thirty
three stream sediment samples have been collected across the three
licences. The samples have an overall weight of just over 600Kg and
an average weight of c18kg per sample. (See Table 1).
Licence
|
Number of
samples
|
KDR1-19
|
14
|
KDR2-22
|
9
|
KDR3-22
|
10
|
Table 1. Stream sediment samples over licence
areas.
The
samples have been despatched to ODM in Canada for mineral concentration, picking and
analysis for indicator mineralogy using ODMs trade-marked MMSIM
technique. ODM has been a key contributor to numerous discoveries
worldwide, including the Voisey's Bay Ni-Cu-Co deposit in
Labrador, Canada.
The
exploration programme for Nickel-Copper-Platinum Group Metals in
Northern Ireland continues in
tandem with the Company's diamond exploration programme in the
Kuhmo region of Finland.
Professor
Richard Conroy, Chairman, Karelian
Diamond Resources plc commented:
"I am
very pleased that the Company's exploration programme for
Nickel-Copper-Platinum Group minerals over the three licences which
we now hold in Northern Ireland is
underway.
Combined
with the ongoing work in Finland,
that is focussed on the discovery of a major diamond deposit, this
new opportunity adds to the overall potential of the
Company."
Further
Information:
Karelian
Diamond Resources plc
Professor Richard Conroy, Chairman
|
+353-1-479-6180
|
Allenby
Capital Limited (Nomad)
Nick Athanas / Nick Harriss
|
+44-20-3328-5656
|
First
Equity Limited (Broker)
Jason Robertson
|
+44-20-7330-1883
|
Lothbury
Financial Services
Michael Padley
|
+44-20-3290-0707
|
Hall
Communications
Don Hall
|
+353-1-660-9377
|
http://www.kareliandiamondresources.com