Discovery Metals Limited has released assay results from nine diamond drill holes at the Zeta NE deposit. Zeta NE is located within the company’s 100% owned prospecting licences in the Kalahari Copperbelt in north-west Botswana and is located approximately 10 kilometres east of the Boseto concentrator.
The Zeta NE deposit is located within the Boseto Zone and is approximately seven kilometres north-east of, and directly along strike from, the Zeta Deposit, which is currently being mined. The Inferred Mineral Resources currently at Zeta NE are 12.9 Mt @ 1.3% Cu and 22 g/t Ag over a strike length of approximately five kilometres and to a depth of 300 metres. According to Discovery Metals, the assay results reported in this release are from eight holes drilled as part of an in-fill program in the shallower portions of the Zeta NE deposit, which is believed to have potential for open pit mining, and from one deeper hole drilled to test the potential for an underground mine at Zeta NE.
Discovery Metals’ Managing Director, Brad Sampson, says the open cut potential of Zeta NE continues to be demonstrated and metallurgically the deposit appears to be suitable for processing in the existing Boseto concentrator. “We plan to continue the evaluation of Zeta NE open cut towards establishing Ore Reserves, which will then allow scheduling into ongoing open cut operations. It is pleasing to see that there is a significant high grade zone at Zeta NE, so these particular results will be helpful in determining where we commence the open cut operation.”
The deeper hole drilled at Zeta NE demonstrates that copper mineralisation exists at potentially economic grade and thickness down to at least 500 metres vertical depth. This result is consistent with the regular nature of the geometry of the deposits along the Zeta strike line and removes some of the uncertainty that has been suggested regarding the presence of deeper copper-silver mineralisation under the open cut deposits within the Boseto area. The assay results indicate that there is strong potential for the development of a viable underground mine similar to the mine being progressed at the Zeta deposit. Any underground operation at Zeta NE would benefit from the infrastructure and experience that will be established at the Zeta Underground Mine. The Company is also planning to undertake deep drilling at NE Mango 2.
The company says it plans to continue exploration work at Boseto to gather necessary information to expand the Boseto operation to 50,000 tonnes of copper metal per year.
“For the next six months, the company aims to determine the order in which the many possible areas within the region should be developed to feed the expanded mine.Regional exploration is also expected to continue as required under the Company’s prospecting licences.”
The company is planning to release information regarding the Boseto copper project reserves / resources and operating costs in the first half of next week.
The Zeta NE deposit is approximately five kilometres in strike length. These eight diamond drill holes were completed on six sections 100 metres apart, over a strike length of approximately 500 metres, in the central to north-eastern part of the deposit.
As with results previously released, the holes reported here continue to intersect copper mineralisation of greater thickness and copper grades than anticipated from the initial drilling, completed in 2012 and used for the estimation of the current Mineral Resources.
Most of the drill holes exceed the average copper grade (1.3%) and thickness (7 metres) of the deposit determined from the initial drilling reported in early 2012.
Bornite is the dominant copper sulphide mineral present with chalcocite common and chalcopyrite uncommon. Of the eight holes reported here, only GDDD2825 is within the copper oxide zone, with malachite being the dominant copper mineral logged within the oxide zone.
Results indicate that a high grade zone exists within the Zeta NE deposit. This zone remains open along strike and at depth.
Drilling at Zeta NE is planned to continue later in 2013 towards establishing Ore Reserves that may be incorporated into the Boseto expansion plan.
GDDD2826 is the first of four holes planned as an initial test of the potential for underground mining at Zeta NE.
The copper mineralisation within this deeper hole is dominantly bornite with chalcocite being common in the higher grade zones. Chalcopyrite is uncommon. The assay results from this hole demonstrate the potential for sufficient thickness and grade of copper sulphide mineralisation at depth to support an underground mine. The program for further deep drilling will be determined as the 50,000 tonne expansion planning for Boseto progresses.
