Botswana Metals Limited (BML), a minerals exploration company focused on Botswana says the third and fourth holes of the 6000m drilling program designed to test the mineralisation at depth and down dip of the known nickel-copper and platinum group element mineralisation at Maibele North in Botswana have now commenced.
The company said the first two holes, MADD0057 and MADD0058, have been completed to planned target depth after intersecting significant thicknesses of sulphides.
“The core is currently being scanned with a portable XRF and a summary of these results will be reported to the ASX when available,” it reported.
BML revealed the new drill Hole Number 3 (MADD0059) is a twin of historic drill hole MADD0028 which returned significant intersections of 1.65m @ 0.76%Ni and 0.71% Cu from 99.13m and 2.73m @ 1.61%Ni and 0.26% Cu from 104.84m.
The new drill Hole Number 4 (MADD0060) is collared approximately 150m northeast of Hole No3 (MADD0059) (Figures 1 and 3) and is drilling up dip of historic drill hole MARD0017 which returned moderate mineralised intersections of 1.03m @ 0.25%Ni and 0.04% Cu from 135.77m and 0.30m @ 0.62%Ni and 0.10% Cu from 141.70m.
According to Botswana Metals, two diamond drill rigs are dedicated to the program which comprises a series of 30 diamond drill holes in positions that infill gaps in the historic drill pattern and step out along strike to test the lateral continuation and down plunge extents of the orebody. The program has been designed to provide metallurgical samples by twinning a number of existing mineralised holes as well as ensuring a sufficient drill hole spacing and sample density to enable the first JORC-compliant mineral resource to be calculated for the deposit.
It said the ground magnetic and down-hole EM surveys will be undertaken where necessary to assist in the exploration.
Details of the program include: eight metallurgical DD holes (Figure 1 – blue dots) designed to provide sufficient sample material to determine the ore compatibility for processing at the BCL plant. Two of these holes commenced drilling on 16th June 2014.
It also include thirteen Infill holes designed to determine the continuity of the mineralisation and provide sufficient drill hole spacing and sample density to enable the first JORC-compliant (2012 code) mineral resource to be calculated for the deposit.
On the other hand it comprises five down dip and step out holes designed to test the extension potential to the east and west of Maibele as well as at depth and down plunge and Four shallow holes designed to test the shallow extents of the mineralisation and help assess the open pit potential of the shallow reaches of the deposit.
All drill holes have been designed to test the mineralised horizon with diamond core however BCL is considering the use of a Reverse Circulation drill rig to pre-collar some of the deeper planned holes in order to accelerate the drill program.
Samples will be analysed at the Maibele field location by a portable NITON XRF analyser to assist in determining appropriate sample intervals to be submitted to an independent laboratory for analysis.
Botswana Metals Limited (“BML”) is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and its stock code (ticker) is BML. BML is a mineral exploration company fully focused on its portfolio of exploration tenements covering approximately 1,000 sq. km all located in Botswana.
BML’s objective is to discover an economic base and precious metals deposit in eastern Botswana on the well-known Limpopo Belt, which extends into Botswana from its neighbouring country Zimbabwe.
Recent exploration has resulted in three discoveries of Nickel-Copper and Copper-Silver mineralisation known as Airstrip Copper, Maibele North and Dibete. The Ni-Cu deposit at Maibele North is just east of Airstrip Copper whilst Dibete is 7 km to the south of Airstrip Copper. To the east of these discoveries, a recent VTEM program has identified at least 23 new VTEM anomalies that are planned to be part of the Company’s exploration focus in the future.
