TIDMAFP
RNS Number : 9184D
African Pioneer PLC
24 October 2022
24 October 2022
African Pioneer Plc
("African Pioneer" or "the Company")
Central Africa Copperbelt - Exploration Update
Drilling confirms Copper mineralisation on three new targets
African Pioneer plc ("APP" or the "Company") is pleased to
report that copper mineralisation has been encountered on three
targets in shallow drilling being undertaken by First Quantum
Minerals Limited ("First Quantum Minerals") on several licences
operated under an Option Agreement with APP's 80% owned subsidiary
African Pioneer Zambia Ltd ("African Pioneer Zambia").
Highlights
-- The latest quarterly report from joint venture partner First
Quantum Minerals demonstrates very positive results including
confirmation of copper mineralisation in drill testing of three new
targets.
-- Soil geochemical surveys have been carried out over seven targets.
-- Air-core drilling over 3 targets defined by soil geochemistry
has discovered copper in veins and disseminations at all the
prospects tested to date, with visual estimations ranging from
trace up to 2% copper mineralisation over some 75m in hole
TUAC012.
-- Completion of an audio-magnetotelluric ("AMT") geophysical
survey totalling 54.9-line km has detected architectural patterns
typically associated with Congolese-type copper mineralisation
presenting an exciting new exploration concept in parallel with the
existing targets.
-- A deep drillhole has commenced to examine the prognosis that
the geologic setting may be analogous to the 'Western Foreland' in
the nearby DRC, host to Ivanhoe Mines Limited's recently
commissioned Kamoa mine, reported to become one of the largest
copper mines in the World.
Colin Bird, Executive Chairman, commented: " We are hugely
encouraged by the content of the latest joint venture quarterly
report from First Quantum Minerals that records the presence of a
number of zones of copper mineralisation at surface, apparently
showing good continuity and supported by shallow drilling, all of
which takes the Project closer to a large copper discovery. We are
particularly encouraged by the geologic setting comparison showing
analogies to the Kamoa deposit, and we look forward to the results
of the current drill programme. As always, we derive a great deal
of confidence from the technical progress being made by First
Quantum Minerals reflecting the intellectual thought and direction
being applied by its' exploration team which is not unusual but
always well-received".
Work Completed
Soil Sampling
Infill soil sampling was undertaken at seven targets across
large-scale exploration licences 27770- and 27771-HQ-LEL. Analysis
was carried out in-house by pXRF. The best results received were
from the Eagle and Turaco targets in 27770-HQ-LEL (Kasongo licence)
and Kanyika and Chipopa in 27771-HQ-LEL (Luamata South licence).
Geological mapping and rock sampling was also carried out at all
seven targets across both licences.
Receipt of XRF analyses for the bulk of the soil samples
collected and subsequent interpretation has generated several
coherent zones of copper anomalism over significant areas, up to
1,406ppm Cu.
At Turaco, significant Cu soil anomalism was encountered (>
250ppm Cu over 2.3 x 2.2km area, up to 1,406ppm Cu) adjacent to a
major structure and overlying an interpreted salt diapir in
AMT.
At Eagle, significant soil Cu anomalism occurs (5 x 2km, up to
795ppm Cu) adjacent to a major structure and overlying an
interpreted salt diapir in AMT.
At Kanyika, a string of high tenor soil Cu anomalies was
delineated (up to 983ppm Cu) associated with a major NE-trending
structure.
At Chipopa, a strong soil Cu anomaly occurs straddling a major
lithotectonic boundary (>150ppm Cu over 2.3 x 1.3km, up to
639ppm Cu).
Air-Core Drilling
Air-core drilling of the Turaco, Eagle and Kanyika targets
totalled 66 holes for 4,028m. Such drilling is designed to provide
first-pass information on the shallow geology and mineralisation
beneath sand and laterite cover rather than a definitive target
test.
At Turaco, copper mineralisation encountered included drillhole
TUAC012 which intersected carbonaceous shale from surface with 1%
malachite, which transitioned to a lighter grey talc-altered shale
with dolomite-chalcopyrite veins (up to 3% volume) after 29m depth.
Dolomite-chalcopyrite veins continued to end-of-hole (75m) and
after 70m there is very fine-grained disseminated chalcopyrite (up
to 2%, 0.8% Cu on pXRF) within strongly silicified shale.
At Eagle, the most frequently encountered units were strongly
altered shales, breccias and mafic intrusives. Several drillholes
intersected a vuggy ferruginous silicified rock with Mn-oxide
coating fractures which yielded anomalous Cu and Ni on pXRF
(>1,200ppm Cu). This strongly silicified rock was not possible
to drill through with air-core and was typically found adjacent to
altered breccias. Best visible mineralisation was from the West of
the target area in hole EAAC014, which intercepted a zone from
99-103m of brecciated carbonaceous shale with dolomitic infill with
up to 2% disseminated chalcopyrite.
At Kanyika, in the NW of the area drilled, there is a doleritic
sill overlain by a micaceous sandstone and quartzite (possibly
contact metamorphosed). The dolerite often has patches of strong
alteration and intense calcite-hematite veining, sometimes
associated with minor disseminated chalcopyrite and/or pyrite (up
to 0.5%).
Audio Magneto-Tellurics (AMT) Geophysical Survey
This survey was completed the across the 27770-HQ-LEL (Kasongo)
and 27767-HQ-LEL (Ikatu) licences in June 2022. In total, 54.9 line
km was surveyed in 2022. Such deep penetrating surveys can provide
important information on the structural and stratigraphic framework
of the region to assist with target selection and evaluation.
AMT results from Kasongo suggest soil anomalies could be related
to salt diapirism adjacent to major structures (e.g. classic
Congolese-style). AMT lines within the Ikatu licence suggest that
the Western Foreland domain boundary passes through the licence.
This domain in Zambia could offer prospective stratigraphy like at
the world-class Kamoa-Kakula deposit complex in the DRC.
A 'framework' diamond drillhole was planned to test stratigraphy
within the Western Foreland domain at Ikatu to see if a conductive
unit within the sedimentary package here overlies basement at
depth. Drilling commenced in late September and planned depth is
700-1,000m.
Planned Work
Further planned work includes:
- Completion of diamond drillhole on the Ikatu licence
- Sampling of remaining soils on 27771-HQ-LEL
- Mapping and soil sampling on Ikatu licence and 27768-HQ-LEL
- Integration and interpretation of 2022 results
- AC drilling of additional targets on the Kasongo and Luamata licences post-rainy season
- Follow up diamond drilling at Turaco and Eagle targets, also post-rainy season
Background Information
First Quantum Minerals is one of the world's top 10 copper
producers operating in several countries including Zambia where it
owns the Sentinel and Kansanshi copper mines in Northwest Zambia
and is known for its specialist technical engineering construction
and operational skills which have allowed it to develop and
successfully run complex mines and processing plants. Colin Bird,
the chairman of African Pioneer, was a founder of and floated
Kiwara Plc in around 2008 which discovered copper in northwest
Zambia and was sold to First Quantum Minerals in 2009 for U$260
million. First Quantum Minerals then developed the Kiwara Plc
projects into the Sentinel mine which is the world's 14th largest
copper mine.
The APP licence package covers part of the north-western
extension of the Zambian Copperbelt. The properties are located
within 80-100km of First Quantum Minerals Sentinel copper mine, one
of the largest copper mines in Africa, with current Measured and
Indicated Resources 867.1Mt @ 0.44% Cu. It also lies close to the
Enterprise nickel deposit (37.7Mt @ 1.03% Ni), also owned by First
Quantum Minerals, which is under development.
The projects lie on the Lufilian Fold Belt in the Domes region
of the Central African Copperbelt, straddling the western boundary
of the Kabompo Dome, underlain principally by rocks of the Lower
and Upper Roan, as well as the stratigraphically higher Kundelungu
and Nguba Groups. This geological package is similar in age and
rock type to that hosting the major copper deposits of the
Copperbelt, including Sentinel. Therefore, the licence areas are
considered to be strongly prospective for Copperbelt-type
copper/cobalt and/or nickel deposits. They are historically
underexplored, representing the westerly extension of the
Copperbelt which has not been investigated in detail, as previous
work focussed primarily on the central part of the zone.
On the Luamata South licence (27771-HQ-LEL), African Pioneer
acquired a valuable exploration package arising from recent work by
MMG Zambia Ltd ('MMG') which highlighted strong soil/airborne
magnetic targets that were not drill tested, as MMG pulled out of
Zambia. The Kasongo licence (27770-HQ-LEL) was recently held by
Anglo American which also carried out airborne magnetic surveying
and reconnaissance soil sampling before exiting the Copperbelt. The
soil data highlighted several copper anomalies of considerable
interest.
African Pioneer Plc
Colin Bird
Executive Chairman +44 (0)20 7581 4477
Beaumont Cornish (Financial Adviser)
Roland Cornish +44 (0) 020 7628 3396
Novum Securities Limited (Broker)
Jon Belliss +44 (0) 20 7399 9400
or visit https://africanpioneerplc.com/
The information contained within this announcement is deemed by
the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under
the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of
UK Domestic Law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act
2018 ("UK MAR").
Qualified Person:
Technical information in this announcement has been reviewed by
Edward (Ed) Slowey, BSc, P.Geo, a technical adviser to African
Pioneer Plc. Mr Slowey is a graduate geologist with more than 40
years' relevant experience in mineral exploration and mining, a
founder member of the Institute of Geologists of Ireland and is a
Qualified Person under the AIM rules. Mr Slowey has reviewed and
approved this announcement.
Glossary
"Air-core drilling" A rotary drilling technique employing an annular
drag bit in which cuttings and small core samples
are recovered through the drill rods by compressed
air
"audio-magneto A geophysical technique that measures variations
telluric (AMT)" in the Earth's natural electromagnetic fields
to detect electrical resistivity variations in
the subsurface
"breccia" Rock fragmented into angular components
"calcite" Calcium carbonate, CaCO 3
"carbonaceous" Said of a sedimentary rock containing organic
material
"chalcopyrite" A copper-iron sulphide mineral, CuFeS(2) , often
found in copper ores
"diapir" The movement of salt from deeper strata up through
the overlying strata under lithostatic pressure
"dolerite" A dark coloured fine- to medium-grained mafic
intrusive rock composed of plagioclase feldspar
and pyroxene
"dolomite" Calcium-magnesium carbonate mineral, (CaMg)CO
3 , or a rock composed largely of the mineral
dolomite
"ferruginous" Containing the element iron
"hematite" A mineral composed of ferric iron oxide
"Indicated That part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity,
Mineral Resource" grade (or quality), densities, shape and physical
characteristics are estimated with sufficient
confidence to allow the application of Modifying
Factors in sufficient detail to support mine planning
and evaluation of the economic viability of the
deposit. Geological evidence is derived from adequately
detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and
testing gathered through appropriate techniques
from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits,
workings and drill holes, and is sufficient to
assume geological and grade (or quality) continuity
between points of observation where data and samples
are gathered. (JORC 2012)
"intrusive" A body of igneous rock that invades older rocks
"laterite" A strongly leached iron and aluminium rich rock,
formed at the surface by weathering in tropical
conditions
"lithotectonic" Relating to structurally controlled features within
rock packages
"mafic" Containing or relating to a group of dark-coloured
minerals, composed chiefly of magnesium and iron,
that occur in igneous rocks
"malachite" A green copper carbonate mineral (Cu(2) (OH)(2)
CO(3) ) which forms by alteration of copper sulphide
minerals
"Measured Mineral That part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity,
Resource" grade (or quality), densities, shape, and physical
characteristics are estimated with confidence
sufficient to allow the application of Modifying
Factors to support detailed mine planning and
final evaluation of the economic viability of
the deposit. Geological evidence is derived from
detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and
testing gathered through appropriate techniques
from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits,
workings and drill holes, and is sufficient to
confirm geological and grade (or quality) continuity
between points of observation where data and samples
are gathered (JORC 2012)
"metamorphosed" A rock that has been altered by physical and chemical
process involving heat, pressure and derived fluids
"micaceous" Consisting of, containing or pertaining to the
platy mineral mica
"mineralisation" The concentration of metals and their chemical
compounds within a body of rock
"ppm" Parts per million
"pXRF" Hand-held instrument to determine the chemistry
of a sample by measuring the fluorescent (or secondary)
X-ray emitted from a sample when it is excited
by a primary X-ray source
"quartzite" A silica rich metamorphic rock formed from sandstone
"salt diapir" The movement of salt from deeper strata up through
the overlying strata under lithostatic pressure
"sandstone" A sedimentary rock usually composed essentially
of sand-sized quartz grains
"shale" A fine-grained laminated sediment
"silicified" An altered rock whereby original rock minerals
are chemically replaced by various forms of silica
which generally harden the rock
"sill" A tabular sheet of intrusive rock which is parallel
to the planar structure in the surrounding rock
"stratigraphic" Pertaining to the inter-relationship of rocks
in a geometric, spatial or time sense
"talc" A soft platy mineral with the general formula
Mg(6) Si(8) O(20) (OH)(4)
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