Prieska zinc/copper project delivers further positives

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Dual-listed Orion Minerals on Wednesday reported further positive results from its ongoing drilling programme at the Prieska zinc/copper project, in the Northern Cape.

The company said in a drilling update that the assay results received confirm significant zinc and copper mineralisation over the wide sulphide intersection.

“While drilling within the confines of historically drilled mineralisation continues to verify the grade and width as historically reported, our additional exploration drilling on strike and dip extensions, is intersecting significant extensions to previously drilled mineralisation,” said Orion MD and CEO Errol Smart.

The results have the potential to rapidly expand the tonnages to be included in the resource estimate and bankable feasibility study that is under way.

This first deflection hole intersected a 26.8 m zone of sulphide mineralisation 90 m up dip of the mother hole OCOD066 and to the northwest of the main deep sulphide target.

“The wide zone of mineralisation in this area represents a key finding as it confirms exploration potential outside the mineralised zone defined by historical drilling and emphasises the value of modern geophysical methods applied by Orion,” Smart explained.

Further, the area had not been previously tested by drilling and proves mineralisation to be open ended to the northwest and up dip of hole OCOD066_D1.

Hole OCOD060 intersected 3.6 m at 5.71% zinc, 0.69% copper, 0.2 g/t gold and 8.21 g/t silver from 1 123 m in an area where historic isopach model data had also interpreted that mineralisation was pinching out, with an expected thickness of less than 2 m.

“This result, therefore, provides encouragement for the presence of mineralisation amenable to mechanised mining in this area,” Smart concluded.