DRC - The AVZ Minerals contract covers the initial 20 000 m phase of a planned 40 000 m drill programme to test, define and report mineral resources at the Kitotolo and Manono sectors of the Manono lithium project.
The 20 000 m programme, using one multi-purpose and three diamond drill rigs, should take an estimated three months to complete.
Drilling is planned to commence in December, and will initially target the Roche Dure pegmatite, Kitotolo sector, where recent drilling returned the following results:
MO17DD001 reported between 24.5 m and 263.9 m, an intercept of 235.03 m at1.66% lithium oxide and 1 001 ppm tin.
MO17DD002 reported between 65.5 m and 268.3 m, an intercept of 202.8 m at 1.57% lithium oxide and 1 078 ppm tin.
AVZ Minerals believes that the Roche Dure pegmatite holds potential for significant lithium and tin mineralisation given the expected approximate thickness of up to 220 m and a potential strike length of some 2 100 m.
Drill-holes MO17DD001 and MO17DD002 are approximately 400 m apart through the thickest section of the pegmatite and this zone will receive initial drill testing on sectional lines 100 m apart and drill holes 100 m apart.
Drilling will progress to the north and south along strike.
It is also the company’s intention to drill investigate the Carrier de L’Est Pegmatite in the Manono sector immediately to the north and south of MO17DD007 where a drill intercept confirmed mineralisation between 1.9 m and 252.83 m reporting 250.93 m at 1.48% lithium oxide and 913 ppm tin.
AVZ Minerals has generated an exploration target of between 1 Bt and 1.2 Bt of 1.25% to 1.5% lithium oxide for the entire Manono project, including between 300 and 400 Mt of 1.25% to 1.5% lithium oxide for the Roche Dure Pegmatite alone.
The potential quantity and grade of the exploration target as stated, is conceptual in nature as there has been insufficient exploration to estimate a mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the estimation of a mineral resource.
“We are very pleased to have completed the drilling tender process and awarded the contract.
Equity has proved themselves in Africa as a professional company with the ability to engage and perform to a very high level and often in trying conditions,” says AVZ Minerals executive cairman, Klaus Eckhof.
“We look forward to announcing commencement of drilling at the project in the near future and subsequently reporting on what we expect to be the first resource at Manono as part of a staged release of resources estimations.”
About Equity Drilling
Equity Drilling was formed in 2016 by Mike Warren and Marc Olyott.
Warren founded Geosearch which was sold in 2006.
This was a 147 rig operation that operated in most African countries, south of the Sahara.
Equity currently has 16 rigs and its aim is to increase this to a maximum of 20 rigs in order to provide critical mass, but at the same time still be able to provide a personalised service to those clients operating in remote or difficult environments.
Feature image credit: AVZ Minerals
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