PRESS
RELEASE
13 August
2024
KAVANGO RESOURCES PLC
("Kavango" or "the
Company")
ZIM -- Assays confirm Nara gold
mineralised system
Kavango Resources plc (LSE: KAV), the Southern
Africa focussed metals exploration company is pleased to announce
the receipt of assay results for its recent diamond drilling
programme at the Nara Gold Exploration Project ("Nara") in
Matabeleland, southern Zimbabwe.
The assay results confirm the presence of a
gold mineralising system at Nara, highlighting anomalous gold zones
underneath and directly associated with surface artisanal
gold-producing structures. Kavango will now develop its
understanding of these new zones before testing them with follow-up
drilling.
Kavango holds an option to acquire Nara until
June 2025 (announced
>>> 26 June 2023).
Highlights
·
Kavango has now received assay results for six initial
scoping holes recently drilled for a total of 1,364.4 meters ("m")
at Nara.
o The assay results
confirm five out of six holes succeeded in intersecting the quartz
vein shear structures worked by artisanal miners.
·
Higher gold grades of >5 grams per tonne ("g/t") were
returned from interpreted narrow pinched zones within these
structures.
· The
assay results provide confirmation of a gold mineralised system at
Nara and support the potential for a large system of gold-bearing
shears at the project.
·
Higher-grade assays at depth offer compelling evidence for
continuation of structures, along with shallow structures under
thick cover not yet found or worked by artisanal miners.
·
Kavango will now integrate its completed Induced Polarisation
("IP") surveys and modelled inversions over Nara with its drill
data.
o The Company expects
the work to identify further drill targets aimed at both expanding
the footprint of existing deposits at the project and testing new
structures.
Ben Turney,
Chief Executive of Kavango Resources, commented:
"Our work in Zimbabwe is progressing at such a pace that
Kavango's exploration team is increasingly focussed on exploration
for mining.
Our first phase of exploration at the Nara Project confirms
the potential for a large-scale gold-bearing system here. We
believe this is shaping up to become an underground opportunity for
Kavango Mining to pursue. We are encouraged both by the grades we
have encountered and widespread gold
mineralisation.
We
will now complete our analysis of the data we have gathered to
design the next phase of drilling. We will provide an update on
this in the coming weeks and plan to mobilise a second rig a little
later this year."
Progress
Overview
The Company's objective was to intersect quartz
vein shears underlying gold-producing artisanal workings and
historic underground mine workings. Artisanal gold production at
Nara takes place in narrow surface workings <0.5m wide along
successive structural shear zones hosting anastomosing quartz
veins. Individually worked quartz vein shears characteristically
pinch and swell at depth, with arsenopyrite observed within
gold-bearing quartz veins and altered wall-rock. The artisanal
miners often use the presence of arsenopyrite to guide their
development.
The assay results confirm five out of six holes
succeeded in intersecting the quartz vein shear structures worked
by artisanal miners. Higher gold grades of >5 grams per tonne
("g/t") were returned from narrow pinched zones within these
structures. Evidence from the artisanal surface workings suggest
there are, as yet untested, wider zones where the mineralised
structures widen.
The assay results provide confirmation of a
gold mineralised system at Nara and support the potential for a
large system of gold-bearing shears at the project. Higher-grade
assays at depth offer compelling evidence for continuation of
structures, along with shallow structures under thick cover not yet
found or worked by artisanal miners. Concurrently
collected ground Induced Polarisation ("IP") gradient array surveys
in conjunction with stacked Schlumberger Sections over Nara
provides further context for the interpreted lateral and depth
extensions of the gold producing artisanal structures.
Kavango will now integrate its completed IP
surveys and modelled inversions over Nara with its drill data. The
Company expects the work to identify further drill targets
associated both with expanding the footprint of existing deposits
at the project and testing new structures.
Results and
Interpretation
The Nara Project extends for 3km
along the western sheared margin of the greenstone belt across
2.5km to the eastern boundary (1.1km), with a core comprised of
metavolcanics bordered by banded iron formations, cross-cut by
basic dykes occupying dilational structures.
Kavango's initial drilling focused
on old mine workings and abundant artisanal workings along parallel
structural features consisting of anastomosing quartz veins in
shears with sulphides and arsenopyrite.
Six scoping holes were completed,
totalling 1,364.4m, to test the gold bearing potential underneath
the old mine workings and artisanal surface workings. All six holes
have been logged, cut and sampled, and sample assays have now been
received. Analysis for gold was by 25g fire assay with AAS finish
and carried out at Performance Laboratories (Pty) Ltd,
Harare.
Table 1, below, provides significant results of
>0.5g/t Au. All holes were assayed over their full cored
length.
Hole no.
|
m from
|
m to
|
Interval m
|
Gold g/t
|
NABZDD001
|
36.00
|
37.00
|
1.00
|
2.21
|
NABZDD001
|
38.00
|
38.80
|
0.80
|
3.01
|
NABZDD001
|
70.70
|
71.40
|
0.70
|
2.10
|
|
|
|
|
|
NAFEDD001
|
81.88
|
82.40
|
0.52
|
0.71
|
NAFEDD001
|
135.19
|
135.81
|
0.62
|
0.53
|
NAFEDD001
|
136.37
|
137.55
|
1.18
|
3.12
|
incl
|
136.37
|
136.78
|
0.41
|
6.27
|
NAFEDD001
|
138.60
|
139.30
|
0.70
|
2.33
|
NAFEDD001
|
140.89
|
141.48
|
0.59
|
0.75
|
|
|
|
|
|
NAFWDD001
|
73.28
|
73.91
|
0.63
|
0.82
|
|
|
|
|
|
NAHZDD001
|
35.90
|
37.00
|
1.10
|
0.85
|
NAHZDD001
|
38.00
|
38.50
|
0.50
|
1.70
|
|
|
|
|
|
NAKLDD001
|
54.9
|
57.00
|
2.10
|
1.54
|
NAKLDD001
|
235.50
|
236.50
|
1.00
|
1.88
|
NAKLDD001
|
237.00
|
237.50
|
0.50
|
7.02
|
NAKLDD001
|
241.00
|
242.00
|
1.00
|
3.78
|
NAKLDD001
|
279.00
|
279.50
|
0.50
|
1.99
|
Table 1: Significant intersections (>0.5 g/t Au)
(*All thicknesses are apparent downhole intersection thicknesses).
NASSDD001: No significant results.
Table 2: List of boreholes
Kavango's initial scope drilling focused on
historic mine workings and abundant artisanal surface workings
along parallel structural features consisting of anastomosing
quartz veins shears with sulphides and arsenopyrite.
Six scoping holes were completed, totalling
1,364.4m to test the gold bearing potential underneath the old mine
workings and artisanal surface workings.
The Kavango technical team interprets these
results as significant when considering the following qualifying
factors:
·
The drill intersections appear to reflect the narrower
(<0.5m) portions of the anastomosing quartz vein shears that
host the artisanal gold production with their characteristic pinch
and swell morphology.
·
The sampling of half NQ drill core (47.6mm diameter) is
thought to be indicative rather than representative of the gold
bearing structures given the anastomosing nature of the veins, and
the probable nugget effect.
·
The assay values may under-represent the quartz vein shear
structures as compared with grades reported by artisanal miners
from their production at depth on the same and similar structures,
and past production at the historic mines.
·
The Nara Claims area contains 5 historical gold mines that
were mined between 1904 to the 1960's, with production from 4 of
the mines totalling over 93,000 Oz gold, Table 3.
Mine
|
Oz Au
|
Grade g/t Au
|
Strike (m)
|
Maximum depth (m)
|
Betty
|
1,616
|
7.6
|
Not
Available
|
90
|
Killarney
|
72,468
|
10.0
|
838
|
191
|
Kent
|
18,165
|
8.9
|
152
|
267
|
TPS
|
2,418
|
24.18
|
1,75
|
20
|
Table 3: Production figures from 4 of the historic mines
within the Nara Claims Baglow 1998
Figure 1 below, shows the regional geological
setting of the Nara Claims occupying the sheared western and
eastern margins of the greenstone belt bordered by banded iron
formations ("BIF"), which form distinct magnetic features in Figure
2.
Figure 1: Location map of
Nara options (approximate boundary outlined in blue), backdrop is
the geology of the greenstone belt with structural features,
historic mine locations and artisanal surface workings. Kavango's
drill hole collar positions are marked.
The historic mine workings and gold producing
artisanal workings can be seen to overlie mapped structural
features or faults and shears interpreted from both regional and
local ground magnetics in conjunction with air photo and satellite
images.
Concurrently collected ground Induced
Polarisation ("IP") gradient array surveys in conjunction with
stacked Schlumberger Sections (Figure 3) over Nara provide context
for possible extensions of the gold producing artisanal structures
at depth and along strike. These also provide indications for
further exploration possibilities on other shallow structures that
may be under thicker cover and not found or worked by the artisanal
miners.
Figure 2: Nara project area with drill hole collar positions
overlaid on a backdrop of local ground geophysical Analytical
Signal (AS) image overlying the regional Reduced to Pole (RTP)
1st Vertical Derivative (1VD) image. The BIF units form
distinct magnetic highs on the margin of the greenstone
belt.
Figure 3: Nara project area
with drill holes demarcated and labelled on a backdrop of local
ground gradient array IP with Stacked Schlumberger
Sections.
Next
Steps
The completed gradient array IP and modelled
inversions will be integrated with the existing drill data. The
combined interpretation is expected to identify further drill
targets targeted at both expanding the footprint of existing
deposits and testing new structures.
A sampling exercise in currently underway to
collect a bulk sample from one of the historic mine workings as
well as representative samples from as many of the gold producing
artisanal workings as possible.
In order to assess the wider prospectivity of
the area and compare current artisanal gold production with
historic underground mine production, the assays from this sampling
programme will be compared with assays from the drill
programme.
Kavango intends to recommence drilling at Nara,
once it has completed this analysis. The Company will provide a
further update in due course.
Further information in respect of the Company
and its business interests is provided on the Company's website at
www.kavangoresources.com and on Twitter at #KAV.
For further information please
contact:
Kavango
Resources
plc
Ben Turney
+46 7697 406 06
First Equity (Broker)
+44 207 374 2212
Jason
Robertson
Kavango
Competent Person Statement
The technical information contained in this
announcement pertaining to geology and exploration have been read
and approved by Brett Grist BSc (Hons) FAusIMM (CP). Mr Grist
is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
with Chartered Professional status. Mr Grist has sufficient
experience that is relevant to the exploration programmes and
geology of the main styles of mineralisation and deposit types
under consideration to act as a Qualified Person as defined in the
2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration
Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Grist is an
employee of Kavango Resources plc.