Aurora Metals (BVI) Limited, a mineral exploration company exploring for base metal deposits in Tunisia, announced further results of exploration for zinc on the Hammala and Kebbouch district exploration permits, approximately 150 kilometers southwest of Tunis, and 12 kilometers east of the town of Le Kef in Northern Tunisia.
In addition, the company announces that it has filed applications for two additional permits, to be known as El Hamri and Er Rosfa, to the west and contiguous with its present land position.
The geological mapping and geochemical sampling programs, completed during 2001, confirmed the existence of five areas highly anomalous in zinc on the Hammala, Koudiat Sidi Amor and Koudiat ed Diss EPs.
After considerable delays caused by administrative and subsequent international events, a light weight drilling rig, under contract with Kluane International Drilling Inc., was imported to Tunisia and a seven-hole core drilling program, totaling 1,291 meters, was carried out in December 2001 and January 2002.
Five holes were drilled on the Hammala exploration permit to test the Bahloul formation, believed likely to host extensive base metal mineralization, over a strike length of approximately 400 meters. Hole Nos. K-1 and K-2 were drilled from the same position, 4007650N 490752E, at Hammala Village.
Hole No. K-1, bearing 90 degrees at declination of 60 degrees, and 300.22 meters in depth, intersected the Bahloul Formation from 44.50 meters to 81.80 meters, a down hole length of 37.30 meters. Assays for the total intersection were 0.31 percent lead (Pb), less than 0.2 grams of silver per ton (g/t Ag) and 0.26 percent zinc (Zn), including 1.0 meter at 0.31 percent Pb, 1.1 g/t Ag, 2.02 percent Zn from 54.50 meters to 55.50 meters, and 3.05 meters of 3.08 percent Pb, 0.2 g/t Ag, 0.72 percent Zn from 76.30 meters to 79.35 meters.
Hole No. K-2, bearing 90 degrees at declination of 85 degrees, and 100.63 meters in depth, intersected the Bahloul Formation from 59.15 meters to 97.90 meters, a down-hole length of 38.75 meters. Assays for the total intersection were 0.03 percent Pb, less than 0.2 g/t Ag and 0.23 percent Zn. The highest zinc assays were 0.52 percent over 4.10 meters from 68.50 meters to 71.60 meters, and 0.50 percent over 3.05 meters between 80.75 meters and 83.80 meters.
Hole No. K-3 was drilled at 4007805N 490700E at Hammala Village. The hole, on a bearing of 90 degrees at declination of 45 degrees, to a depth of 246.89 meters, intersected the Bahloul Formation from 138.70 meters to 175.30 meters, a down hole length of 36.60 meters. Assays for the total intersection were 0.01 percent Pb, less than 0.2 g/t Ag and 0.09 percent Zn with the highest zinc assay being 0.20 percent.
Hole Nos. K-5 and K-6 were drilled from the same position, 4007403N 490634E, behind the Maison Forrestiere at Hammala Village. Hole No. K-5, at declination of 90 degrees, to a depth of 137.16 meters, intersected the Bahloul Formation from 94.20 meters to 126.60 meters, a down hole length of 32.40 meters. Assays for the total intersection were 0.01 percent Pb, less than 0.2 g/t Ag and 0.44 percent Zn, including 1.6 meters at 0.06 percent Pb, less than 0.2 g/t Ag, 2.32 percent Zn from 100.50 meters to 102.10 meters, and 1.55 meters of 3.08 percent Pb, 0.2 g/t Ag, 0.72 percent Zn from 105.15 meters to 106.70 meters.
Hole No. K-6, bearing 140 degrees, at declination of 60 degrees, to a depth of 89.91 meters, intersected the Bahloul Formation from 48.65 meters to 77.40 meters, a down hole length of 30.95 meters. Assays for the total intersection were 0.26 percent Pb, less than 0.2 g/t Ag and 0.65 percent Zn, including 2.9 meters at 1.86 percent Pb, 0.75 g/t Ag, 4.15 percent Zn from 61.10 meters to 64.40 meters.
Koudiat Sidi Amor Exploration Permit One (1) hole was drilled to test the Cretaceous-Transition Zone-Triassic contacts and the possibility of the Bahloul Formation existing beneath the Triassic.
Hole No. K-7 was drilled at 4007000N 490588E, at Grande Descenderie, approximately 300 meters south of Hole Nos. K-5 and K-6. The hole was drilled to a depth of 292.60 meters, bearing 90 degrees at declination of 60 degrees and passed from the Cretaceous into the Triassic from 75.18 meters to 230.10 meters. The Triassic was weakly mineralized throughout, with the highest grade zinc section of 2.70 meters between 155.30 meters and 158.00 meters, which assayed 0.28 percent Pb, less than 0.2 g/t Ag and 3.02 percent Zn.
Koudiat Ed Diss Exploration Permit One hole was drilled at the southwestern corner of Koudiat ed Diss with the objective of testing for the presence of the Bahloul Formation.
Hole No. K-8 was drilled at 4005402N 492210E, at Majembia Sud to a depth of 120.39 meters, due north, declined at 60 degrees. The collar of the hole was in Cenomanian and remained in that age rock over the length of the hole and did not intersect the Bahloul Formation.
Sampling and Assaying Core sizes drilled were NTW and BTW, 57 millimeters and 42 millimeters in diameter, respectively. Core selected for assaying was sawn in half and samples were sealed in containers and shipped to the laboratory of ALS Chemex in Vancouver, Canada, where Induced Couple Plasma (ICP) 34-element analyses were carried out. Samples with lead and zinc content exceeding 10,000 parts per million by ICP analysis were assayed by acid digestion with atomic absorption spectometry (AAS) finish.
The intercepts in the holes drilled into the Bahloul Formation, Hole Nos. K-1, K-2, K-3, K-5 and K-6, and that into the Triassic-Cretaceous contact zone, Hole No. K-7, showed mineralization in base metals but not of economic significance at the horizons tested, i.e., 100 meters to 200 meters below the surface.
As a consequence, it is apparent that there is greater potential for discovery of a body of mineralization akin to the Bou Grine deposit located approximately 15 kilometers south-southeast of Hammala and currently being mined by Breakwater Resources Limited. Such mineralization would be within the Bahloul Formation and the Transition Zone and of Mississippi Valley-type size rather than the large sedimentary-exhalative-type (sedex) mineralization originally envisaged.
The implication is that such a deposit may be deeper than 200 meters below surface, still a moderate depth for subsequent exploitation, and, based on the dip of the Bahloul Formation encountered in the drilling program, further to the west. The Company has, therefore, lodged applications for two additional EPs to cover this eventuality. The EPs, to be known as El Hamri and Er Rosfa, will adjoin Hammala and Koudiat Sidi Amor, respectively, to the west. The Company's contiguous EPs will then total 46.14 square kilometers.
Subject to financing, the first phase of future work will consist of more intense geological and structural mapping and interpretation to identify synsedimentary faults associated with the Bahloul Formation and the Transition Zone, and geophysical surveying over the areas of interest to define further targets. The first phase will take approximately three months and will be followed by the second phase—a drilling program commensurate with the size and number of the targets.
Agreements with BHP Billiton Funding for the exploration was made available through a private placement under a Subscription Agreement with Billiton E&D 3 B.V. and an associated Option Agreement with Billiton UK Resources B.V. (BBV), both companies being wholly owned subsidiaries of BHP Billiton plc.
The Option Agreement between the Company and BBV originally gave BBV until February 8, 2002, to elect to take a First Option wherein it can earn 51 percent in the Hammala Exploration Permit and the Kebbouch District Exploration Permits by advancing further funds for exploration prior to December 1, 2002, and further stage of funding to be expended prior to January 1, 2004. As a consequence of delays to the exploration activities these dates were subsequently amended to August 8, 2002, June 1, 2003 and July 1, 2004, respectively. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
