28 October
2024
Tertiary Minerals plc
("Tertiary" or the "Company")
Copper-Zinc Mineralisation
discovered at Mushima North
Further to its announcement of 16
October 2024, the Company is pleased to advise that drilling on its
Mushima North Copper Project in Zambia has intersected widespread
copper and zinc mineralisation with multiple holes ending in
mineralisation.
Highlights:
·
Twenty-five holes drilled to a maximum depth of
112m on three traverses at Target A1 and one traverse at Target
C1.
·
Field portable X-Ray Fluorescence ("pXRF")
analysis of drill samples now completed.
·
Wide downhole intervals of largely coincident
copper and zinc mineralisation found on and around Traverse 1 at
Target A1 in in drill holes spanning an open ended 350m (east-west)
x 170m (north-south) area, e.g.:
o Hole
24TMN024: 33m grading 0.21% copper from 22m
§ inc.
6m downhole
grading 0.58% copper from 47m
§ inc.
1m downhole
grading 1.04% copper from 49m
o Hole
24TMN003: 8m grading 0.10% copper from 33m
§ And 28m
grading 0.30% zinc from 41m to end of hole
o Hole
24TMN004: 55m grading 0.18% copper from 14m to end of
hole
§ and
26m grading 0.27% zinc from 45m to end of hole
o Hole
24TMN005: 43m grading 0.14% copper from 31m to end of
hole
§ and
58m grading 0.27% zinc from 16m to end of
hole
o Hole
24MN008P: 11m grading 0.14% copper from 65m
§ and
62m grading 0.41% zinc from 19m
·
Narrower intervals of similar copper
mineralisation intersected drill holes on Traverses 2 and 3 at
Target A1, and on the traverse at Target C1.
·
Ground magnetic survey now in progress at Target
A1 to assist structural and stratigraphic
interpretation.
·
Selected samples to be submitted for laboratory
check analysis and for precious metal analysis.
Detailed information and a table of
significant drill results follows, together with a drill hole
location plan and other images.
Patrick Cheetham, Executive
Chairman of Tertiary Minerals plc said:
"Our first drill programme at Mushima North has delivered
exciting results and demonstrates that the large copper-in-soil
anomaly at Target A1 is rooted in thick intervals of copper and
zinc mineralisation over a wide area. The aircore drill rig used
for this programme allowed us to complete a meaningful number of
widely spaced drill-holes, but the depth limitations of this
reconnaissance drilling method meant that many holes ended in
mineralisation.
"Use of pXRF analysis in near real-time allowed us to modify
the drill programme as it progressed with the result that the
last hole in the programme hit the highest grades - grades similar
to those being mined elsewhere in northwest Zambia. So far we have
only scratched the surface at Mushima North and work is now in
progress to help us plan follow-up work for the 2025 field
season."
Cautionary Statement
pXRF analytical results form the
basis of this announcement. It should be noted that pXRF analytical
results are generally considered to be less accurate than
analytical results generated by an accredited analytical
laboratory. The Company has carried out a comprehensive QA/QC
programme with the pXRF where sample duplicates and certified
reference materials with certified metal values were inserted into
the sequence of drill samples being analysed. In addition, the
values being reported are based on five pXRF readings averaged for
each sample. The QA/QC of the pXRF results was satisfactory.
As a result, the Company is satisfied that the results being
reported are a reliable indication of the occurrence of copper and
zinc mineralisation of interest for further exploration. The
Company will submit a series of drill samples for check analysis
using an accredited analytical laboratory and the resulting
analytical results will be released in due course.
Further Information:
Tertiary Minerals plc:
|
Patrick Cheetham, Executive
Chairman
|
+44 (0) 1625 838
679
|
SP
Angel Corporate Finance LLP
Nominated Adviser and Broker
|
Richard Morrison
|
+44 (0) 203 470 0470
|
Caroline Rowe
|
|
Peterhouse Capital Limited
Joint Broker
|
Lucy Williams
|
+ 44 (0) 207 469 0930
|
Duncan Vasey
|
|
Market Abuse Regulation
The information contained within
this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside
information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU)
No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ('MAR'). Upon the publication
of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service ('RIS'),
this inside information is now considered to be in the public
domain.
Detailed Information
The Mushima North Copper Project
(Licence 27068-HQ-LEL) is held through Group company Copernicus
Minerals Limited ("Copernicus") which is 90% owned by Tertiary
Minerals (Zambia) Limited. Copernicus is in the process of taking a
transfer of the licence through its agreement with licence holder
and Copernicus 10% shareholder, Mwashia Resources Limited
("Mwashia") (see announcement dated 26 February 2024).
The project lies 20km to the east of
the Kalengwa copper mine which is now being reopened and is
expected to produce 15,000 tonnes of copper annually. Kalengwa was
one of the highest-grade copper deposits ever to be mined in
Zambia. In the 1970s high-grade ore, in excess of 26% copper, was
trucked for direct smelting at other mines in the
Copperbelt.
Kalengwa was discovered by drill
testing a coincident copper-in-soil anomaly and gravity anomaly and
has characteristics of the Iron-Oxide-Copper-Gold ("IOCG") class of
deposits.
In 2023, following a detailed
targeting project, Tertiary carried out soil sampling over the A1,
A2 and C1 targets, defining significant copper in soil anomalies in
all three areas (see announcements dated 5 October and 16
October 2023).
A1
Target Drill Testing
The A1 target, a copper-in-soil
anomaly, covers an area of up to approximately 3km north-south by
1.5km east-west.
In the recently completed drill
programme, 17 shallow holes were drilled on three traverses using a
combination of aircore and reverse circulation methods as an
initial test of the A1 soil anomaly.
Drill Traverse 1 was completed
west-east over the northern part of the anomaly and initially
comprised 5 holes drilled at 100m intervals an angle of -60 degrees
to the east. Samples were collected at 1m intervals and analysed
using a pXRF. Additional holes were sited to infill the hole
spacing at 50m intervals on the eastern half of the traverse and
the traverse was extended to the east. Wide zones of copper and
zinc were intersected over the majority of holes on Traverse
1.
A full tabulation of drill results
is given in Table 1 below and details of the reporting grade
cut-offs is given in the accompanying notes.
The final hole in the whole
programme (24TMN024) was drilled vertically 170m south of Traverse
1 and intersected the highest grades of the whole programme - up to
1% copper - grades similar to those being mined at major mining
operations elsewhere in northwest Zambia. Unfortunately, there was
insufficient time to drill further holes in the current
programme.
Preliminary logging of drill samples
indicates that the geological sequence intersected at A1 on
Traverse 1 is a series of altered ferruginous sandstones,
siltstones and conglomerates with mineralisation hosted primarily
in ferruginous and graphitic conglomerates. Many of the clasts are
highly weathered or leached out (vuggy) suggesting the possibility
that leaching of copper may have occurred. This is a permissive
lithological setting for economic copper deposits in northwest
Zambia and is similar to that hosting copper mineralisation at the
Kalengwa mine.
The association of zinc and copper
mineralisation at Mushima North requires further evaluation.
Arsenic is also highly anomalous in some holes (up to 0.4%) and
samples need to be analysed for precious metals.
The mineralisation intersected on
Traverse 1 is best developed on the western side of the soil
anomaly and continues beyond the soil anomaly to the east where it
is open ended.
Drill Traverse 2 comprised five
100m spaced holes (24TMN006 to 24TMN010) in the western part of the
A1 soil anomaly, approximately 500m south of Traverse 1. A
similar sedimentary sequence was intersected as in Traverse 1 and
whilst copper values on this traverse were lower, all holes were
consistently anomalous in copper in the low -mid 100s of parts per
million copper throughout. It is believed that these holes
were placed too far to the west and this traverse should be
extended to the east in future.
Drill Traverse 3 is located
approximately 750m further south from Traverse 2. and comprised
four 100m spaced aircore holes (24TMN011 to 24TMN014). The pXRF
results on Traverse 3 are similar to those on Traverse 2 and this
traverse also needs to be extended to the east in future
programmes.
C1
Target Area
The principal target at C1 is for
IOCG style mineralisation associated with coincident magnetic and
gravity anomalies defined by BHP in an earlier phase of
exploration. This target is deep and testing was beyond the depth
capability of the drill rig used at Mushima North during the recent
programme.
However, seven shallow aircore holes
(24TMN016 to 24TMN022) were drilled vertically at 100m intervals on
a north-south traverse to test a copper-in-soil geochemical anomaly
for shallow mineralisation.
A number of narrow intersections of
copper mineralisation were made as shown in Table 2 below.
Mineralisation occurs in a mixed sequence of dolomitic siltstones
and granite with iron and copper sulphide minerals, pyrite and
chalcopyrite being logged.
The primary IOCG target at C1
remains untested.
Table 1: Target A1, Mushima North
Significant Aircore/Reverse Circulation Drilling
Results
Hole Number
|
Interval (m)
|
%
Copper
|
%
Zinc
|
From (m)
|
To
(m)
|
Note
|
Traverse 1
|
From West to East
|
24TMN003
|
2m
|
0.10%
copper
|
|
28m
|
30m
|
|
|
8m
|
0.10%
copper
|
|
33m
|
41m
|
|
|
28m
|
|
0.30%
zinc
|
41m
|
69m
|
Hole ended
in mineralisation
|
24TMN006P
|
21m
|
0.16%
copper
|
|
22m
|
43m
|
|
|
2m
|
0.10%
copper
|
|
53m
|
55m
|
|
|
46m
|
|
0.27%
zinc
|
22m
|
68m
|
|
24TMN004
|
55m
|
0.18%
copper
|
|
14m
|
71m
|
Hole ended
in mineralisation
|
|
2m
|
|
0.28%
zinc
|
21m
|
23m
|
|
|
26m
|
|
0.27%
zinc
|
45m
|
71m
|
Hole ended
in mineralisation
|
24TMN008P
|
2m
|
0.13%
copper
|
|
24m
|
26m
|
|
|
11m
|
0.14%
copper
|
|
65m
|
76m
|
|
|
62m
|
|
0.41%
zinc
|
19m
|
82m
|
|
24TMN005
|
43m
|
0.14%
copper
|
|
31m
|
74m
|
Hole ended
in mineralisation
|
|
58m
|
|
0.27%
zinc
|
16m
|
74m
|
Hole ended
in mineralisation
|
24TMN015
|
48m
|
0.16%
copper
|
|
22m
|
70m
|
Hole ended
in mineralisation
|
24TMN023
|
3m
|
0.11%
copper
|
|
39m
|
42m
|
|
|
55m
|
0.18%
copper
|
|
54m
|
112m
|
Hole ended
in mineralisation
|
|
9m
|
0.31%
copper
|
|
79m
|
88m
|
|
|
26m
|
|
0.20%
zinc
|
84m
|
112m
|
Hole ended
in mineralisation
|
24TMN024
|
Located170m
due south of 24TMN015
|
|
33m
|
0.21%
copper
|
|
22m
|
57m
|
|
|
6m
|
0.58%
copper
|
|
47m
|
53m
|
|
|
1m
|
1.04%
copper
|
|
49m
|
50m
|
|
Traverse 2
|
From West to
East
|
24TMN006
|
9m
|
0.13%
copper
|
|
33m
|
42m
|
|
|
5m
|
0.11%
copper
|
|
80m
|
85m
|
|
Traverse 3
|
From West to
East
|
24TMN011
|
9m
|
|
0.20% zinc
|
8m
|
17m
|
|
24TMN012
|
4m
|
0.10%
copper
|
|
31m
|
35m
|
|
Table 2: Target C1, Mushima North
Significant Aircore/Reverse Circulation Drilling
Results
Hole Number
|
Interval (m)
|
%
Copper
|
%
Zinc
|
From(m)
|
To
(m)
|
Note
|
Traverse drilled South to
North
|
24TMN016
|
3m
|
0.11% copper
|
|
29m
|
32m
|
|
24TMN017
|
3m
|
0.12% copper
|
|
28m
|
31m
|
Hole ended in
mineralisation
|
24TMN019
|
2m
|
0.10% copper
|
|
28m
|
30m
|
|
Notes:
1.
The information
in this release has been compiled and reviewed by Mr. Patrick
Cheetham (MIMMM, MAusIMM) who is a qualified person for the
purposes of the AIM Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies.
Mr. Cheetham is a Member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals
& Mining and also a member of the Australasian Institute of
Mining & Metallurgy.
2.
The news release
may contain certain statements and expressions of belief,
expectation or opinion which are forward looking statements, and
which relate, inter alia, to the Company's proposed strategy, plans
and objectives or to the expectations or intentions of the
Company's directors. Such forward-looking statements involve known
and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors
beyond the control of the Company that could cause the actual
performance or achievements of the Company to be materially
different from such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you
should not rely on any forward-looking statements and save as
required by the AIM Rules for Companies or by law, the Company does
not accept any obligation to disseminate any updates or revisions
to such forward-looking statements.
3. Reporting
cut-offs:
For copper - a mineralised interval of minimum 2m thickness
with a 0.1% start/finish threshold and having an average grade of
>0.1% copper.
For zinc - a mineralised interval of minimum 2m thickness with
a 0.2% start/finish threshold and having an average grade of
>0.2% zinc.
Where voids occur within continuous sampled lengths, the
average grade reported is the average grade of the samples actually
collected and the reported sample interval excludes the extent of
the voids which are likely due to washing out of clay or other soft
materials, possibly in fault zones. The following voids were
noted:
Hole 24TMN004 drilled through a 2m void from
43-45m.
Hole 24TMN008P drilled through a 1m void from 17-18m and
30-31m downhole.
Hole 24TMN023 drilled through voids from 70-71, 88-89m and
95-96m downhole.
Hole 24TMN024 drilled through voids from 46-47m and 54-55m
downhole.
REPORTED THICKNESSES ARE DOWNHOLE THICKNESSES AND TRUE
THICKNESS ARE UNKNOWN.