Clogau Update Preliminary Bulk Sample Assay Result

RNS Number : 8030Z

Alba Mineral Resources PLC

26 May 2021

 

Alba Mineral Resources plc

("Alba" or the "Company")

Clogau-St David's Gold Mine Update

Preliminary Bulk Sample Assay Results

Alba Mineral Resources plc (AIM: ALBA) is pleased to announce that the first set of assay results on bulk sample concentrates produced at the Company's pilot processing plant at the Clogau-St David's Gold Mine (the "Mine") have been received by the Company from an accredited independent laboratory. 

Key Points

· Concentrates produced from Jack Williams Lode and floor material from Tyn-Y-Cornel area returned notable grades of 20.4 to 165.5 g/t

· Concentrates produced from two other bulk sample locations returned lower-grade results - grade variability expected due to bulk sample locations (in previously worked-out areas) and inherent nature of Clogau vein system (irregular gold dissemination)

· The further bulk samples due to be taken this year will be from new, unworked veins, with prospects for higher-grade mineralisation

· Pilot processing plant performing well in terms of ability to extract and concentrate coarse gold.

· Tailings values returned negligible gold grades indicating that plant operating with high efficiency

· Underground and surface drilling progressing well

Alba's Executive Chairman, George Frangeskides, commented:

"These are really pleasing test results and demonstrate how well our pilot plant is working now in producing gold concentrates with high recoveries.  This bodes well for when we move onto bulk sampling new and previously unmined areas, in particular those new zones which we are defining in the course of our ongoing surface and underground drilling, where we believe the prospects for high-grade mineralisation are much greater."

Details

Further to the Company's announcement on 12 April 2021, the processing of the underground bulk sample collected in October 2020 has been completed. 

As previously advised, this first bulk sample was taken from previously worked areas of the Mine, and as such the Company was not anticipating high-grade results from this initial processing exercise.  However, Alba is very pleased to report that the results for the first set of concentrates which have been assayed include some very notable grades, as set out in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Notable Grades from Assaying of Bulk Sample Concentrates

Sample ID	Location	Concentrate sample mass (g)	Concentrate Au (g/t)
JW-2-C	JW	158	53.5
JW-3-SM	JW	158	81.5
JW-5-SM	JW	157	22.9
JW-6-C	JW	156	31.3
JW-6-SM	JW	162	50.6
JW001-7-C	JW001	151	20.4
JW003-16-C	JW003	157	52.3
JWSP-19-C	JW-SP	161	48.6
JWSP-20-C	JW-SP	151	45.8
2019-1-C1	2019	164	33.3
2019-15-C	2019	163	165.5

Those samples located at "JW" denote bulk samples taken from the Jack Williams Lode.  The samples located at "2019" denotes bulk samples taken from the broken stock floor material taken from the mined-out areas at the Tyn-y-Cornel area.  Accordingly, the Company intends to take further bulk samples from these areas during the current phase of underground work activities which are ongoing.

These results, grading from 20.4 g/t to 165.5 g/t, are a significant advance on the initial processing of a small bulk sample at a third-party processing facility, which was announced on 8 January 2021, and which confirmed the production of a 20.7 grams per tonne gold concentrate.

Assays from concentrate produced from two other bulk samples, those taken at the Tyn-Y-Cornel South mining area and the Llechfraith Level 2 Pillar returned lower grade results. 

The variability of grades is to be expected and is indicative of two principal factors:  firstly, the fact that these initial bulk samples have been taken from previously worked areas of the Mine, meaning that those areas - unlike the new areas which the Company is targeting - are much more likely to host lower remnant grades; and secondly, that gold distribution at Clogau is known to be irregularly disseminated. 

The irregular distribution and grade of gold is a function of the high nuggety-effect of the Clogau vein system, which is why Alba's exploration strategy has always been based on a combination of drilling, to identify gold-bearing structures, and bulk sampling, to obtain a representative idea of gold grade.  Thus far, the Company has yet to combine these strategies in a particular zone, as all the bulk sampling last year was carried out in previously mined areas, not areas which have been identified through Alba's own drilling.  This will change in the course of the current underground programme, as Alba expects to take bulk samples from new and unworked veins which have been identified through the Company's own drilling, and where the prospects for higher-grade mineralisation are therefore expected to be greater. 

The primary goal of this initial test processing phase has been to confirm that the pilot processing plant built by the Company performs well in terms of its ability to extract and concentrate coarse gold.  This has been confirmed by these results.  Moreover, tailings values returned negligible gold grades indicating that the pilot is operating with high efficiency.

Further results will be announced as and when they are available.

Drilling Update

Both the underground and surface drilling programmes at Clogau-St David's are progressing well.  JW003, the third hole in the current phase of surface drilling, has reached a depth of 115 metres.  The first hole in the current phase of underground drilling, UG001, has been drilled to 50.5 metres. Both figures are correct as at close of business on 24 May 2021.

All activities and timelines in this announcement are subject to the timely receipt of regulatory and other third-party consents and to the timely availability of contractors, plant and equipment. 

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of the UK Market Abuse Regulation and the Directors of the Company are responsible for the release of this announcement.

Glossary

Jack Williams: The Jack Williams Stope is the most westerly mined portion of the Main Lode.

Main Lode:   The main quartz vein structure along which the majority of historic mining took place at Clogau-St David's. The Main Lode was mined from the Jack Williams Stope for approximately 300m eastwards to the Bryntirion Fault, on the other side of which it was mined over a strike of at least 150m at the St David's Mine.

Mineralisation: Any single mineral or combination of minerals occurring in a mass, or deposit, of economic interest. The term is intended to cover all forms in which mineralisation might occur, whether by class of deposit, mode of occurrence, genesis or composition.

Forward Looking Statements

This announcement contains forward-looking statements relating to expected or anticipated future events and anticipated results that are forward-looking in nature and, as a result, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, such as general economic, market and business conditions, competition for qualified staff, the regulatory process and actions, technical issues, new legislation, uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans, uncertainties resulting from working in a new political jurisdiction, uncertainties regarding the results of exploration, uncertainties regarding the timing and granting of prospecting rights, uncertainties regarding the timing and granting of regulatory and other third party consents and approvals, uncertainties regarding the Company's or any third party's ability to execute and implement future plans, and the occurrence of unexpected events. 

Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, uncertainties also exist in connection with the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which may result in further lockdown measures and restrictions being imposed by Governments and other competent regulatory bodies and agencies from time to time in response to the pandemic, which measures and restrictions may prevent or inhibit the Company from executing its work activities according to the timelines set out in this announcement or indeed from executing its work activities at all. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may also affect the Company's ability to execute its work activities due to personnel and contractors testing positive for COVID-19 or otherwise being required to self-isolate from time to time.

Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors.

Competent Person Declaration

The information in this release that relates to Exploration Results has been reviewed by Mr Mark Austin. Mr Austin is a member of SACNASP (Reg. No. 400235/06), Fellow of The Geological Society and Fellow of the Geological Society of South Africa. He has a B.Sc. Honours in Geology with 38 years' experience.

Mark Austin has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration targets, Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves', also known as the JORC Code. The JORC code is a national reporting organisation that is aligned with CRIRSCO. Mr Austin consents to the inclusion in the announcement of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which they appear.

For further information, please contact:

Alba Mineral Resources plc George Frangeskides, Executive Chairman	[phone]
Cairn Financial Advisers LLP (Nomad)  James Caithie / Liam Murray	[phone]
ETX Capital (Broker) Thomas Smith	[phone]

Alba's Project and Investment Portfolio

Project (commodity)	Location	Ownership
Mining Projects
Amitsoq (graphite)	Greenland	90%
Clogau (gold)	Wales	90%
Gwynfynydd (gold)	Wales	100%
Inglefield (copper, cobalt, gold)	Greenland	100%
Limerick (zinc-lead)	Ireland	100%
Melville Bay (iron ore)	Greenland	51%
TBS (ilmenite)	Greenland	100%
Oil & Gas Investments
Brockham (oil)	England	5%
Horse Hill (oil)	England	11.765%

 

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