KSZ Hukuntsi - Proof of Concept drilling commences

RNS Number : 9454F

Kavango Resources PLC

21 July 2021

 

PRESS RELEASE

21 July 2021

KAVANGO RESOURCES PLC

("Kavango" or "the Company")

KSZ Hukuntsi-"Proof of Concept" drilling commences

Kavango Resources plc (LSE:KAV), the exploration company targeting the discovery of world-class mineral deposits in Botswana, is pleased to announce that drilling has commenced on Target A2 ("A2") in the northern (Hukuntsi) section of the Kalahari Suture Zone ("KSZ").

The goal of this geological borehole is to retrieve core samples from the bottom of the "Norilsk style keel" at A2. The Company's hope is that assay and other analysis of said rock samples will result in "proof of concept" that the Karoo-age gabbros in the KSZ have the potential to host magmatic sulphide ore bodies.

The target depth at A2 is currently estimated to be 500m.

On completion of drilling operations at A2, Kavango's drill partners (Equity Drilling Ltd and Mindea Exploration and Drilling Services (Pty) Ltd) will immediately mobilise the rig to Target C1 ("C1"), 11km away. The Company believes A2 and C1 are on the same geological corridor.

Following completion of drilling at C1, the rig will then mobilise to Target B1 ("B1"). Plans for this hole are currently being finalised and the Company will provide an update in due course.

Kavango estimates A2's properties are:

-  The target is 1km in length and is open along strike

-  It extends between 250m to 700m below surface and is gently dipping

-  A decay constant of approximately 340msec and conductance of approximately 3000 Siemens, readings which Kavango management considers are consistent with nickel sulphide deposits elsewhere in the world

-  Located in the right geological setting, at the bottom of a "keel" in the gabbroic intrusion, according to the Company's Magnetic 3D-Model (announced 8 September 2020)

Ben Turney, Chief Executive Officer of Kavango Resources, commented:

"Years of hard work and dedication have brought us to this point. We could now be on the cusp of achieving something truly great. It can be difficult to communicate in an RNS quite how much effort and creative energy goes into a project like the Kalahari Suture Zone.

The going hasn't been easy, but everyone has stuck with it, often making great sacrifices along the way. I am immensely proud of our team. If anyone has ever deserved success in field exploration, it is the people who have given so much to Kavango.

With the drill bit now turning at A2, we should soon hopefully become the first company ever to retrieve core samples from the bottom of a Karoo-age gabbro in the region.

We have great confidence in Equity Drilling and Mindea to drill boreholes that will enable us to realise this ambition. The focussed planning that has gone into our drill campaign has been exceptional. Safety and security standards are international quality and the engineering design is robust.

Obviously this is a business where there can be no guarantees, but everything possible has been done to minimise our operational risks. The next few months promise to be incredibly exciting."

Primary objective of the current KSZ drill campaign

Kavango's primary objective is to become the first company ever to retrieve drill core from the bottom of the "keels" of the Karoo-age gabbros in the KSZ. The Company anticipates that drill-core from these holes will provide firm physical evidence of the KSZ's potential to host 'Norilsk-style' metal sulphide deposits.

About Mindea

Mindea Exploration and Drilling Services (Pty) LTD was formed in September 2019 by Equity Drilling Limited and Maureen Mokgaotsane (Geologist), Sebanka Lobatlamang (Geologist) and Eddie Babuseng (Attorney at Law) to provide complete exploration solutions to its clients in Botswana.

Mindea is currently operated under the Botswana Citizen Economic Empowerment Policy and is owned 51% by local shareholders and 49% by Equity Drilling. Over the coming years it is expected that Botswana nationals will wholly own Mindea, with Equity Drilling continuing to provide strategic and technical support.

Mindea operates to strict international safety standards and deploys the latest equipment to its projects. Mindea is rigorous in its planning and site preparation.

Reflecting the quality of its operations, Mindea has recently been awarded a 3-year contract by Debswana to drill various national projects in Botswana. In addition to this, Mindea is a regular drill contractor for DeBeers.

About Equity Drilling

The owners of Equity Drilling are extremely experienced drill operators, with extensive experience of successfully working on technically challenging projects across Africa.

Equity Drilling established Africa's first Drilling School in Botswana, the Africa Mining and Drilling Institute ("AMDI ")

AMDI is Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA) certified, which offers internationally recognised certification to all students wishing to be taught exploration drilling. AMDI has an exclusive working relationship agreement in place with the Australian Drilling Industry Association (the "ADIA") and offer the ADIA's DICAT curriculum with a strong emphasis on safety in the workplace.

AMDI also offers funds the delivery of pre-industry courses to students from local communities, who have had no previous work experience. This course prepares students for the work place and making them eligible for placement into the industry on graduation. Mindea's own labour resources have been drawn from these pre-industry course graduates

About Target A2

Kavango estimates Target A2's properties are:

-  1km length, which is open along strike

-  Extends between 250m to 700m below surface and is gently dipping

-  Decay constant of approximately 340msec and conductance of approximately 3000 Siemens, readings which Kavango management considers are consistent with nickel sulphide deposits elsewhere in the world

-  Located in the right geological setting, at the bottom of a "keel" in the gabbroic intrusion, according to the Company's Magnetic 3D-Model (8 September 2020)

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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 additional information please contact:

Kavango Resources plc   

Ben Turney

[e-mail]

First Equity (Joint Broker)

[phone]

Jason Robertson 

SI Capital Limited (Joint Broker) 

[phone]

Nick Emerson

Kavango Competent Person Statement

The information in this press release that relates to "geological and/or geophysical results" for the LVR Project is based on information compiled or reviewed by Mr Mike Moles BSc (Geology) & BSocSci (African Studies), a competent person who is a Member of the Australian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy. Mr Moles has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposits under consideration and to the activity, which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Moles consents to the inclusion in this release of the exploration results for the Project in the form and context in which it appears. Mr Moles is a beneficial shareholder of Kavango Resources plc.

Note to Editors:

THE KALAHARI SUTURE ZONE

Kavango's 100% subsidiary in Botswana, Kavango Minerals (Pty) Ltd, is the holder of 14 prospecting licences covering 7,573.1km² of ground, including 12 licences over a significant portion of the 450km long KSZ magnetic anomaly in the southwest of the country along which Kavango is exploring for Copper-Nickel-PGM rich sulphide ore bodies. This large area, which is entirely covered by Cretaceous and post-Cretaceous Kalahari Sediments, has not previously been explored using modern techniques.

The area covered by Kavango's KSZ licences displays a geological setting with distinct similarities to that hosting World Class magmatic sulphide deposits such as those at Norilsk (Siberia) and Voisey's Bay (Canada).

The Norilsk mining centre is about 2,800km northeast of Moscow and accounts for 90% of Russia's nickel reserves, 55% of its copper and virtually all of its PGMs. Kavango's licenses in the KSZ display a geological setting with distinct geological similarities to the magmatic sulphide deposits at Norilsk. Magma plumbing systems are a key feature of these deposits.

KSZ DEFINITIONS

EM Super Conductors: are bodies of highly conductive minerals such as graphite, magnetite and metal sulphides, which conduct electricity very rapidly provided the mineral grains are in contact with each other.

Gabbro/gabbroic: A coarse grained, medium to dark coloured rock, formed from the intrusion of mantle derived molten magma into the earth's crust. Gabbroic rocks (or "gabbros") are formed as the molten magma crystallizes and cools.

Gabbroic sills: Relatively thin, planar, horizontal bodies of solidified gabbroic magma that intruded into layers of sedimentary rock whilst still molten.

Karoo: The Karoo System covers 1.5 million km2 of the semi-desert region of Southern Africa. Rocks in this system formed 180-310 million years ago.

Massive sulphide: When a deposit consists almost entirely of sulphides it is termed "massive". When it consists of grains or crystals of sulphide in a matrix of silicate minerals, it is termed "disseminated".

Metal/Magmatic sulphide: Deposits of sulphide mineral concentrations in mafic and ultramafic rocks, derived from immiscible sulphide liquids. To view a video of how metal/magmatic sulphides form please visit -

https://twitter.com/KavangoRes/status/1316004057895645186?s=20  

Norilsk Style: Means copper/nickel/PGE mineralisation associated with the intrusion into the upper parts of the Earth's crust of mafic magma, which form magma chambers that sit below volcanic vents or fissures that extrude basaltic lava onto the surface (Hawaii is a possible modern equivalent). The Norilsk intrusions tend to have distinct morphologies, combining thin gabbro sills (wings) with deep keels (thought to be associated with feeder dykes) at the base.

Norilsk Model:   Means a genetic geological model similar to that pertaining to the Norilsk/Talnakh deposits in Siberia. Traditionally, it was thought that, during emplacement, the magma incorporated sulphur rich country rock (e.g. coal measures) or evaporites into the melt, which allowed the molten magma to become sulphur saturated. The free sulphur would then combine, preferentially, with Cu/Ni/PGE metal ions to form metal sulphides, which, being heavy, tended to accumulate in traps or into the keel of the magma chamber. However, modern research suggests that the process might be more complex and may also involve changes of the chemical and physical properties of the magma during the introduction of new pulses of molten material from below. Such sudden changes may have caused rapid segregation of metal sulphides within and above the feeder dykes within the keel of the intrusion.

Sulphide mineralisation: If there is sufficient sulphur in the molten magma, it will tend to combine with metals (Cu, Zn, Ni, Co, Pb, PGEs etc.) to form metal sulphide complexes, which may coalesce to form massive sulphide deposits. If the melt is sulphide poor, the metals will be taken up into the silicate minerals that form as the magma cools and will not usually form economic deposits.

 

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