Solomon Gold PLC
14 November 2006
November 13th 2006
Solomon Gold plc
Operations Update
Drilling commences at Sutakiki for Solomon Gold plc
Highlights
•Drilling operations commenced at Sutakiki gold target
•Recent landslide exposures indicate extensions to porphyry mineralisation
•Access agreements with Kuma Valley people finalised
•Gold targets defined for drilling at Mbina, Koloula Valley
Sutakiki
The Directors of Solomon Gold plc ('Solomon Gold' or 'the Company') advise that
drilling operations on the Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands gold project have moved
to the Sutakiki gold prospect, 30km south of the capital Honiara. The decision
to move the drilling program from the Mbetilonga area 15 km south of Honiara was
based on the return of high gold and copper sampling results from the Sutakiki
project area over the last three months, as announced on 14 September 2006. High
grade gold and copper mineralisation has been defined in a zone up to 500 metres
wide and 1,500 metres long in a 4 km2 mineralised porphyry system at the head of
the Sutakiki Valley. The Directors believe the area has the potential to host a
world class gold and copper deposit.
The Company plans to drill 10,000 metres of core in 20 holes across the zone. It
is envisaged that the holes will test the target to a depth of 600 meters
maximum downhole. The first two holes will test the depth extent of
mineralisation underneath the discovery area where a zone of high grade
epithermal (low temperature) quartz and sulphide veins cut the mineralised
porphyry over a zone 1,000 metres long and 150 metres wide. The contracting of a
second drilling rig to continue drilling at Mbetilonga has been agreed in
principle and it is expected that operations will commence with the second rig
early in 2007.
Solomon Gold's operations have been hampered recently by torrential rain and
related landslides. Field work was also curtailed recently by fuel shortages as
a result of contaminated fuel supplies to the island. Solomon Gold also recently
suspended field operations in the Sutakiki Valley for a short time to mark with
respect the passing of Paramount Chief Moro, the head of the Sutakiki Valley
people. The Company wishes to record its sorrow and deep regret at the passing
of Chief Moro, under whose guidance the Company was fortunate to gain access to
Sutakiki. It is expected that Solomon Gold will continue to work closely with
the Sutakiki people in the maintenance of cooperative access.
The recent rain and related landslide events have resulted in the exposure of
considerably more of the mineralised porphyry system at Sutakiki and while
mapping and sampling are hampered by safety issues, the quartz-sulphide veining
and mineralisation previously identified appears to be more extensive to the
south of the Sutakiki River than was previously realised.
Kuma
At Kuma, documentation witnessing the access agreement has been executed by the
Company and the local people. A Custom Ceremony marking the agreement has also
been held.
Mbina, Koloula Valley
At Mbina, the Company has completed detailed mapping, sampling and drilling pad
construction in preparation for the drilling of three holes to test the copper
rich zone at depth on the west side of the Koloula river and the gold rich halo
zone on the east side of the Koloula River and Mbina porphyry. Recent sampling
during a program to define drilling targets yielded rock chip samples of gold
mineralised veins and dykes of intrusive porphyry up to 9.4 g/t gold. The gold
rich zone is up to 1,200 metres long and 300 metres wide and hosts three 300 x
300 metre zones yielding consistent rock chip results over 1 g/t gold from vein
samples. Previous sampling of the porphyry system in the zone in 1997 yielded up
to 235 metres @ 0.5g/t gold.
Drilling of these targets is planned for the near future.
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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