10 April 2013
AIM: AAU
MAIDEN JORC RESOURCE AT SALINBAS & ARDALA, NORTH-EAST TURKEY
Ariana Resources plc ("Ariana" or "the Company"), the gold exploration and development company focused on Turkey, is pleased to announce the completion of an independent JORC compliant* mineral resource estimate for its Salinbas and Ardala properties ("Salinbas/Ardala" or "the Project"), which is contained within a Joint Venture with Eldorado Gold Corporation ("Eldorado") in Artvin Province of north-eastern Turkey. The resource estimate stated in this announcement is reported gross with respect to the Joint Venture. Ariana holds 49% of the Joint Venture, such that 49% of the resource is net attributable to Ariana.
Highlights:
180,000 oz Au plus 820,000 oz Ag Indicated resources identified at Salinbas and 590,000 oz Au plus 3.3 Moz Ag Inferred resources.
Additional 323,000 ounces Inferred resource identified at Ardala, based on historic data, including additional Cu and Mo.
Potential in the Salinbas and Ardala area to define 1Moz gross (approx. 500,000oz net attributable to Ariana) of gold, though considerable additional drilling will be required to confirm this potential.
Following completion of this initial resource estimate, Ariana to transfer management control of the Joint Venture to Eldorado, enabling Ariana to concentrate its attention on bringing its Red Rabbit Gold project in western Turkey in to production, targeted for 2014.
Dr. Kerim Sener, Managing Director, commented:
"This maiden resource is an important step forward in our understanding of the Salinbas-Ardala system. Although we are still in the early stages and much exploration work remains to be done, we are now talking about the potential for the area to host a deposit that is in the one million ounce range and perhaps beyond. It is apparent that the Salinbas gold-silver prospect is related to the Ardala copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry discovered previously, and represents part of a broader mineralised trend that runs NE-SW over several kilometres.
"As a consequence of our recent exploration programme at Ardala and Salinbas and the positive outlook on the prospectivity of this region, Ariana has granted Eldorado the right to adopt management control of the Joint Venture (leaving all other JV terms unchanged), so that Eldorado may further enhance the pace of exploration on these prospects with the support of its own large and experienced Turkish exploration team.
"We are delighted with the exploration progress we have made to date and believe Eldorado can maximise the potential of this exciting area while we concentrate on bringing our Red Rabbit Gold Project to production in 2014. With this in mind, Ariana welcomes this endorsement of the project, looks forward to the results of future exploration and wishes the Eldorado exploration team much success."
* The mineral resource estimate is JORC 2012 compliant, following early adoption of the JORC 2012 standards by the Company. However, the estimate is not compiled in accordance with the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 reporting.
The Salinbas/Ardala Project
The Salinbas/Ardala project comprises two prospects of differing although related geology, which sit within two separate but adjacent licences held by the Joint Venture subsidiary, Pontid Madencilik San. ve Tic. Ltd. The mineralisation encountered at Salinbas appears to have developed as a consequence of the intrusion of the Ardala porphyry, though the precise relationship between the two systems is yet to be established in detail.
The Ardala part of the project hosts a porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum mineralised system associated with a series of nested quartz-diorite intrusions of Eocene age within an Upper Cretaceous volcano-sedimentary sequence. Exposed parts of the porphyry have dimensions of 600m by 700m and interpretation of ground magnetic data suggests further lateral continuity beneath limestone units, with proximal skarn mineralisation developed in places within its periphery.
Thirteen drill holes were completed on part of the mineralised system in the early 1990s by Anglo American for which an outline resource of 20Mt at an average grade of 0.25% Cu, 0.45 g/t Au and 65 ppm Mo was established at the time. This historic estimate was not based on three-dimensional modelling of the porphyry or on any formal resource estimation methodology but is broadly consistent with the resource estimate calculated below which did utilise a three-dimensional geological model. The mineralised part of the porphyry corresponds to one major phase of the intrusive complex in which higher densities of stockwork veins are seen.
A programme of drilling on extensions of this porphyry system to the south of Ardala was undertaken in 2009 by the Joint Venture. The results of this drilling indicate continuity of porphyry mineralisation beneath limestone cover, though the grades and widths of mineralisation encountered to the south are generally lower. Elsewhere and further to the south, areas of exposed porphyry and related alteration are seen in gullies branching off from the main stream, which cuts through the Ardala porphyry. These areas remain untested by drilling due to the nature of the topography and difficulty of access.
Salinbas is a high-grade epithermal gold-silver prospect identified from outcrops located two kilometres from the Ardala porphyry. In outcrop, mineralisation is associated with a zone of brecciation occurring, in places, along the contact between limestone and volcanic rocks, and positioned within an ENE-striking structural corridor, which has been shown in surface mapping to connect with the Ardala porphyry (Figure 1). Aspects of the mineralisation are akin to some epithermal sediment-hosted replacement styles of mineralisation encountered in the vicinity of well-mineralised Indonesian porphyries, which show structural and/or lithological controls and are frequently hosted by limestone.
Drilling programmes on Salinbas were completed in 2010, 2011 and 2012 by the Joint Venture. This drilling identified the Salinbas mineralisation to occupy one dominant structural-lithological plane, which dips gently to the southeast away from the outcropping breccia zone. Several subsidiary mineralised zones occupy the footwall of the dominant fault plane and have been penetrated by some drill-holes. Exploration drilling was also undertaken between Salinbas and the Ardala porphyry in 2012 based on a target derived from a preliminary three-dimensional geological model that broadly linked the two sites.
The model comprised a gently dipping sheet-like slab that continues the trend of mineralisation already established by the drilling at Salinbas. Highly encouraging results from two initial holes in this area confirmed the preliminary geological model as an accurate predictor of mineralisation and have highlighted the need for further exploration in this zone. The results of these two holes strongly support the continuity of mineralisation from the Ardala porphyry in the valley floor to the Salinbas system on the ridge - representing a vertical distance of 675m and a horizontal distance of close to 2km. Fully establishing the link between these two areas will be an important objective for future drilling programmes.
Mineral Resource Estimate
The resource estimate has been generated by Mr. Alfred Gillman of Odessa Resources Pty. Ltd. in compliance with the guidelines of the Australiasian Code for the Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (JORC Code 2012). The resource estimate has been prepared using historic diamond drilling data in addition to the recent drilling data produced from the Joint Venture exploration programme during 2012 (detailed in JORC Table 1 as an addendum to this release).
The resource estimate is based on the results of 65 diamond drill holes, totalling 7,650 metres. The resource has been classified as either an Indicated or Inferred resource on the basis of drilling density and spacing over various parts of the mineralised system and on the basis of confidence in the geological model established for Salinbas in particular (Figure 1).
A total of 5,451 gold/silver assays and 740 copper/molybdenum results were used in the grade estimation. It is important to note that complete assay information for all four elements is not consistently available for all holes and that a full record of the historic sampling and assaying methodologies was not available, particularly for the drilling completed in the 1990s. Assay methodology for the drilling completed by the Joint Venture involved fire assay for gold and ICP-MS methods for gold and other elements respectively. The majority of data has been acquired since 2005 and obtained from ISO accredited labs. The QA/QC methodology since 2005 is variable though considered adequate for the purposes of reporting a predominantly Inferred resource.
The Salinbas grade estimation was carried out within modelled wireframes defined by a lower cut-off of 0.5 g/t Au (Figure 2). The Ardala grade estimation was carried out within grade shells, created using Leapfrog software, and used as the controlling constraints in the grade estimation and block model reporting. Individual grade domains were derived for copper and molybdenum as defined by nominal lower cut offs of 2,000ppm and 100ppm respectively. Although the gold, copper and molybdenum domains are largely coincidental, tonnages/grade for each mineral domain are reported separately.
Within the constraining domains the grades were interpolated using the Inverse Distance Squared method using assay data composited to 1m. Following univariate statistical analysis of the composited assay data, top cuts of 20 g/t Au (for zones 100 and 200), 5 g/t Au (for zones 300 and 400), 3 g/t Au (for zone 500), 2 g/t Au (for zone 600), 50 g/t Ag and 3,500ppm Cu and 400ppm Mo were applied prior to grade interpolation. Total grades and tonnages of all elements are reported within the wireframes. The implication of this is that low grade material below the modelling cut-off of 0.5 g/t Au may be included, thus diluting the average grade.
An assumed bulk density of 2.6g/cm3 was used for the tonnage calculation. No mining, metallurgical, marketing, economic or environmental studies have been considered to determine the economic viability of the project, particularly the relevant economic factors concerning mining along the estimated strike and depth of the resource. However, the majority of the mineralisation encountered is located from surface to approximately 150m depth (Figure 3), providing reasonable expectation that the resource could support extraction by open-pit methods, though no conceptual pits have been defined due to the dominantly Inferred status of the resource; there is not yet sufficient confidence in the resource estimate to warrant the definition of the mining method and processing route at this stage.
The resource estimate is split in to four commodities and is reported on an undiluted in-situ grade and tonnage basis (Tables 1 and 2).
Table 1: Classified Salinbas-Ardala resource estimate.
Classification | Tonnage | Grade Au (g/t) | Ounces Au | Grade Ag (g/t) | Ounces Ag | Tonnage (Cu domain) | Grade Cu (ppm) | Tonnes Cu | Tonnage (Mo domain) | Grade Mo (ppm) | Tonnes Mo |
Indicated | 2,210,000 | 2.50 | 180,000 | 11.55 | 820,000 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Inferred | 24,650,000 | 1.15 | 910,000 | 4.17 | 3,310,000 | 4,660,000 | 2,200 | 10,000 | 18,000,000 | 136 | 2,400 |
Total | 26,870,000 | 1.26 | 1,090,000 | 4.78 | 4,130,000 | 4,660,000 | 2,200 | 10,000 | 18,000,000 | 136 | 2,400 |
Table 2: Classified Salinbas-Ardala resource estimate by location. Separate resource domains have been established for the Au, Cu and Mo components of the Ardala porphyry. It is considered reasonable to estimate these domains in this manner because the resource is classified as Inferred in this location and mining parameters have not yet been established. There is a 95% coincidence of the Au and Cu domains, and a 40-50% coincidence of the Au and Mo domains.
Location | Classification | Tonnage | Grade Au (g/t) | Ounces Au | Grade Ag (g/t) | Ounces Ag |
Salinbas | Indicated | 2,210,000 | 2.50 | 180,000 | 11.60 | 820,000 |
Salinbas | Inferred | 8,390,000 | 2.20 | 590,000 | 12.30 | 3,310,000 |
Salinbas | Total | 10,600,000 | 2.30 | 770,000 | 12.10 | 4,130,000 |
Ardala | Classification | Tonnage | Grade (ppm) | Tonnes Metal | Ounces Metal | Element |
Ardala | Inferred | 4,660,000 | 2,175 | 10,000 | Cu | |
Ardala | Inferred | 18,000,000 | 136 | 2,400 | Mo | |
Ardala | Inferred | 16,270,000 | 0.60 | 323,000 | Au |
Figure 1: Plan view of the Salinbas-Ardala resource areas by zone. The zone numbering system is arbitrary and does not relate to absolute depths from surface, but is broadly indicative of relative depths with Zone 100 (Indicated resource) being the closest to surface and Zone 500 (Inferred resource) being the deepest from surface (see Figure 2 and 3) in the Salinbas area. Zone 500 is shown in darker grey colour to differentate from Zone 400 which is also part of the Inferred resource. The porphyry is marked as Zone 600, but in this case the mineralisation starts at surface and continues to significant depth (see Figure 2 and 3). The section line shown in Figure 3 is identified in this plan as A-A'.
Figure 2: Three-dimensional geological model coloured according to gold mineralised zone at Salinbas and Ardala. The topographic surface is shown in dark green. The gold grade shell established for the Ardala porphyry is completely constrained by the modelled extents of the main mineralised porphyry phase (shown in pink).
Figure 3: Long-section through the Salinbas and Ardala system, showing the partially stacked nature of the various zones at Salinbas and the trend of the mineralisation towards the porphyry at Ardala. This section suggests the potential for defining further sub-parallel zones of mineralisation in the hanging-wall and foot-wall of the 100 and 500 zone of the Salinbas prospect with additional, particularly deeper, drilling.
Contacts:
Ariana Resources plc | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7407 3616 |
Michael Spriggs, Chairman | |
Kerim Sener, Managing Director | |
Beaumont Cornish Limited | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 |
Roland Cornish / Felicity Geidt | |
Beaufort International Associates Limited | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7382 8387 |
Chris Rourke / Guy Wheatley | |
Loeb Aron & Company Ltd. | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7628 1128 |
John Beresford-Peirse / Dr. Frank Lucas | |
St Brides Media & Finance Ltd | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7236 1177 |
Susie Geliher / Lottie Brocklehurst | |
Editors' note:
The information in this report that relates to Mineral Resources is based on information compiled by Mr. Alfred Gillman of Odessa Resources Pty. Ltd., who is a fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr. Gillman is a consultant to Ariana Resources plc and has sufficient experience relevant to the styles of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the subject matter of the report to qualify as Competent Person and defined in the 2012 edition of the Australasian Code for the Reporting of Exploration Results Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (JORC Code). Mr. Gillman consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
About Ariana Resources:
Ariana is an exploration and development company focused on epithermal gold-silver and porphyry copper-gold deposits in Turkey. The Company is developing a portfolio of prospective licences selected on the basis of its in-house geological and remote-sensing database, on its own in western Turkey and in Joint Venture with Eldorado Gold Corporation in north-eastern Turkey. Eldorado owns 51% of this joint venture and is fully funding all exploration work on the JV properties, while Ariana owns 49%.
The Company's flagship assets are its Kiziltepe and Tavsan gold projects which form the Red Rabbit Gold Project. Both contain a series of prospects, within two prolific mineralised districts in the Western Anatolian Volcanic and Extensional (WAVE) Province in western Turkey. This Province hosts the largest operating gold mines in Turkey and remains highly prospective for new porphyry and epithermal deposits. These core projects, which are separated by a distance of 75km, are presently being assessed as to their economic merits and now form part of a Joint Venture with Proccea Construction Co. The total resource inventory of the Company stands at 448,000 ounces of gold equivalent.
Ariana also has a strategic investment in Tigris Resources Limited (www.tigrisresources.com), a private Jersey-based exploration company, which is focused on the exploration of copper and gold deposits in southeastern Turkey. Ariana retains 11.5% of Tigris Resources Limited.
Beaufort International Associates Limited and Loeb Aron & Company Ltd. are joint brokers to the Company and Beaumont Cornish Limited is the Company's Nominated Adviser.
For further information on Ariana you are invited to visit the Company's website at www.arianaresources.com.
Glossary of Technical Terms
"Ag" the chemical symbol for silver;
"Au" the chemical symbol for gold;
"Cu" the chemical symbol for copper;
"cut-off grade" The lowest grade, or quality, of mineralised material that qualifies as economically mineable and available in a given deposit. May be defined on the basis of economic evaluation, or on physical or chemical attributes that define an acceptable product specification;
"g/t" grammes per tonne;
"Indicated resource" a part of a mineral resource for which tonnage, densities, shape, physical characteristics, grade and mineral content can be estimated with a reasonable level of confidence. It is based on exploration, sampling and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes. The locations are too widely or inappropriately spaced to confirm geological and/or grade continuity but are spaced closely enough for continuity to be assumed;
"Inferred resource" a part of a mineral resource for which tonnage, grade and mineral content can be estimated with a low level of confidence. It is inferred from geological evidence and has assumed, but not verified, geological and/or grade continuity. It is based on information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes that may be limited or of uncertain quality and reliability;
"Inverse Distance Squared" a conventional mathematical method used to calculate mineral resources. Near sample points provide a greater weighting than samples further away for any given resource block;
"JORC" the Joint Ore Reserves Committee;
"JORC 2012" the JORC 2012 reporting code;
"m" Metres;
"Mo" the chemical symbol for molybdenum;
"oz" Ounces;
"porphyry" an igneous rock with larger crystals contained within a matrix of much smaller crystals;
"stockwork" a mineral deposit in the form of a branching network of small irregular veins;
"top cut" the maximum gold content for samples used to calculate an average gold content for a resource;
JORC Table 1*
Ariana/Eldorado JV Salinbas-Ardala Project
The table below is a description of the assessment and reporting criteria used in the Salinbas-Ardala Project Mineral estimation that reflects those presented in Table 1 of The Australasian Code for the Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (The JORC Code, 2012)*. The Mineral Resource statement was prepared for the Salinbas-Ardala Project.
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Sampling techniques and Data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sampling techniques |
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Drilling techniques |
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Drill sample recovery |
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Logging |
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Subsampling techniques and sample preparation |
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Quality of assay data and laboratory tests |
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Verification of sampling and assaying |
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Location of data points |
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Data spacing and distribution |
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Orientation of data in relation to geological structure | Salinbas
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Sample security |
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Audits and reviews of sampling and assaying |
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Estimation and reporting of Salinbas-Ardala Mineral Resources | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Database integrity |
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Site visits |
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Geological interpretation |
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Dimensions | Salinbas
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Estimation and modelling techniques |
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Moisture |
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Cut-off parameters |
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Mining factors or assumptions |
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Metallurgical factors or assumptions |
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Environmental factors or assumptions |
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Bulk density |
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Classification criteria |
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Block Model verification |
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Audits or reviews |
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Discussion of relative accuracy/ confidence |
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Ends