Drilling Campaign at DX Project Commences

RNS Number : 8512C

Kore Potash PLC

22 October 2020

 

22 October 2020

Kore Potash Plc

("Kore Potash" or the Company")

Drilling Campaign at DX Project Commences

Kore Potash plc ("the Company"),  the potash development company with 97%-ownership of the Kola and DX Potash Projects in the Sintoukola Basin, is pleased to announce that it has commenced the planned drilling programme for the Phase 1 of Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") for the Company's DX Project ("DX").

Highlights

· The drilling programme on Kore Potash's DX Project consisting of the drilling and analysis of up to 5 new diamond drill holes has commenced - these will improve confidence in the value of DX

· The drilling is being done utilising Kore owned mud rotary and diamond drill rigs

· Phase One of the DX DFS is planned for completion in May 2021

Background

The drilling campaign has been designed to provide additional intercepts of the targeted sylvinite horizons and improve confidence in the DX Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves.

Kore Potash acquired two drill rigs, a mud rotary and a diamond drill rig in 2019 and previously utilised these drill rigs to complete the DX PFS drilling programme. These drill rigs will be used for this current drilling programme.

The same team of drilling professionals have been contracted to carry out this drilling campaign as those that undertook the PFS drilling campaign. Their local knowledge and understanding of the drill rigs are a positive in terms of safely completing the drilling programme at the lowest cost.

Drilling Programme

The Company is planning to drill up to 5 additional diamond drill holes within the DX Deposit which sits within the Dougou Permit area.

The drilling programme is designed to improve confidence in the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves of the DX Deposit.  The drill holes are designed to intersect the targeted potash seams approximately 400 metres below surface. The sylvinite seams at DX are at shallow depths compared to other potash deposits globally.

Drilling has commenced and two rotary drill holes will initially be drilled to the anhydrite layer that overlies the potash bearing "salt formation." Once these two holes have reached this point a further drilling team will be mobilised to commence with the diamond drilling of core on these two holes, while the mud rotary rig continues to drill the upper parts of the next holes.

Brad Sampson, Chief Executive of Kore Potash, said:

"It is very pleasing to be able to commence this drilling programme at DX on time and as planned."

"The majority of our drilling staff have been employed from the communities nearby the DX project area, and we are delighted to be able to find this capability locally  and to continue contributing to the local economy."

Authorised for release by the Board of Directors.

ENDS

For further information, please visit www.korepotash.com or contact:

Kore Potash Brad Sampson - CEO		Tel: [phone]
Tavistock Communications Jos Simson Edward Lee		Tel: [phone]
Canaccord Genuity - Nomad and Broker James Asensio Henry Fitzgerald-O'Connor		Tel: [phone]
Shore Capital - Joint Broker Jerry Keen Toby Gibbs James Thomas		Tel: [phone]

About Kore Potash's Projects

Kore Potash is an advanced stage mineral exploration and development company whose primary asset is 97%-owned interest in the Sintoukola project, a potash project located in the Republic of Congo. The Sintoukola project comprises the Dougou Extension sylvinite Deposit, the Kola sylvinite and carnallite Deposits, and the Dougou carnallite Deposit. These deposits are within the Dougou and Kola Mining Licenses. The Sintoukola project also includes the Sintoukola 2 Exploration License.

Sintoukola is located approximately 80 km to the north of the city of Pointe Noire which has a major port facility, and within 30 km of the Atlantic coast. Sintoukola has the potential to be among the world's lowest-cost potash producers and its location near the coast offers a transport cost advantage to global fertilizer markets.

The Dougou Extension sylvinite Deposit contains a total sylvinite Mineral Resource Estimate of 145 Mt grading 39.7% KCl, hosted by two seams. The results of a Pre- Feasibility Study ("PFS") were announced on 13 May 2020, which determined Ore Reserves of 17.7 Mt with an average grade of 41.7% KCl. Dougou Extension is located 15 km southwest of Kola. The deposit is open laterally; an Exploration Target for the northward extension of sylvinite was announced on the 21 November 2018.

The Kola sylvinite Deposit has a Measured and Indicated sylvinite Mineral Resource Estimate of 508 million tonnes grading 35.4% KCl. The results of a Definitive Feasibility Study ("DFS") were announced on 29 January 2019, which determined Ore Reserves of 152 Mt with an average grade of 32.5% KCl. The deposit is open laterally; an Exploration Target for the Southward extension of sylvinite was announced on the 21 November 2018.

The Dougou Extension and Kola sylvinite Deposits are considered high grade relative to most potash deposits globally and have the advantage of having very low content of insoluble material, less than 0.3% which provides a further processing advantage.

Glossary of Terms & Abbreviations

Term	Explanation
classification (of Resources and Reserves)	The determination of the level of confidence of the estimations, in this case using the categories of the JORC Code
(Definitive) Feasibility Study	A (Definitive) Feasibility Study is a comprehensive technical and economic study of the selected development option for a mineral project that includes appropriately detailed assessments of applicable Modifying Factors together with any other relevant operational factors and detailed financial analysis that are necessary to demonstrate at the time of reporting that extraction is reasonably justified (economically mineable). The results of the study may reasonably serve as the basis for a final decision by a proponent or financial institution to proceed with, or finance, the development of the project. The confidence level of the study will be higher than that of a Pre-Feasibility Study.
Indicated Mineral Resource	An 'Indicated Mineral Resource' is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade (or quality), densities, shape and physical characteristics are estimated with sufficient confidence to allow the application of Modifying Factors in sufficient detail to support mine planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. Geological evidence is derived from adequately detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes, and is sufficient to assume geological and grade (or quality) continuity between points of observation where data and samples are gathered. An Indicated Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to a Measured Mineral Resource and may only be converted to a Probable Ore Reserve.
Inferred Mineral Resource	An 'Inferred Mineral Resource' is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade (or quality) are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade (or quality) continuity. It is based on exploration, sampling and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to an Ore Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.
Measured Mineral Resource	A 'Measured Mineral Resource' is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade (or quality), densities, shape, and physical characteristics are estimated with confidence sufficient to allow the application of Modifying Factors to support detailed mine planning and final evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. Geological evidence is derived from detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes, and is sufficient to confirm geological and grade (or quality) continuity between points of observation where data and samples are gathered. A Measured Mineral Resource has a higher level of confidence than that applying to either an Indicated Mineral Resource or an Inferred Mineral Resource. It may be converted to a Proved Ore Reserve or under certain circumstances to a Probable Ore Reserve.
Mineral Deposit	A mineral deposit is a natural concentration of minerals in the earth's crust.
Mineral Reserve	the economically mineable part of a Measured and/or Indicated Mineral Resource.  It includes diluting materials and allowances for losses, which may occur when the material is mined or extracted and is defined by studies at Pre-Feasibility or Feasibility level as appropriate that include application of Modifying Factors.  Such studies demonstrate that, at the time of reporting, extraction could reasonably be justified
Mineral Resource	A 'Mineral Resource' is a concentration or occurrence of solid material of economic interest in or on the Earth's crust in such form, grade (or quality), and quantity that there are reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. The location, quantity, grade (or quality), continuity and other geological characteristics of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated or interpreted from specific geological evidence and knowledge, including sampling. Mineral Resources are sub-divided, in order of increasing geological confidence, into Inferred, Indicated and Measured categories.
Muriate of Potash (MoP)	The saleable form of potassium chloride, comprising a minimum of 95% KCl
Ore and orebody	Ore is the economically and technically mineable material. The orebody is the mineable part of the deposit comprising the Ore Reserves

 

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