Pacific Bauxite Identifies High-Grade Potential at South West New Georgia Project
THE DRILL SERGEANT: Pacific Bauxite (ASX: PBX) has identified three high-grade bauxite targets from a recently completed reconnaissance sampling program at the company’s South West New Georgia bauxite project (SWNG) in the Western province of the Solomon Islands.
Pacific Bauxite outlined the reconnaissance sampling program to include 199 hand-auger drill holes and 40 shallow test-pits, for a total of 239 samples.
The company completed hand-held XRF results for all samples, with 130 (54%) samples returning results of more than 40 per cent alumina (Al2O3).
Pacific Bauxite explained the program resulted in the discovery of three large distinct high-grade targets, each returning peak results of between 55 per cent and 57 per cent Al2O3.
Returning average bauxite grades of about 45 per cent Al2O3 and peak results of over 55 per cent Al2O3, the deposits support the company’s belief they hold potential to produce a high-quality direct shipping ore (DSO) product.
The company said the newly-defined areas identify the initial focus for future detailed exploration and resource definition where sampling work is already underway to extend target areas.
Resource definition work is scheduled to commence in the following quarter with laboratory analysis of samples expected in the current quarter.
Pacific Bauxite said large areas of the project, prospective for bauxite, remain untested and provide plenty of potential exploration upside.
“This first phase field work on the project has returned exceptional results and, with the existing infrastructure in the area, offers a very real opportunity to deliver early production,” Pacific Bauxite CEO Mark Gwynne said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.
“This prospecting program could not have been completed as efficiently without the full support of the local communities and the company is pleased to see their efforts rewarded in the delineation of a project that potentially offers enormous benefit for the people of South West New Georgia.”
Pacific Bauxite stated its aims to be to develop DSO-quality bauxite operations with grades of 40 per cent to 45 per cent total Al2O3 and 5 per cent to 10 per cent total silicon dioxide (SiO2) for Asia’s growing seaborne bauxite market.
The company is currently undertaking work to extend the defined areas of bauxite mineralisation, and secure equipment for resource definition drilling at the priory targets.
Additional prospecting will commence in the next few weeks, and resource-definition-drilling is expected to commence in October.
Email: info@pacificbauxite.com.au
Website: www.pacificbauxite.com.au