First hole delivers for Blackthorn
THE DRILL SERGEANT: Blackthorn Resources has received an encouraging result from the first drill hole it has completed on the Kitumba copper deposit at its Mumbwa project in Zambia.
The hole intercepted drilled thickness intervals that include:
– 282.7 metres at 1.05 per cent copper between 178.3 metres and 461 metres, including 60 metres at 2.58 per cent copper between 324 metres and 384 metres.
“These first assays results are extremely positive indeed, showing continued evidence of high-grade intercepts of copper mineralisation in the Kitumba inferred mineral resource zone,” Blackthorn Resources managing director Scott Lowe said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.
“The company is very pleased with the results received so far and is eager to progress the drilling program and further define the mineral resource potential at Kitumba.
“There is growing evidence there is something very real at Kitumba and situated at reasonable mining depths to consider potential open-cut and/or underground mining.
“Blackthorn Resources will aim to add further value to this project through mineral resource development and exploration of other targets.”
The company is conducting its Phase 5 exploration program at Mambwa, which includes core drilling of 16 targets.
Three drilling rigs commenced work on the program in August to conduct a series of ‘infill’ and ‘step-out’ holes at Kitumba and to drill ‘scout’ holes on regional targets it had identified nearby.
The aim of the drilling program is to enable the company to better define the inferred mineral resource category at Kitumba, and explore for additional mineralised units to add further volume to the existing mineral resource.
The first hole of the program was drilled at the company’s first ‘infill” target to intercept the core of the copper mineralisation that has previously identified at Kitumba.
A series of 522 samples were collected throughout the entire length of the drill hole.
Blackthorne said it was extremely pleased with the hole as it intersected some of the highest copper grades observed on the Mumbwa project to date.
The company said it was encouraged by these results as they provide it with further confidence in the continuity and grade distribution within the Kitumba IOCG system.
Further drilling and mineralised intercepts are required from other surrounding drill holes to refine the geological and resource models for the area.
