Robust Resources hits possible extension to Romang Resource

THE DRILL SERGEANT: Robust Resources (ASX: ROL) has followed up a recent resource estimate with news subsequent drilling has demonstrated the potential to increase it.

Robust released the following resource estimate last week for the Manganese Valley and Batu Hitam West prospects on the company’s Romang Island project.

 

Manganese mineral resource estimate. Source: Company announcement

The company has since received assay results from the drilling of diamond drill hole LWD 372 located at Batu Hitam South, approximately 130metres to the south of the current Manganese Valley mineral resource.

LWD 372 intersected near-surface, high-grade manganese mineralisation, which Robust considers to indicate extensions to the current manganese resources are highly likely.

Assays returned:
6.2 metres at 45 per cent manganese from 10.8m, including 2.5m at 54 per cent manganese from 13.3m.

LWD 372 also encountered polymetallic mineralisation deeper in the hole, which was still registering base metal mineralisation grading 7.59 per cent combined base metals when the hole was terminated early for technical reasons.

“Following the release of our maiden manganese mineral resource estimate, we are pleased to report more near-surface, high-grade manganese assay results,” Robust Resources managing director Gary Lewis said in the company’s announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange.

“These results show that an increase to the manganese JORC resource is very likely.

“Drilling is ongoing south of Manganese Valley as this target area is highly-prospective for manganese, in addition to precious and base metals.

“The conceptual development path for Romang is now taking shape.”

Robust is currently conducting a scoping study on the manganese, which is anticipated to be completed in December, 2013.

An updated JORC (2012) compliant mineral resource is due to be completed by February 2014 and on the regulatory side, while progress is being made towards transitioning from exploration licence to mining licence.

“The manganese project is seen as a low CAPEX, low-risk project that could be developed in a short timeframe and have an immediate and positive return on investment,” Lewis continued.

“Infrastructure established for the manganese project could be utilised during construction and operation of the subsequent polymetallic project.”

Email:
info@robustresources.com.au

Website:
www.robustresources.com.au