AuKing Mining Ltd (ASX:AKN) has put the final pieces in place to begin a stage 2 exploration drilling program at the Mkuju Uranium Project in southern Tanzania, following up on uranium mineralisation identified in stage 1.
AKN intends to drill 75 holes for about 11,000 metres with a combined aircore and reverse circulation (RC) rig, chosen due to the difficult access conditions for some drill targets and the ability to penetrate deeper rock with RC drilling should it be required.
Hunting uranium mineralisation
AuKing managing director Paul Williams said that the company was looking forward to proceeding with its Stage 2 drilling program at Mkuju, after the initial Stage 1 activities in late 2023 identified potential significant areas of uranium mineralisation.
“The planned maximum 75 drill hole aircore/RC drilling program at Mkuju is expected to commence within the next few weeks, now that road and drill pad access has been completed,” Williams said.
“The work we carried out last year in the Stage 1 program identified several key target areas for the proposed drilling and we are keen to start generating some results from this very prospective uranium project.”
Previous auger results include:
- 3 metres at 1,273 parts per million (ppm) uranium, including 1 metre at 3,350 ppm uranium; and
- 3 metres at 250 ppm uranium, including 1 metre at 410 ppm uranium.
Soil samples graded at up to 510 ppm uranium, 960 ppm and 8,800 ppm, while rock chip samples registered 2,250 ppm and 800 ppm.
AKN expects to expend about $800,000 on this stage 2 drilling program, with plans to begin resource estimate definition drilling should the program be successful in finding economical mineralisation.