Resource Mining Corporation Ltd (ASX:RMI) has received more high-grade copper-gold laboratory results from ongoing exploration at its Mpanda Project in Tanzania, including up to 6.97% copper and 17.97 g/t gold.
High-grade copper-gold rock chip samples were collected from artisanal workings along strike and within Mpanda’s Kabungu copper anomaly including:
- 6.97% copper with 17.97 g/t gold; and
- 6.93% copper with 6.54 g/t gold.
Channel samples also returned strong results, including 1 metre at 2.3% copper within 5 metres at 1.13% at the Stalike anomaly, which remains open at depth. This is adjacent to previously reported high-grade rock samples of up to 13.58% copper with 3.24 g/t gold.
Two auger drill holes at Mpanda’s Ndogo anomaly have mineralised copper values at the base of the holes, including 1 metre at 0.20% copper from 13 metres and 1 metre at 0.21% copper from 12 metres.
This confirms the presence of mineralised basal rocks underlying the copper anomaly and implies significant resource potential given the size of the known anomaly along strike in this location is more than 5 kilometres.
Defining opportunities
Executive chairman Asimwe Kabunga said: “Ongoing exploration activities at our highly prospective Mpanda Copper-Gold Project continue to deliver exceptionally high grades and they are helping the company define multiple opportunities for potential exploitation of major resources within our extensive tenement package.
"Exploration is ongoing with auger drilling, more soil and rock chip sampling and trenching being undertaken to define all anomalous areas within our tenements.
“Our goal is to create one or more significant copper-gold projects in the near future and we have every confidence that we can achieve this. More comprehensive drilling is planned following the completion of current work streams.
“Copper and gold prices are showing exceptional strength and we are well-placed to deliver significant shareholder value on the back of more good exploration results.”
Soil, auger and rock sample results
The results were obtained from soil, auger and rock samples within five major soil anomalies - Kabungu, Mapinduzi, Magamba, Mpanda Ndogo and Stalike. Results are a continuation of laboratory tests for copper-gold anomalies initially generated from soil samples tested by pXRF in the project area.
A selection of rock samples was collected from artisanal workings along strike in the Kabungu copper anomaly, with results indicating very high-grade copper (6.9%-7.0%) and gold (6.5 g/t-18 g/t).
The company says it will complete field mapping and an auger program to confirm the form and location of the significant mineralisation seen to date.
RMI also conducted a channel sampling program within an artisanal pit within the Stalike copper anomaly. A total of 13 samples were collected vertically from an opened pit wall.
Assays indicate that the copper and gold grades increase with depth, with the basal rocks being highly mineralised and grading 5 metres at 1.1% copper, including 1 metre at 2.3% copper.
RMI has commenced auger drilling and detailed geological mapping programs in the Mpanda Ndogo anomaly to provide increasing detail within the project area. A cross-section comprising 36 holes was drilled through the upper soil and saprolite until blade refusal, to test a high-grade soil anomaly to depth.
Two drilled auger holes have the last metre sample ending in elevated copper values (0.20-0.21% copper), providing significant support for the soil anomaly, and defining the presence of mineralised basal rocks underlying the copper anomaly.
All exploration completed to date has confirmed the presence of numerous copper-gold soil anomalies and all continuing work within these areas has shown that the anomalies tested relate directly to copper-gold mineralisation. The current work provides a platform for definition of future drill programs and resource development.
Augur drilling and other sampling is ongoing with further results pending, while multiple walk-up RC drill targets are being defined to test deeper mineralisation.