Davenport Resources’ potash resources continue to grow with the defining of a large potash exploration target from the Nohra-Elende sub-area in Germany.
The new exploration target contains between 638 and 1,162 million metric tonnes at a potash grade between 9.2% and 11.07% potassium oxide for between 66 and 117 million tonnes of contained potassium oxide.
The target covers an area of around 13.9 square kilometres and is bordered by Davenport-controlled JORC Inferred resources both to the north and to the south.
The target is composed of both sylvanite (higher-grade) and carnallitite. The sylvinite seam is estimated to contain between 179 to 223 million tonnes grading between 11.0% and 13.5% potassium oxide and totaling between 22 and 27 million tonnes of contained potassium oxide.
The Carnallitite seam returned between 459 and 939 million tonnes grading at between 8.5% and 10.5% potassium oxide and totalling between 44 and 89 million tonnes of contained potassium oxide and has an average seam thickness of 32m.
The Nohra-Elende Exploration Target results adds to Davenport’s existing JORC 2012 Exploration Target figures of 4.1 to 5.1 billion tonnes grading between 7.2% and 25% K2O from Küllstedt and 2.7 to 4.3 billion tonnes grading between 4.3% and 25% K2O from Gräfentonna.
Davenport Managing Director Dr Chris Gilchrist said the results confirm the sheer scale of the potential potash resources located throughout the entire Mühlhausen-Nohra Mining Licence.
The results of the mineral resource estimates for Mühlhausen-Keula and Nohra-Elende identified a combined total JORC Inferred Mineral Resource of 2,822 million tonnes at a grade of 10.2% K2O,” he said.
“Based on the quality and quantity of the historical data used to create the geological model, a portion of the Nohra-Elende sub-area was excluded as an Inferred Mineral Resource and was classified as an Exploration Target.
“With a current total of now over 3.4 billion tonnes of JORC Inferred Resources, and an additional 638 to 1,162 million tonnes of additional Exploration Target under our control, we are one step closer to declaring Europe’s largest potash resource.
Dr Gilchrist said further review work of historical data from our Küllstedt licence was ongoing and permitting to drill in 2019 was now at an advanced stage.
Davenport’s next steps are for a targeted programme to upgrade JORC Inferred Resources to Indicated Resources via confirmation drilling in selected areas. Once Inferred Resources are upgraded to Indicated category, Davenport will conduct an economic study, scheduled for completion by the end of 2019.
Shares in Davenport were trading 0.2c higher at 10c in late morning trade.