Gladiator Resources Ltd (ASX: GLA) is on track for commencement of drilling at its key uranium targets at the Mkuju Project in Tanzania during May.
The program will include the first core drilling at the SWC target where 2023 trenches intersected up to 7139ppm U3O8. At Mtonya and Likuyu North the company’s drilling will test potential extensions and new zones to the existing uranium deposits. The geological team has been established, key equipment orders made, and the drilling contractor selection process is proceeding well.
The SWC target
The target is an intense 3.5 km x 1.8 km oval shaped airborne radiometric anomaly northeast of the Mtonya deposit. Despite being the most intense radiometric anomaly in the area no drilling other than 2008 shallow auger holes (max depth 12 m) and a single core hole have been carried out here, by Mantra Resources.
The auger holes gave excellent uranium intersections1. Reportedly, Mantra Resources did not follow-up the excellent auger-hole results, prioritising exploration at their flagship “Nyota” Uranium deposit 50 km to the north.
In 2023 Gladiator carried out trenching to confirm and understand the uranium mineralization and encountered high grade uranium in 4 of the 5 trenches. Vertical channel samples across the gently dipping layer/s included 2.55m with an average grade of 2017ppm U3O8 and 1.40m with an average grade of 4442ppm U3O8. Gladiators drilling will test the potential down-dip extension of this mineralisation which appears to be hosted within gently dipping layers, as exposed in the trenches.
The Mtonya deposit
The previous drilling programme was carried out by Uranium Resources Plc (URA) in 2011 and 2012 and used to support a mineral resource estimate, considered as a ‘foreign estimate’ and reported by Gladiator. A review of the data by the MSA Group revealed that some of the best zones of uranium mineralisation were left ‘open’ and that further drilling is required to test potential continuation of the uranium mineralisation.
Gladiator will drill a number of holes to test this and other areas of the deposit that may contain significant extensions to the known mineralisation.
Likuyu North deposit
Likuyu North was discovered in 2008/2009 by Uranex who carried out close to 30,000 m of drilling supporting a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) which was updated in 2022. The MRE is 7.7Mt with an average grade of 267ppm U3O8 in the Inferred and Indicated categories, for a total of 4.6 Mlbs U3O8. A review of the data by the MSA Group in 2022 identified areas with the potential to host additional zones and extensions to the known mineralization. These will be tested as part of Gladiators 2024 drilling.
Getting ready to drill
o Tender documents have been sent to a short list of drilling contractors that comply with the Tanzanian procurement regulations. The proposals are due back this week and tender evaluation and award will take place over the next few weeks.
o Contractors for the provision of camp and earthworks have been identified. Earthworks are planned to commence late April/Early May as soon as the rainy season has sufficiently abated.
o Gladiator has assembled a strong team of Tanzanian Geologists who will be led by Exploration Manager Fabien Linares. Fabien has a track record of successfully implementing drilling programs in Africa.