Heavy Mineral Sands specialist MRQ Metals (ASX Code: MRQ) has received “significant” laboratory assay results from extension auger drilling on the Koko Massava deposit within the Corridor Central tenement (6620L) in Mozambique.
Chairman, Andrew Van Der Zwan, said the new auger data set for Koko Massava confirms the extension of the mineralised footprint to the east and southeast directions and further underpins the significant potential for extension to the recently announced heavy mineral sand (HMS) resource of 1,423 Mt @ 5.2% total heavy mineral (THM).
The follow up exploration programme at Koko Massava, along with the ongoing analysis of the Mineral Resource itself, continues to increase our confidence of not only increasing the resource size at Koko Massava but also of identifying discrete zones of high grade THM material within and extensional to it,” Mr Van Der Zwan said.
“Such zones, if located at surface, combined with higher VHM components such as Zircon (2%) and Rutile (1%), have the potential to enhance early mine life economics.”
The auger drilling was part of a programme of broad-spaced holes at 500m stations on traverses 1000m apart and designed to test for extensions of the footprint of the Koko Massava mineral resource that was reported in April 2020 (refer announcement 22 April 2020).
The best hole returned within this new laboratory batch is 20CCHA219, which was located within the boundary of Guemulene village, collared at surface in 6.64% THM (0-1.5m) and ended in 7.69% THM (10.5m-12.0m) with a maximum of 10.12% THM from 9.0-10.5m. Overall, hole 20CCHA219 comprises an uncut downhole average of 7.68% THM over 12.0m from surface.
Mr Van Der Zwan said that hole 20CCHA213 is also significant as it comprises an uncut downhole average of 5.58% THM over 12.0m from surface.
Hole 20CCHA213 was collared at surface (0-1.5m) in a grade of 5.23% THM, it had a peak grade of 6.01% THM in the 1.5-3.0m interval and ended at 10.5-12.0m with 5.86% THM.
Mr Van Der Zwan said the new results from the auger drilling conducted on the periphery of the Koko Massava deposit show the potential for discovery of additional HMS mineralisation, particularly in the areas adjacent to the east and southeast sides of the deposit where valuable heavy mineral assemblage is elevated