AVZ Minerals Limited (ASX: AVZ, OTCQX: AZZVF) has commenced a drilling programme at its Manono Lithium and Tin Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The diamond drilling campaign at Roche Dure will be focussed on areas identified as highly prospective which were inaccessible at the time of the last round of resource drilling but remained open at depth and along strike.
This programme will extend the knowledge of the orebody by approximately another 800 metres from section 7600mN to 8,400mN.
The first of the new drillholes was started on July 7 on planned hole 7.8_1 i.e. rebadged as MO22DD001 on section 7,800mN.
The campaign will see 48 drillholes – for a total of 14,905 metres – intersect the Roche Dure orebody to an average depth of about 200 metres below ground level which will require an updated JORC2012 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate to be generated once the assays results are received.
At that point, the geotechnical information gathered during the drilling program will be applied to extend the current open pit mine design to the north-east over any new mineral resources identified during the program. Updated mineable reserves will be generated and published based on the new open pit mine design and prevailing lithium price projections.
“Given the imperatives around sourcing battery minerals for the global green-energy transition and in line with our February 2022 announcement of funding of a drilling programme as part of our Early Works Program, I am pleased to confirm that drilling has recommenced at Roche Dure,” Managing Director, Nigel Ferguson, said.
“Drilling at the north-east end of the known orebody, in areas previously inaccessible due to surface water, is aimed at significantly increasing the known lithium-rich ore resources in this area.
“This will underpin our future plans to extend the stated mine life at Manono, should this drilling campaign prove to be successful.
“The xompany’s confidence in the Manono Project and continuing lithium-ion battery demand, provides a significant opportunity to further increase the known reserves at Roche Dure, which is designed to add long term value for our shareholders and underpin the Project’s credentials as the largest global undeveloped hard rock lithium deposit.
“Following the generation of an Exploration Target for the historical eluvial and alluvial tin deposits north of the pegmatites at Manono, consultants and drilling companies have been contracted to delineate a selection of prospective deposits for an RC drilling campaign to investigate the robustness of the mineralisation and extent of the buried palaeochannels, with a view to possibly generating a maiden mineral resource estimate from this first round of drilling.”
For further information please visit: https://avzminerals.com.au/
