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Premier African and its multi-commodity aims in Africa

Last updated: 10:49 31 Jul 2017 BST, First published: 15:49 14 Sep 2016 BST

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The firm has got multiple projects under many commodities in Africa

While the current focus is on lithium and tungsten and smallcap investor David Lenigas, there is more to Premier African Minerals Ltd (LON:PREM) than that.

The firm, according to its website, is developing multi-commodity exploration projects in Africa and it has made some big strides recently.

As well as lithium at Zulu, the group is developing the RHA tungsten mine in Zimbabwe, where production starts this year.

It also has assets in Mozambique and a stake in private firm Circum Minerals (which it has just increased to 3.7%) that is developing the Danakil Potash project in Ethiopia.

RHA and tungsten

The RHA deposit is around 800m in strike length and 300m wide, and the mine uses simple gravity techniques to extract wolframite (tungsten).

There have been issues along the way to get it up and running but these are being resolved, the firm assured.

Latest news, in July, was that the plant and operations have stabilised.

The plant is currently processing ore at approximately 55% of the XRT (X-ray) sorter capacity and higher grades of ore are needed to move RHA up to optimal production levels.

Zulu and lithium

At Zulu, significantly regarded as potentially the largest undeveloped lithium bearing pegmatite in Zimbabwe, Premier has discovered six new pegmatite zones.

The company is now looking at further exploration efforts on these new zones to establish the continuation, as well as depth extensions, following the completion of another 11 drill holes.

Zulu currently boasts a resource of 20.1 mln tonnes grading 1.06% Li₂O.

Lenigas a consultant

Meanwhile, David Lenigas, a veteran of the resource sector and small cap promoter, is involved as a consultant to carry out an independent review for the project - looking at potential strategic investors or joint ventures as well as financing.

Roach told Proactive he was very excited at Lenigas's appointment and believes that Zulu has "world scale potential written all over it".

A limestone deposit in Mozambique ... and forestry

Other interests include the Catapu forestry deposit that lies near the railway in the Sofala province, which the firm bought via its purchase of a 52% interest in a Mozambique firm, which also holds a 24,821 ha hardwood forestry concession.

Premier plans to start an initial exploration and assessment work programme on the limestone deposit, which is expected to provide a maiden resource and preliminary scoping study late this year. The exploration programme is fully funded.

In Togo ...

Premier has four assets - the Pagala zinc exploration project; the Haito nickel project, the Kara - Niamtougou uranium site and the Dapaong gold project.

Also worth noting in Zimbabwe, the firm has the Katete project which comprises 25 claim blocks prospective for Rare Earth Elements (REE). It is also investigating a 1,350-hectare area centred on the dormant Tinde Fluorspar mine and has the Lubimbi rare earth project.

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