Australian-listed Discovery Metals (ASX: DML; AIM: DME) has revealed the assay results from the most recent infill diamond drill program at the Plutus Prospect, part of the company's Boseto Copper Project in north‐west Botswana.
The results of drilling to the 58 holes confirm the potential for higher grade zones, with the most significant assay returns including 9.0 m @ 2.5 % Cu & 22.8 g/t Ag, 5.0 m @ 2.4 % Cu & 25.2 g/t Ag and 10.0 m @ 1.8 % Cu & 11.6 g/t Ag.
The Plutus Prospect currently contains an Inferred Mineral Resource of 15.9 Mt @ 1.6% Cu and 16.4 g/t Ag at a cut off grade of 0.6% Cu.
Meanwhile, assay results have also been received from four diamond drill holes at the Quirinus Prospect,located within 15 kilometres of the Boseto Copper Project. The assay results have successfully confirmed the presence of copper‐silver mineralisation in the portion of Quirinus that has now been drill tested. These drill holes cover a strike length of approximately 600 metres and a further 12.8 kilometres of strike length remains to be explored in areas where significant anomalous copper has been detected in soils at Quirinus.
In June 2008, Discovery Metals reported the results from three reverse circulation drill holes that were drilled to
test a large area of anomalous copper.
The three reverse circulation drill holes all intersected copper‐silver mineralisation, with the company following up with four diamond drill holes in the northern limb of the Quirinus Discovery plans an additional diamond drilling programme in Q4 2009, focusing along the full 13.4 kilometres of strike length currently identified as being prospective.
The Plutus infill drilling programme has been planned to upgrade portions of the Plutus Resource into the Indicated Mineral Resource category. The infill programme covers areas of the Plutus Mineral Resource believed to be amenable to open pit mining.
On completion of the programme and receipt of final assay results, a new Mineral Resource will be re‐estimated and announced next month.
The data from the latest 58 holes is consistent with previous results and confirms the continuity of copper‐silver mineralisation over an extensive strike length, exceeding 10,000 metres in the combined Plutus and Petra Mineral Resource areas.
The four diamond holes drilled at Quirinus confirm the presence of copper‐silver mineralisation similar to that found at the nearby Zeta, Plutus and Petra prospects.
Anomalous copper in soils has been identified at Quirinus in three areas over a combined strike length of 13.4 kilometres.
Discovery Metals managing director Brad Sampson said the progression of the Plutus infill drilling programme represented important progress towards the completion of the Bankable Feasibility Study for the Boseto Copper Project in 2010.
"The infill drilling campaign is designed to upgrade portions of the Plutus Prospect into the Indicated Resource category and we look forward to announcing an updated resource estimate by the end of 2009," Mr Simpson said.
“At Quirinus, we have now confirmed this Prospect has significant potential and further drilling will commence
in December to discover additional Mineral Resources that may add value to the Boseto Copper Project."
Discovery’s Boseto Copper Project is located in north‐west Botswana, approximately 80 kilometres south‐west of the town of Maun, within the district of Ngamiland. The recently upgraded total mineral resource for the project is 60.4 Mt @ 1.4% Cu and 19.5 g/t Ag at a cut off grade of 0.6% Cu containing approximately 846 kt Cu metal and 38 Moz silver.