AJN Resources Inc (CSE:AJN) CEO Klaus Eckhof recently spoke with Proactive about the latest developments in their drilling program at the Manono Northeast projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Eckhof highlighted that the program, which commenced six months ago, has successfully navigated various logistical and permitting challenges. The drilling results have revealed the presence of thick and contiguous pegmatites, with observed lithium minerals.
Proactive: AJN announced some results from the recent drilling program at the Manono Northeast projects in the DRC, and they look pretty positive. Tell us what you've uncovered.
Klaus Eckhof: We started drilling there six months ago, but had some issues from a logistics point of view, infrastructure, permitting, but that has all been solved. We kicked off the program a few months ago and we think we have intercepted pegmatites, which we are looking for. They are quite thick and contiguous. We can see also lithium minerals there, so we think we are onto something.
The first results we expect to see in about four to six weeks, and then we will make a decision to exercise the option and hopefully then go deeper into the fresh rock.
With the apparent occurrence of spodumene, do you drill deeper below the weathered zone just to get more confirmation?
Yeah, we will do that. Initially, we have drilled just the weathered zone, just to make sure that we are in the right setting and that we intercept the pegmatites, which we think we have now. So we are more comfortable to drill the 150- and 200-meter holes. It's comparable to the Manono project, which is just situated not far away from us on strike. The top zones are usually 100m or 150m of weathering zones. Historically, those ones had been mined for lithium, so we can't really compare it anymore other than the tailings, but they look pretty similar.
So, the results will determine whether you commence with the projects and take up the option?
Exactly. That will be the reason behind that. You know, if you have 50 or 80-meter intercepts at 1% plus lithium, then we certainly will look at that. And as I mentioned earlier, we are certainly looking around also for other metals and other projects in the whole DRC, so there are other opportunities coming along too.
And are you encouraged by what you've uncovered so far?
Exactly, yeah. That's what we expected, and we got what we expected. We just have to drill deeper now in the next phase, subject to looking at the lab results, which we are expecting in four to six weeks.
Quotes have been edited for style and clarity