Amur Minerals Corporation (LON:AMC) has now kicked off its 2017 drill programme at the Kun-Manie nickel-copper project in Russia’s far east.
It marks an earlier than scheduled start to the programme, for the second year in a row.
The programme will take place at strategic locations along the 16 kilometre length of the project’s Detailed Exploration and Production Licence (DEPL).
It is described as "low cost" drilling, with the company expecting costs similar to last year’s programme, US$40 per metre, which Amur highlights as being “among the lowest within the mineral drilling industry.”
Amur’s plan is to convert Kun-Manie’s inferred resources into up into indicated resources, as well as identifying new areas of mineralisation.
It will also collect samples for metallurgical testing, and certain drill holes will be positioned in specific areas for permit application purposes.
"With our 2017 field season commencing ahead of schedule, matching the earliest start on record, our team is highly motivated to match last year's incredible results, which provided major upgrades to the potential of Kun-Manie,” said Robin Young, Amur chief executive.
“Resource expansion and the substantial uplift in our average nickel and other metal grades available for the determination of mineable reserves have set us a high bar to match.”
Young added: ''We look forward to reporting our results and achievements as they develop over the course of this drill season.
“It is with great interest and anticipation that we are now beginning to test the two largest remaining targets as well as move toward increasing our existing 80 million tonne Measured and Indicated resource inventory.
“We are also pleased to have reached the point where we are able to complete drill tasks which are intended to lead to operating permits specific to the mining operations. This addition reflects that we no longer consider Amur to be an explorer, but a company with a project that can be classified as a world class operation."