Kavango Resources PLC (LON:KAV), the exploration company targeting the discovery of world-class mineral deposits in Botswana, has announced the publication of a new independent technical review highlighting the exploration potential of its Kalahari Suture Zone (KSZ) Project.
The group said the review concludes that the KSZ "is a prime setting for a magmatic Nickel-Copper-PGM deposit." Kavango is searching for ‘Norilsk-Style’ deposits in the KSZ.
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The review has been completed by Dr David Holwell, of D&D Geoconsultants using a Mineral Systems Approach. Dr Holwell is a leading authority on the development of Copper-Nickel-Platinum Group Metals (PGM) sulphide deposits associated with magmatic systems.
In a statement, Michael Foster, Kvanago’s chief executive officer commented: "The Review of the Kalahari Suture Zone Project by Dr Holwell and the work carried out to date by the Company represents confirmation that Kavango is "on track" to make a mineral discovery in the near future.
“The huge value of deposits such as the Copper-Nickel-PGM rich ores in the Norilsk-Talnakh camp - of the order of hundreds of billions of dollars within a single ore shoot - provides a powerful incentive to develop an understanding of the geology of the KSZ and identify effective detection techniques.”
“We look forward to working with Dr Holwell on this exciting exploration project," Foster concluded.
The group noted that the Mineral Systems Approach is a more predictive method for finding large scale ore deposits.
10 key geological features present
Kavango said the review confirms the presence of 10 key geological features present in world-class magmatic sulphide Copper-Nickel-PGM deposits at Norilsk (Siberia), Voisey's Bay (Canada), Raglan (Canada), Jinchuan (China), the Thomson Nickel Belt (Canada) and other similar magmatic sulphide deposits worldwide.
It recommends a number of exploration steps for the company to take in establish whether additional geological features are present in the KSZ, which are typically found in world-class Copper-Nickel-PGM deposits.
These steps include exploration of the KSZ to include combination of desktop and drill core analysis and field exploration; a proposed collaboration with the University of Leicester, UK to examine economic potential of the KSZ; and an applied research project, under Dr Holwell's supervision.
The research work will include petrology, mineralogy, electron microprobe work, whole rock geochemistry and thin section work on exploration data gathered by Kavango.
The company said it will release a KSZ work programme plan in coming weeks, follow up test work to be completed once travel restrictions imposed under the coronavirus pandemic have been lifted.
Kavanago said the full review is available to view and download on the company’s website.