Apollo Minerals Ltd (ASX:AON) has received further encouraging shallow high-grade zinc-lead results from drilling at the province-scale Kroussou Project in Gabon.
Promisingly, the results at Dikaki prospect continue to support the potential for a large-scale, shallow, flat-lying, broad mineralised system with possible continuity across multiple zones which could allow simple open pit mining extraction.
This demonstrates the potential of the eastern and central Dikaki zones merging with strong intersections including:
- 20.9 metres at 2.6% zinc+lead from 32.4 metres, including 6.2 metres at 5.3% zinc+lead from 47.1 metres and 2 metres at 5.3% zinc+lead from 32.4 metres;
- 18.9 metres at 2.2% zinc+lead from 1.2 metres, including 5 metres at 5.0% zinc+lead from 1.2 metres;
- 17.3 metres at 2.4% zinc+lead from 37.2 metres, including 4.9 metres at 3.2% zinc+lead from 37.8 metres and 6.4 metres at 2.9% zinc+lead from 48.2 metres; and
- 20.0 metres at 2.0% zinc+lead from 13.5 metres, including 9.3 metres at 2.4% zinc+lead from 13.5 metres.
“Highlight upside potential”
Kroussou Project Showing 18 key prospects over more than 80 kilometres of prospective strike length.
Apollo executive director Neil Inwood said: “The latest results at Dikaki demonstrate the strong potential for both the linking of the eastern and central mineralised zones and for the mineralisation to extend across the whole channel width.
“The assay results also highlight the significant upside potential in the system, where modern drilling is demonstrating significantly more mineralisation than the historical BRGM drilling (locally up to 700% more).
“Our maiden drill campaign at Dikaki is continuing to demonstrate the developing potential for a large and shallow channel of mineralisation averaging 420 metres in width and up to 6 kilometres in strike that could be amenable to simple low-cost open pit mining.
“The Kroussou Project has the potential to deliver a significant, large-scale, base metal province.”
Phase 1 drill program
Mineralisation styles seen at Dikaki and surrounding area.
The Phase 1 drilling program at the Dikaki and Bouambo prospects consisted of 46 diamond drill holes totalling 2,206 metres.
Notably, assays have now been received from 37 holes, with the latest 14 assays being reported today.
At Dikaki, the main channel-wide system is untested for greater than 8 kilometres along with trend by modern drilling with an average channel width of 420 metres with average depth to mineralisation less than 10 metres for reported main zones of mineralisation.
Promisingly, new drill holes show significantly higher endowment (up to seven times) when compared to the insufficiently sampled nearby historical drilling – highlighting the strong upside potential of the whole Dikaki system.
Forward plan
Niamabimbou Prospect: Showing rock chip samples and trend extents.
Apollo’s first stage drilling at the Niamabimbou Prospect has now finished, with a total of 40 holes for 2,088 metres, with the rigs being returned to Dikaki to test the central to eastern zone linkage.
Regional geological mapping and soil sampling activities are also underway in the southern portion of the project, and a passive seismic survey is also expected to begin in the coming weeks.
Strong news flow and further results are expected in the coming weeks with assays pending from the remaining 11 holes completed at Dikaki, and additional holes from the ongoing drilling at the Niamabimbou Prospect.
Notably, the Kroussou Project represents a large-scale, near-surface zinc-lead project with more than 80 kilometres of strike length, 18 key prospects and multiple opportunities for further discovery.