Apollo Minerals Ltd (ASX:AON) has uncovered more high-grade zinc-lead mineralisation at a key prospect within its province-scale Kroussou asset in Gabon, Central Africa.
The explorer reported on the last 12 holes from its 2021 drill program at the Dikaki prospect on Wednesday, with each drill target intersecting zinc-lead mineralisation in a zinc-rich system.
Shallow, high-grade intersections include 6.5 metres at 8.0% zinc and lead from 18 metres within a broader zone of 10.3 metres at 5.4% zinc and lead from 18 metres.
Looking ahead, the first batch of samples from Apollo’s 2022 drill program are en-route to Perth for analysis and the company expects to keep up news flow momentum in the coming weeks.
Further drilling underway
Speaking to the findings, Apollo managing director Neil Inwood said the company’s drilling program had identified a shallow, high-grade core at the Dikaki prospect.
“Mineralisation at Dikaki is open to the east and west along an extensive 9-kilometre trend, which we will continue to test with further drilling,” he explained.
“The 2022 program is expected to identify further high-grade mineralisation at Dikaki and Niamabimbou, while also seeking further discoveries at the extensive range of regional targets at the province-scale Kroussou Zinc-Lead Project.”
Watch: Apollo Minerals hits shallow zinc and lead sulphide mineralisation at the Kroussou Project in Gabon
Exploring Dikaki
The Dikaki prospect comprises roughly 9 kilometres of prospective palaeo-channel trend in a zinc-rich portion of Central Africa.
Results from Apollo’s mapping, rock chip and soil sampling and drilling programs indicate there’s strong exploration potential across the whole Dikaki trend.
Last year, the explorer completed 56 diamond drill holes for 2,988 metres at Dikaki — in 2022, drilling will step out to the east and west of know mineralisation to stretch Apollo’s understanding of this key prospect.
Promisingly, drilling at Dikaki continues to define a flat-lying mineralised horizon that is interpreted to follow a meandering river pattern across the channel, with current drilling designed to test north-south sections across the entire width of the channel.
The step-out drill sections are targeting the Dikaki’s mineralised horizon and the interpreted high-tenor core of the system.
Reportedly, mineralisation within the holes to date continues to confirm the Apollo Minerals’ mineralisation model, with zinc and lead uncovered within conglomerate and sandstone units with higher porosity.
What’s to come?
The 2022 work program at Kroussou is ongoing and focused on:
- Infill and extension drilling of the high-grade zones of mineralisation at Dikaki and Niamabimbou to facilitate future resource estimation studies;
- Geophysical surveys, field exploration and drilling to identify new zones of mineralisation at other defined prospects and regional targets to demonstrate the province-scale potential at Kroussou;
- Metallurgical test work to confirm positive high-recovery, high-quality sulphide concentrate production; and
- High-level analysis of regional infrastructure options for materials transport.
Exploration activity planned for the June quarter includes infill and extensional drilling in the central project area (comprising the Dikaki and Niamabimbou prospects), in addition to an airborne electromagnetic survey, field exploration (mapping, soil geochemical surveys) and drilling covering regional targets.
Currently, a two-rig diamond drill program is underway at Dikaki, executing 200 to 400-metre step-out extension drilling.
This work forms part of Apollo’s preparation for an expansion of the current drilling and exploration activities, while regional, passive seismic surveys and road access to other prospects and regional targets continues to advance.
Meanwhile, Apollo’s airborne electromagnetic survey continues, targeting completion in May or June this year.
The survey data will help the explorer test Kroussou’s entire 80-kilometre strike length, potentially highlighting other pockets of shallow, high-grade zinc-lead mineralisation similar to the Dikaki and Niamabimbou targets.
