Bezant Resources PLC (AIM:BZT) has said it plans diamond drilling in coming weeks to follow up on high values of manganese seen in trench assay results at its 100% owned high-grade Kanye project in Botswana.
Lab assays from trench sampling at the Loltware prospect returned in-situ chip/grab sample peak results of 41.4% manganese oxide (MnO), 49.23% MnO and 40.83% MnO from one metre wide zones of siliceous manganese mineralisation within a continuously mineralised zone of 40 metres (m) at 11.53% MnO.
At the Moshaneng borrow pit, excavation of shallow clays by a local contractor for road fill has exposed further manganese-rich pods over a width of approximately 12m-15m and a strike length of 250m, the company said.
It noted that the "strongly anomalous" soil geochemistry suggests that the mineralised zone at Moshaneng may extend for more than 2 kilometres (km) in total.
Bezant said it is planning maiden diamond drill testing of both targets, adding that a contract has been signed with a local drilling company, with mobilisation expected later this month.
"The trench results produced some very high values of manganese and provided the impetus for this drilling programme," said Bezant executive chairman Colin Bird in a statement.
"The Moshaneng Borrow pit gives us more information as it progresses and upgrades our confidence in this project area. I look forward to keeping the market advised on drilling results as they emerge," he added.
At Moshaneng, Bezant proposes to test for continuity of high-grade manganese mineralisation at shallow depths on drill two profiles, while at Loltware, a profile of three short angled holes is planned to test the full interval of manganese mineralisation encountered in trench LT-TR01.
"These holes should provide important information on the bedding orientation as well as the style, continuity and grade of manganese mineralisation below the near-surface detrital manganese recorded in the trenches," the company said.