Apollo Minerals Ltd (ASX:AON) has delivered further broad and shallow high-grade zinc-lead mineralisation at Dikaki prospect within the province-scale Kroussou Zinc-Lead Project in Gabon with shares trading higher as a result.
Notably, the high-grade zone footprint at Dikaki East has doubled, with mineralisation now defined over 500 metres and open along trend.
Thick, high-grade, shallow intercepts at Dikaki-East include:
- 19.8 metres at 4.0% zinc+lead from 51.2 metres and 3.7 metres at 7.5% zinc+lead from 38.3 metres within a broader zone of 40 metres at 3.1% zinc+lead from 31.1 metres;
- 10.1 metres at 5.7% zinc+lead from 15.3 metres within a broader zone of 19.9 metres at 4.0% zinc+lead from 5.4 metres; and
- 13.5 metres at 4.0% zinc+lead from 20 metres within a broader zone of 45.8 metres at 2.2% zinc+lead from 6.6 metres.
A newly identified zone of shallow, high-grade, mineralisation in the central portion of Dikaki includes:
- 3.3 metres at 5.4% zinc+lead from 20 metres within a broader zone of 11.4 metres at 2.4% zinc+lead from 16.5 metres;
Shares were as much as 13.74 higher intraday to $0.058.
Two diamond drill rigs are active on-site targeting regional exploration targets with an airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey targeting the entire 80-kilometres Kroussou trend also underway.
“Future exploration potential”
Apollo managing director Neil Inwood said “Drilling within the previously untested Dikaki East area has returned impressive intercepts of shallow, high-grade zinc-lead mineralisation.
“The excellent results from our ongoing drilling campaign add to our confidence that Kroussou is province-scale and highlights the significant future exploration potential of the project.
“Drilling is now focused on expanding our knowledge of regional target prospects TP9 and TP13, whilst we await additional results from the remainder of the Dikaki drilling.
“We have recently commenced an airborne electromagnetic survey covering the entire 80-kilometre Kroussou project strike, aiming to highlight further shallow high-grade mineralisation similar to that identified by drilling at Dikaki and Niamabimbou.”
Work program
The 2022 planned work program at Kroussou is ongoing and is focused on:
- regional drilling and targeting at TP13, TP9 and TP8;
- an AEM survey across the whole 80-kilometre strike length of prospective geology of the Kroussou project area, which has the potential to highlight further shallow high-grade mineralisation as displayed at Dikaki and Niamabimbou;
- field exploration to identify new zones of mineralisation at other defined prospects/regional targets through mapping, rock sampling and soil geochemistry;
- analysis of results from the passive regional seismic program;
- metallurgical test-work to confirm positive high-recovery, high-quality sulphide concentrate production; and
- high-level analysis of regional infrastructure options for materials transport.
2022 planned exploration program workflow.
Next steps
Exploration activities planned for the September 2022 quarter include exploration drilling at TP13, TP9 and TP8 and field exploration (mapping, rock and soil geochemical surveys).
Currently, a two-rig diamond drill program is underway at TP13 and will move to TP9 when completed.
The passive seismic program has been completed and covered regions of TP13, TP9, TP8 and TP4 with results being analysed.
An AEM survey is ongoing and scheduled to be completed in July this year.
Assays are pending for four further drill holes at Dikaki (DKDD134, 138, 139 and 140), which include localised zones of strong visible sulphide mineralisation.