Discovery Metals (DML) says geological logging confirms copper mineralisation has been intersected at all 11 drill holes in the company’s latest drilling programme of the Plutus deposit, which forms part of the Boseto copper project in Botswana.
High grade copper mineralisation was intersected over potentially mineable widths and this high-grade mineralisation is open both along strike and at depth.
The Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) quoted company revealed that the results to date confirm the mineralisation at the Plutus deposit extends to depths of at least 350 metres below surface along the seven kilometres of strike length tested.
DML’s Managing Director, Brad Sampson said these early results from Plutus are encouraging as they suggest that there is potential for underground mining.
“We are already planning an infill drilling programme in the vicinity of these three drill holes with a particular focus on following up the high grade copper intersections of +2 percent Cu,” said Sampson.
“These results accord with the company’s strategy of exploring near Boseto opportunities (both underground and open pit) to give the Company the option of extending the processing plant life or expanding capacity in the near term or both,” he added.
The programme consists of 11 drill holes designed to intersect mineralisation to a depth of 350 metres along a strike length of approximately 7 kilometres.
Previous drilling at Plutus was focused on assessing open pit potential only. As a result the deepest drill holes previously intersected mineralisation at a depth of approximately 175 metres below surface.
The results reported are for the first 3 holes of a deep drilling programme which was designed as an initial test to investigate the potential for underground mining at Plutus and the company said it is anticipating releasing further results from the deep drilling at Plutus in approximately four weeks time.
The Boseto copper project is currently being constructed and is scheduled to commence production in early 2012.
Planned production is approximately 36,000 tonnes of copper and more than 1 million ounces of silver per annum over an initial 15 year mine life.
