Blackthorn Resources Limited (ASX: BTR) (“the Company” or “Blackthorn Resources”) is pleased to provide assay results for drill holes KITDD_012, KITDD_013, KITDD_014 and KAKDD_003.
Highlights
Assays have been received for drill holes KITDD_012, KITDD_013, KITDD_014 and KAKDD_003. The following best copper intersections were identified:
KITDD_013 (dip -70, azimuth 090, EOH 645.6m)
– 253m at 1.04% Cu from 144m to 397m, including: 188m at 1.31% Cu from 209m to 397m, including: 98.9m at 2.01% Cu from 213.3m to 312.2m.
KITDD_014 (vertical, EOH 627.3m)
– 171m at 0.54% Cu from 257m to 428m, including: 26m at 1% Cu from 257m to 283m, 20m at 1.51% Cu from 393m to 413m.
KAKDD_003 (dip -70, azimuth 045, EOH 664.9m)
– 24m at 0.37% Cu from 14m to 38m, 32m at 0.76% Cu from 418m to 450m.
KITDD_013 is a step-out hole drilled entirely outside the previous 1% Cu envelope aimed at extending the high grade zone to the west. The resource drilling component of the Phase 6 program was completed at the end of CY 2012.
KITDD_013 was drilled on an azimuth of 090, dipping 70 degrees to a depth of 645.6 meters. This hole was drilled as a step-out hole to test the western side of the Kitumba Mineral Resource in a moderately chargeable zone. This hole intersected a long interval averaging high grade (+1%) Cu and indicates a high probability of extending the 1% Cu grade envelope.
KITDD_014 was drilled vertically to a depth of 627.3 meters. It was designed to test the north-western extent of the Kitumba Mineral Resource completing a fence of holes along that northing as well as to intersect a conductive zone at depth. This hole intersected a long interval averaging above 0.5% Cu material and should extend the 0.5% envelope at its location.
KITDD_012 was drilled vertically to a depth of 394.6 meters. This hole was planned to drill east of the Mumbwa Fault Zone (MFZ) targeting a conductivity feature in its upper parts and a chargeable feature at depth. No mineralisation was detected above 0.25% Cu.
KAKDD_003 was drilled on an azimuth of 045, dipping 70 degrees to a depth of 664.9 meters. This hole was designed to test a coincident gravity anomaly and soil copper geochemical anomaly at the Kakozhi prospect. The hole also drilled towards an interpreted contact with the mineralised syenite and breccia drilled in MUSH-003 (39m at 0.44% Cu between 59m and 98m, 37m at 0.46% Cu between 114m and 151m and 4m at 0.71% Cu between 214m and 218 m) reported to the market in January 2012, the previous best result in the area. The hole failed to reach the contact, however increasing alteration intensity with depth is interpreted to mean the hole was getting closer.
Managing Director, Mr Scott Lowe said:
“With the mineral resource definition portion of the Phase 6 drilling wrapped up we are very pleased with the results so far and the addition of high-grade material intercepted in KITDD_013. We look forward to receiving the remainder of our Phase 6 drilling results over the coming weeks to enable a recalculation of the Kitumba Mineral Resource. Further analysis of our increasingly detailed datasets, against our more recent Orion 3D data has identified further targets to test outside the Kitumba Mineral Resource area whilst we work on delivering the pre-feasibility study in H2 CY 2012.”
About The Phase 6 Drilling Program
Drilling restarted on both the Kitumba and Kakozhi prospects in July 2012. Drilling was completed just prior to the end of CY 2012 with 22 holes completed (including three at Kakozhi) as well as an 84 meter tail for hole S36_032 which was interpreted to have further potential for mineralisation, for a total of 13,719 meters. All Phase 6 data will be fed into an updated Kitumba Mineral Resource estimate which was initiated at the beginning of the year.
A rig will remain onsite testing satellite targets in the vicinity of Kitumba identified by the Orion 3D IP and other geochemical and potential fields datasets, as these targets are further afield they won’t contribute to the mineral resource estimate. The Company has made provision for $11m to drill 16,000m for the financial year ending 30 June 2013.
Kitumba
The drilling at Kitumba included both infill and step-out drilling. Infill drilling was designed to add to the confidence level of the Kitumba Mineral Resource estimate released in June last year and upgrade areas of the resource from the Inferred to Indicated categories. The design of the step-out drilling sought to expand the area of known mineralisation and potentially increase total tonnes at Kitumba.
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