Alphamin Resources drills for more tin in the DRC
Alphamin Resources, a producer of 4% of the world’s mined tin from its high-grade operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is pleased to announce drilling progress at its Mpama North mine and Mpama South deposit.
MPAMA NORTH DRILLING UPDATE
Alphamin commenced extensional drilling of the Mpama North orebody in July 2021. By the end of October 2021, ~6,167m and 12 drillholes had been completed. Additional drilling has now uncovered the existence of a crosscutting fault causing a downward and westward offset of the deeper mineralisation.
By refocussing drilling closer to the final drill line from previous exploration, holes drilled at 75m further along strike succeeded in intercepting significant zones of cassiterite mineralization.
In addition, 5 new holes west of the identified fault have also intercepted mineralised visual cassiterite providing strike extension potential on the western block. Drilling will continue to refine understanding of these mineralised areas with the objective of adding significantly to the current life-of-mine.
MPAMA SOUTH DRILLING UPDATE
Mpama South is a high-grade tin discovery located immediately south of Alphamin’s operating Mpama North mine. Drilling in 2021 has completed ~18,047m and 69 additional drillholes, of which assays from ALS laboratories in South Africa for 57 drillholes have been received to date.
The first three phases of drilling will form the basis of a Mineral Resource estimation exercise, the results of which are expected to be announced in January 2022. An updated estimate will be announced later in Q1 2022 from the on-going phase 4 drilling.
The success of the Mpama South drilling is such that the zone of high-grade mineralisation has grown substantially since the recommencement of drilling in December 2020.
Alphamin has to date reported that Mpama South was located 750m south of its currently operating Mpama North mine. However, as drilling has progressed the extent to which mineralisation has been identified has expanded at Mpama South and a newer interpretation is that Mpama North and Mpama South were a single extensive zone of high grade cassiterite mineralisation which was structurally offset by a late-stage cross cutting fault.
The implication of being able to connect Mpama South to the underground development, infrastructure and services of the Mpama North mine is relevant from a fast-tracked low-cost development potential.
