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Orion Minerals begins near-mine exploration as drill-out program approaches completion

Published: 14:08 18 Sep 2018 AEST

exploration
Satellite deposits have not benefitted from modern exploration

Orion Minerals Ltd’s (ASX:ORN) (JSE:ORN) drill-out program at the Prieska Zinc-Copper Project in South Africa is nearing completion, with continued high-grade results returned at the Deep Sulphide Target.

Eight diamond drill rigs remain deployed for infill drilling to increase sample density at the Deep Sulphide resource, with the objective of achieving an updated resource in Q4 2018.

Satellite deposits exploration commences

Orion is now focusing on the satellite deposits of the Prieska project which includes the Annex Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) Copper Deposit.

Surface plan showing the prospecting rights over and adjacent to the Prieska Project and the locality of the Annex Deposit

Orion commenced ground electromagnetic (EM) surveying to explore for possible strike and depth extensions of Annex in August 2018.

An EM conductor has been detected about 1 kilometre west of the known mineralisation with the top of conductor at 200 to 250 metres below surface.

READ: Orion Minerals progresses South African assets with $19 million in the bank

Additional surveying to better define the extent of this conductor and an additional loop testing along strike and to the east of known mineralisation are currently in progress.

Diamond drilling will commence on the EM target once the modelling is finalised.

Drilling at Prieska

The Magazine Antiform and its down plunge extension represents another large, blind target area with an alteration zone similar to the Prieska zinc-copper deposit.

Magazine Antiform is scheduled to be the next priority target for ground EM.

Orion managing director and chief executive officer Errol Smart said: “With us now nearing the completion of the Prieska Deeps drill-out, having drilled over 83,000m in 15 months, we are very pleased to move onto the exploration for satellite deposits to the exceptional Prieska VMS deposit.

“These large VMS bodies are known for their propensity of occurring in clusters.

“Prieska is one of the largest known VMS deposits and the surrounding area has not benefitted from any modern exploration for more than 35 years.”

Orion Minerals awards trial mining contract for Prieska

Orion Minerals Ltd (ASX:ORN, JSE:ORN) CEO Errol Smart tells Proactive the company has awarded a trial mining contract for the Prieska Copper-Zinc Mine to Newrak Mining Group - an experienced South African contract mining company with 28 years of operating history. He adds that previous Prieska...

on 5/9/23