LONDON (Alliance News) - Amur Minerals Corp on Tuesday said it has initiated its 2016 field programme for its Kun-Manie production licence ahead of schedule, with drilling having commenced at the site earlier this month.
The exploration and resource development company said it is planning to drill 25 to 35 holes and a total of 15,000 metres within the 3.5 kilometre long Maly Kurumkon/Flangov deposit at its Kun-Manie site. Kun-Manie is 700 kilometres northeast of Blagoveshchensk in Russia, and is located on the Chinese border.
Drilling began on May 5, Amur Minerals said, which is the earliest start to the drilling field season since exploration began in 2004.
Amur Minerals said the prime objective of its drill programme is to generate a large representative metallurgical sample from the deposit for use in the final process design of the ore treatment facilities.
Exploration drilling will also be undertaken to further expand the resource of the deposit, the company added, noting that this will comprise of infill drilling at the eastern and western limits of the deposit, as well as step out drilling to both the east and west. Exploration drilling is expected to total between 6,000 and 7,500 metres.
Amur Minerals added that it was in the final stages of mobilisation for the drilling season, with the last of the personnel and sundry materials now being transferred to the site.
As of May 13, a total of 496 metres have been drilled within two holes, Amur Minerals said.
"The 2016 field season is already underway, a full three weeks earlier than it has ever begun before. With the full team and support system now up and running, we will be focused on the acquisition of the bulk sample to conduct the necessary test work to design the flowsheet and process plant design," Chief Executive Robin Young said.
"From this, we will be able to determine the composition of our concentrate and the variability we can expect over the first years of production at Kun-Manie. With these parameters, the design of our low grade matte furnace can be completed. All of this work will provide us with a basis and key information of inclusion in the definitive feasibility study," Young added.
Shares in Amur Minerals were up 0.6% at 5.23 pence on Tuesday.
By Hannah Boland; hannahboland@alliancenews.com; @Hannaheboland
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Amur Minerals (AMC)