RE: Concerted buying going on26 May 2022 11:12
Hi DG,
I can only comment on the analysis time. From the arrival at the test lab each drill core would need to be segmented into, say, 50 cm lengths, so we are talking about a fair number of samples. The samples would then need to be ground, pulverised, blended and split into at least two portions - total sample prep time probably a working week if the lab is busy, but the job could be done in half that time. As for the analysis, previously this was done on ARCM drill cores by XRF as I understand it, and that is quick - a few days. But assuming a more accurate and comprehensive wet chemical analysis would be performed, you could still get those results within a very few days, even with, say, 100 samples. So from arrival at the lab, a motivated lab with no backlog could report within 2-3 weeks. Delivering samples to a lab in South Africa might impose transport and customs delays on top of that. Many moons ago, the NCCM labs at Chingola, Kitwe etc could have done this job well within two weeks, but of course time has moved on and they are now under different ownership to AAL. Anglo would, if they are serious, need to set up or buy back into proper test facilities in Zambia as mining comes closer, but for geological samples like this in today’s scenario it is probably cost effective to transport them to SA, so to summarise maybe allow a month for the analysis.