from advfn14 May 2019 16:33
Hi Tom
I think that there is a photo of me examining the core at the site. There are some detailed photos of the core which may not have been published on Twitter. We will see if some of these could be released shortly. Both Hillary Gumbo (CEO of our subsidiary Kavango Minerals Ltd) and I have over 30 years of experience each in exploration geology in Africa and we have examined and logged core from numerous alteration halos associated with magmatic intrusives over the years. We are both of the opinion that the core from DitDDH1 and DitDDH2 shows very intense alteration both in the Karoo sediments lying above the (gabbroic) intrusive and within the intrusive itself - penetrating at least 75m into the gabbro (in the case of DitDDH2).
Sulphide mineralisation is seen throughout the alteration zone (both holes). This is often very finely grained and is difficult to see in the photographs. What is more visible are the aggregations of sulphides (mainly pyrite) which occasionally form distinct "blobs" within the core. However, it is impossible to tell whether the core contains economic resources of valuable metals from a visual appraisal. We need to see the assay results (and a lot more drilling) before this can be fully assessed.
The Karoo rocks (and the gabbro) have not only been altered by hydrothermal activity but have also undergone fairly intense deformation (due to temperature and pressure). In some sections of the core, we note the formation of mylonites (intense shearing and deformation). Within the (Karoo) Dwyka (tilites) we can see pebbles that have been deformed and elongated and containing cores of metal sulphide.
But perhaps the most compelling evidence of intense alteration is the geochemistry of the rock - as determined by our portable XRF analyser (760 readings over the two holes). Whilst this instrument does not analyse for gold, silver, uranium, sodium,most of the REEs, the PGEs and several other important elements, we note that elements such as iron, potassium, strontium, barium, arsenic, titanium, calcium, rubidium, niobium, zirconium and the most common REEs have values of between 100 to 10 times the values
found in the unaltered rocks. Indicative values for Copper and Cobalt also suggest considerable enrichment with highest values of 1.5% and 0.9% respectively.
Whilst we need to be cautious when dealing with results generated by a portable XRF, I think that the results demonstrate the existence of around 200m of intensely altered sedimentary rock sitting above a very altered gabbro. However, a much more definitive picture will emerge once we have received the assays that are in the process of being carried out by Genalysis Laboratories in Perth Australia. The results of these assays are eagerly awaited. They will of course be released to the market as soon as they become available. I hope this helps.
Best wishes
Mike Moles
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