Arc Minerals Regulatory News (ARCM)

Arc Minerals Ltd

Nick von Schirnding (Executive Chairman)

+44 (0) 20 7917 2942

SP Angel (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker)

Ewan Leggat / Adam Cowl

+44 (0) 20 3470 0470

WH Ireland Limited (Joint Broker)

Harry Ansell / Katy Mitchell

+44 (0) 20 7220 1666

Sampling techniques

· Nature and quality of sampling (eg cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling.

· Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used.

· Aspects of the determination of mineralisation that are Material to the Public Report.

· In cases where 'industry standard' work has been done this would be relatively simple (eg 'reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay'). In other cases more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralisation types (eg submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information.

· Soil sampling was carried out along traverses using 100m sample intervals

· Soil samples were taken at an average depth of 10cm from uncontaminated and undisturbed sites.

· Samples were collected in the dry

· Samples were sieved on site to -1800mm and sealed in transparent plastic sample envelopes

· Soil samples were submitted to Intertek Laboratories in Perth, Australia for analysis.

Drilling techniques

· Drill type (eg core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc) and details (eg core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc).

· No drilling to date on the Virgo Project Licenses

Drill sample recovery

· Method of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed.

· Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples.

· Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material.

· No drilling to date on the Virgo Project Licenses

· No drilling to date on the Virgo Project Licenses

· No drilling to date on the Virgo Project Licenses

Logging

· Whether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies.

· Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc) photography.

· The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged.

· No drilling to date on the Virgo Project Licenses

· No drilling to date on the Virgo Project Licenses

· No drilling to date on the Virgo Project Licenses

Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparation

· If core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken.

· If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc and whether sampled wet or dry.

· For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique.

· Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples.

· Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling.

· Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled.

· No drilling to date on the Virgo Project Licenses

· No drilling to date on the Virgo Project Licenses

· Sample preparation techniques appropriate for soil sampling and analytical methods, conducted to Intertek specified guidelines

· 20% QA/QC blanks, standards and/or duplicates are inserted on site while sampling further standards are inserted by the laboratory

· Duplicated collected, assayed and checked

· Samples collected in accordance to Intertek specified guidelines

Quality of assay data and laboratory tests

· The nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total.

· For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc, the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc.

· Nature of quality control procedures adopted (eg standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (ie lack of bias) and precision have been established.

· Partial selective digests are carried out on soil media to detect mineralisation under cover in areas where conventional geochemistry may be ineffective. Buried ore bodies may release trace levels of metals into groundwater which are inferred to travel vertically in the overlying substrate and accumulate in the top portion of the soil profile where they are added to the background metal concentrations.

· Targeted metal ions generally reside on the surfaces of soil particles requiring only weak selective digest to remove them, thus producing a superior anomaly to background contrast. This differentiates partial digests from stronger leaches which also extract occluded substrate metal ions that contribute to background levels of metal, resulting in an inferior anomaly contrast.

· A range of partial digests are offered designed to target certain element suites and specific element species.

· TL1 uses an alkaline cyanide digest.

Detection limit for Cu & Pb is 0.02ppm and for Ag & Zn 0.2ppm

· XRF not used

· Accuracy and precision measured by Intertek

Verification of sampling and assaying

· The verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel.

· The use of twinned holes.

· Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols.

· Discuss any adjustment to assay data.

· QA/QC checks are run as normal laboratory standards, blanks and duplicates. primary data is available in open file reports in the form of scanned hard copy geological logs, sections of sampled intervals and assays (EZ)

· Data entry procedures standardized in SOP, data checking and verification routine

· Data storage on partitioned drives and backed up

Location of data points

· Accuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation.

· Specification of the grid system used.

· Quality and adequacy of topographic control.

· A hand-held GPS is used for all sampling locations with track logs and points plotted to check for consistency and accuracy during soil sampling.

Data spacing and distribution

· Data spacing for reporting of Exploration Results.

· Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied.

· Whether sample compositing has been applied.

· Data spacing was based on geology for initial drilling reconnaissance. 

· The data spacing is appropriate for initial orientation and reconnaissance soil sampling.

· No drilling on the Virgo Project to date

Orientation of data in relation to geological structure

· Whether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type.

· If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralised structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material.

· Soil sampling grids were orientated with reference to interpreted geological lithologies and structures.

· No drilling to date on the Virgo Project Licenses

Sample security

· The measures taken to ensure sample security.

· Sample bags were tagged, logged, boxed, securely sealed and transported to Intertek Laboratories in Perth by registered couriers.

· No drilling to date on the Virgo Project Licenses

Audits or reviews

· The results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data.

· All sampling procedures are documented and according to industry standard practice

· No drilling to date on the Virgo Project Licenses

Mineral tenement and land tenure status

· Type, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings.

· The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a licence to operate in the area.

· The Botswana Project area EPL's are held by three wholly owned (100%) locally registered companies.

· The company expects to apply for renewal or extension of Licences as required.

Exploration done by other parties

· Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties.

· Limited previous exploration was conducted by DML, Khoemacau and MOD and comprised soil sampling.

Geology

· Deposit type, geological setting and style of mineralisation.

· The regional geological setting underlying all the Licences is interpreted as Neoproterozoic meta sediments, deformed during the Pan African Damaran Orogen into a series of NE trending structural domes cut by local structures. The style of mineralisation expected comprises stratabound and structurally controlled disseminated and vein hosted Cu/Ag mineralisation

Drill hole Information

· A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including a tabulation of the following information for all Material drill holes:

o easting and northing of the drill hole collar

o elevation or RL (Reduced Level - elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collar

o dip and azimuth of the hole

o down hole length and interception depth

o hole length.

· If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case.

· No drilling on the Virgo Project to date

· No drilling on the Virgo Project to date

Data aggregation methods

· In reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (eg cutting of high grades) and cut-off grades are usually Material and should be stated.

· Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high grade results and longer lengths of low grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail.

· The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated.

· No drilling on the Virgo Project to date

· No drilling on the Virgo Project to date

· No drilling on the Virgo Project to date

Relationship between mineralisation widths and intercept lengths

· These relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results.

· If the geometry of the mineralisation with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported.

· If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (eg 'down hole length, true width not known').

· No drilling on the Virgo Project to date

· No drilling on the Virgo Project to date

· No drilling on the Virgo Project to date

Diagrams

· Appropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported These should include, but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views.

· Appropriate maps and images demonstrating the licence locations and regional setting together with the continental geo-tectonic setting are included in the body of the accompanying announcement.

Balanced reporting

· Where comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable, representative reporting of both low and high grades and/or widths should be practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results.

· The accompanying document is considered to be a balanced and representative report.

Other substantive exploration data

· Other exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples - size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances.

· Reprocessing of historic Botswana Geological Institute airborne geophysics was completed over portions of the Ghanzi-Chobe belt.

Further work

· The nature and scale of planned further work (eg tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large-scale step-out drilling).

· Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive.

· Any further work on the Licences will be dependent upon results from the maiden exploration drill programme about to commence.

"anomaly or anomalous"

something in mineral exploration that geologists interpret as deviating from what is standard, normal, or expected.

"assay"

The laboratory test conducted to determine the proportion of a mineral within a rock or other material. For copper, usually reported as percentage which is equivalent to percentage of the mineral (i.e. copper) per tonne of rock.

"azimuth"

the "compass direction" refers to a geographic bearing or azimuth as measured by a magnetic compass, in true or magnetic north.

"bornite"

Bornite, also known as peacock ore, is a copper sulphide mineral with the formula Cu5FeS4.

"breccia"

Breccia is a rock classification, comprises millimetre to metre-scale rock fragments cemented together in a matrix, there are many sub-classifications of breccias.

"chalcocite"

Chalcocite is a copper sulphide mineral with the formula Cu2S and is an important copper ore mineral. It is opaque and dark-gray to black with a metallic luster.

"chalcopyrite"

Chalcopyrite is a copper sulphide mineral with formula CuFeS2. It has a brassy to golden yellow colour.

"chargeability"

Chargeability is a physical property related to conductivity. Chargeability is used to characterise the formation and strength of the induced polarisation within a rock, under the influence of an electric field, suggesting sulphide mineralisation at depth.

"covellite"

Covellite is a copper sulphide mineral with the formula CuS. This indigo blue mineral is ubiquitous in some copper ores.

"diamond drilling"

A drilling method in which penetration is achieved through abrasive cutting by rotation of a diamond encrusted drill bit. This drilling method enables collection of tubes of intact rock (core) and when successful gives the best possible quality samples for description, sampling and analysis of an ore body or mineralised structure.

"dip"

A line directed down the steepest axis of a planar structure including a planar ore body or zone of mineralisation. The dip has a measurable direction and inclination from horizontal.

"geochemical"

Refers to geological information using measurements derived from chemical analysis

"geophysical"

Refers to geological information using unit measurements derived from the use of magnetic and electrical readings

"geophysical techniques"

include the exploration of an area by exploiting differences in physical properties of different rock types. Geophysical methods include seismic, magnetic, gravity, induced polarisation and other techniques; geophysical surveys can be undertaken from the ground or from the air

"gossan"

is an iron-bearing weathered product that usually overlies a sulphide deposit

"grab sample"

are samples of rock material collected from a small area, often just a few pieces or even a single piece of rock "grabbed" from a face, dump or outcrop or roughly 2-5kg. These are common types of rock samples collected when conducting mineral exploration. The sample usually consists of material that is taken to be representative of a specific type of rock or mineralisation.

"grade"

The proportion of a mineral within a rock or other material. For copper mineralisation this is usually reported as % of copper per tonne of rock.

"g/t"

grams per tonne; equivalent to parts per million ('ppm')

"hematite"

Hematite is the mineral form of iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3), one of several iron oxides. Magnetite alteration is also typically associate with porphyry copper systems, at or close to the central core.

"Indicated Resource"

An "Indicated Mineral Resource" is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade or quality, densities, shape and physical characteristics, can be estimated with a level of confidence sufficient to allow the appropriate application of technical and economic parameters, to support mine planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. The estimate is based on detailed and reliable exploration and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes that are spaced closely enough for geological and grade continuity to be reasonably assumed.

"Inferred Resource"

An "Inferred Mineral Resource" is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade or quality can be estimated on the basis of geological evidence and limited sampling and reasonably assumed, but not verified, geological and grade continuity. The estimate is based on limited information and sampling gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes.

"Induced Polarisation Geophysics"

Induced polarisation (IP) is a geophysical survey used to identify the electrical chargeability of subsurface materials, such as sulphides. The survey involves an electric current that is transmitted into the subsurface through two electrodes, and voltage is monitored through two other electrodes.

"intercept"

Refers to a sample or sequence of samples taken across the entire width or an ore body or mineralised zone. The intercept is described by the entire thickness and the average grade of mineralisation.

"JORC Code"

The Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves ('the JORC Code') is a professional code of practice that sets minimum standards for Public Reporting of minerals Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves.

"K"

The element potassium, abundance on surface can be inferred from radiometric surveys

"Magnetics"

Rocks are made up of different minerals and the magnetic properties of a rock depends on the amount and type of iron rich minerals it contains. Earth's magnetic field interacts with these iron rich minerals to generate variations in the magnetic field. Measuring and mapping these variations allows remotely mapping of the distribution and patterns of magnetic rocks and, as a result, map the subsurface geology

"magnetite"

Magnetite is main iron ore mineral, with chemical formula Fe3O4. Magnetite is ferromagnetic, and it is attracted to a magnet and can be magnetized to become a permanent magnet itself.

"massive"

In a geological sense, refers to a zone of mineralisation that is dominated by sulphide minerals. The sulphide-mineral-rich material can occur in centimetre-scale, metre-scale or in tens of metres wide veins, lenses or sheet-like bodies containing sphalerite, galena, and / or chalcopyrite etc.

"Measured Resource"

A "Measured Mineral Resource" is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade or quality, densities, shape, and physical characteristics are so well established that they can be estimated with confidence sufficient to allow the appropriate application of technical and economic parameters, to support production planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. The estimate is based on detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes that are spaced closely enough to confirm both geological and grade continuity.

"Mineral Resource"

A "Mineral Resource" is a concentration or occurrence of diamonds, natural solid inorganic material, or natural solid fossilised organic material including base and precious metals, coal, and industrial minerals in or on the Earth's crust in such form and quantity and of such a grade or quality that it has reasonable prospects for economic extraction. The location, quantity, grade, geological characteristics and continuity of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated or interpreted from specific geological evidence and knowledge.

"mineralisation"

In geology, mineralisation is the deposition of economically important metals (copper, gold, lead, zin etc) that in some cases can be in sufficient quantity to form mineral ore bodies. 

"open pit mining"

A method of extracting minerals from the earth by excavating downwards from the surface such that the ore is extracted in the open air (as opposed to underground mining).

"outcrop"

A section of a rock formation or mineral vein that appears at the surface of the earth. Geologists take direct observations and samples from outcrops, used in geologic analysis and creating geologic maps. In situ (in place) measurements are critical for proper analysis of the geology and mineralisation of the area under investigation.

"polymict"

A geology term, often applied to breccias or conglomerates, which identifies the composition as consisting of fragments of several different rock types.

"Preliminary Economic Assessment"

NI 43-101 defines a PEA as "a study, other than a pre-feasibility study or feasibility study, which includes an economic analysis of the potential viability of mineral resources".

"Pyrrhotite"

Pyrrhotite is an iron sulfide mineral with the formula Fe(1-x)S (x = 0 to 0.2). It is a nonstoichiometric variant of FeS, the mineral known as troilite. Pyrrhotite is also called magnetic pyrite

"Radiometrics"

The radiometric, or gamma-ray spectrometric method is a geophysical process used to estimate concentrations of the radioelements potassium, uranium and thorium by measuring the gamma-rays which the radioactive isotopes of these elements emit during radioactive decay

"sediments"

Sedimentary rocks formed by the accumulation of sediments. There are three types, Clastic, Chemical and Organic sedimentary rocks.

"sphalerite"

Sphalerite is a zinc sulphide in crystalline form but almost always contains variable iron, with formula (Zn,Fe)S. It can have a yellowish to honey brown or black colour.

"supergene"

Supergene ore processes occur near surface, and form deposits of secondary minerals, such as malachite, azurite, chalcocite, covellite, digenite, etc. 

"surface rock chip samples"

Rock chip samples approximately 2kg in size that are typically collected from surface outcrops exposed along rivers and mountain ridgelines.

"syncline"

a trough of stratified rock in which the beds dip toward each other from either side.

"Th"

The element thorium, abundance on surface can be inferred from radiometric surveys

"U"

The element uranium, abundance on surface can be inferred from radiometric surveys

"veins"

A vein is a sheet-like or anastomosing fracture that has been infilled with mineral ore (chalcopyrite, covellite etc) or mineral gangue (quartz, calcite etc) material, within a rock. Veins form when minerals carried by an aqueous solution within the rock mass are deposited through precipitation and infill or coat the fracture faces.

"volcanics"

Volcanic rock such as andesite or basalt that is formed from magma erupted from a volcano, or hot clastic material that erupts from a volcano and is deposited as volcaniclastic or pyroclastics.

"XRF"

Instrument to determine the chemistry of a sample by measuring the fluorescent (or secondary) X-ray emitted from a sample when it is excited by a primary X-ray source