FML.L Regulatory News (FML)

22 Dec 2006 07:01

Frontier Mining Ltd22 December 2006 Frontier Mining Ltd ("Frontier" or "the Company") Update on Naimanjal Project Exploration Frontier is pleased to announce that it has completed the 2006 explorationprogramme at its Naimanjal Complex, where the company operates its first goldmine. The programme consisted of 374 reverse circulation ("RC") drill holes,totaling 16,131 metres, 39 diamond core drill holes totaling 1,826 metres and 93trenches totaling 14.8 line kilometres. Geophysical surveys were also completedat Naimanjal, Baritovy and Jal. Drilling efforts were focused on two keyobjectives for the producing Naimanjal mine: extending the strike of known andnewly discovered mineralisation at Pit 3 West, Grassy Knoll South and Area 124,and first pass exploration at West Ridge South, Grassy Knoll North and Pit 1Northeast. A drilling campaign was also completed at the Baritovy satellite deposit withthe objective of proving up the existing oxide resource and to further explore astrongly mineralised near surface zone that is not part of the main Baritovydeposit. This consisted of 32 RC drill holes totaling 1,137 metres and 45trenches totalling 2.8 line kilometres Although not all assay results have yet been received, highlights of theexploration programme by target area are below. Pit 3 West Mineralisation at the Pit 3 West area was newly discovered in 2006. Based uponcross sectional interpretations, it was determined that the mineralised veinsdip steeply north. For the most recent drilling phase, holes were angled to thesouth and were designed to provide critical data by offsetting along strike, themineralisation encountered during previous drilling. Mineralisation is stillopen ended to the northwest. Table 1Highlights of Drilling Results at Pit 3 West Target - NaimanjalHole Number Total Mineralised Width Gold Silver Equivalent Gold (g/t) Length (metres) Intercept In metres g/t g/t From ToRC-24 50 30 38 8 0.93 75.9 1.69RC-26 40 22 28 6 2.01 120.3 3.21RC-31 50 6 10 4 1.46 20.5 1.67 36 42 6 0.66 58.1 1.24RC-39 50 14 22 8 2.58 6.60 2.65RC-43 50 42 46 4 1.30 116.0 2.46RC-95 45 34 38 4 1.74 61.4 2.35RC-97 50 30 34 4 3.22 376.0 3.98RC-98 45 2 6 4 0.96 21.6 1.18RC-99 45 8 12 4 0.92 26.9 1.19RC-256 50 4 10 6 0.75 29.83 1.04RC-257 50 2 8 6 0.61 13.08 0.74RC-258 50 34 36 2 1.88 53.25 2.41 46 50 4 0.35 17.88 0.53RC-259 50 26 30 4 1.06 39.25 1.45RC-261 46 36 38 2 1.30 6.50 1.36RC-266 50 4 6 2 1.01 4.25 1.05 30 34 4 1.71 76.25 2.47 44 46 2 1.84 59.25 2.43RC-268 50 36 40 4 2.27 78.87 3.06ER 36 (core) 48.6 20.5 29.3 8.8 1.48 >19.7 >1.677ER-38 (core) 50.2 17.3 24.6 7.3 2.53 >45.5 >2.98 47.4 47.9 0.5 1.75 >100 >2.75 Grassy Knoll South Drilling focused upon defining, outlining and substantially enlarging thepreviously identified oxide resource that was based upon exposures in severalsmall pits and trenches. Mineralisation remains open-ended to the north andsouth, and potentially to the east. Table 2Highlights of Drilling Results at Grassy Knoll South Target - NaimanjalHole Number Total Mineralised Width Gold Silver Equivalent Gold (g/t) Length (metres) Intercept In metres g/t g/t From ToRC-52 28 22 28 6 1.67 46.8 2.14RC-59 50 46 50 4 2.25 65.7 2.91RC-63 50 18 22 4 0.79 32.3 1.11 32 40 8 1.86 8.70 1.95RC-61 34 16 22 6 1.26 60.1 1.86RC-66 45 4 6 2 1.34 122.5 2.57 22 26 4 1.24 133.0 2.57RC-67 50 14 18 4 1.44 47.5 1.92RC-71 50 24 28 4 1.78 62.50 2.40RC-73 50 34 38 4 1.75 11.87 1.87RC-74 50 46 50 4 3.35 73.38 4.08RC-81 50 18 24 6 0.63 34.08 0.97RC-82 50 22 24 2 0.63 103.75 1.67RC-83 44 30 34 4 2.14 20.12 2.34RC-85 50 2 6 4 0.77 58.87 1.36RC-182 50 46 48 2 2.55 549.25 8.04ER-46 (core) 76 30.5 36 5.5 0.336 79.8 1.134 69.8 70.4 0.6 0.738 51.8 1.256ER-50 (core) 67 35.2 41.2 6 2.83 >97.5 >3.81 62 62.8 0.8 1.95 >100 >2.95ER-55 (core) 59.1 0.3 2.3 2 0.368 64.6 1.014 ER-61 (core) 80.3 8.1 15.9 7.8 0.732 32.0 1.052ER-54 (core) 86.6 31 36.7 5.7 1.6 15.88 1.76 75 81.5 6.5 6.08 164.77 7.727 Area 124 Area 124 was the site of a previously known but very small resource. Explorationdrilling was successful in substantially enlarging the area of knownmineralisation that occurs between the main pits 1,2, and 4. Table 3Highlights of Area 124 RC Drilling Results - NaimanjalHole Number Total Mineralised Width Gold Silver Equivalent Gold (g/t) Length (metres) Intercept In metres g/t g/t From ToRC-100 47 20 24 4 2.74 1.31 2.75RC-104 31 18 22 4 1.86 3.56 1.96RC-107 46 18 22 4 2.15 3.5 2.18RC-112 36 2 6 4 0.85 21.00 1.06RC-116 46 8 12 4 1.23 36.88 1.60RC-139 50 12 16 4 1.25 2.0 1.27RC-142 36 8 10 2 1.03 1.75 1.05ER 52 (core) 67.3 48.2 56 7.8 1.98 55.85 2.54 Pit 6 Extension and Pit Connection Drilling was successfully undertaken to extend the known ore grademineralisation northwest of pit 6 as well as connecting mineralised zones alongstrike between pits 1,2 and 3, and along strike between pits 4, 5 and 6. Table 4Highlights of Pit 6 Extension RC Drilling Results - NaimanjalHole Number Total Mineralised Width Gold Silver Equivalent Gold (g/t) Length (metres) Intercept In metres g/t g/t From ToRC-1 50 8 22 14 1.03 36.1 1.39RC-2 32 10 12 2 2.32 1.15 2.43RC-3 40 14 20 6 2.2 28.08 2.48RC-4 32 8 20 12 1.78 20.04 1.98RC-5 39 24 30 6 1.27 41.25 1.68RC-6 28 8 24 16 1.35 32.22 1.67RC-11 48 2 8 6 0.99 379 4.78RC-13 47 22 26 4 1.03 25.5 1.28 Table 5Highlights of Pit Connection Target Drilling Results - NaimanjalHole Number Total Mineralised Width Gold Silver Equivalent Gold (g/t) Length (metres) Intercept In metres g/t g/t From ToER 40 (core) 40.1 10.5 13.7 3.2 0.998 1.61 1.16ER 58 (core) 50.3 31.3 39.5 8.2 2.58 118 3.76ER 60 (core) 30.1 0.6 2.6 2.0 6.54 5.7 6.60ER 68 (core) 30.0 14.8 17.5 2.7 5.33 5.2 5.38ER 59 (core) 65.0 23.1 25.8 2.7 1.77 47.7 2.25 Baritovy Baritovy is a gold-silver satellite deposit to the Naimanjal mine. It is one ofsix mineralised satellite prospects, all located within the Naimanjal licensearea. In-pit RC Drilling, trenching and cross sectional interpretations revealedthat the Baritovy deposit consists of several sub-parallel, south-plunging oreshoots. All significant gold and silver mineralisation is in close proximity tothe existing Baritovy pit. Most recent exploration efforts focused uponoutlining the new near surface discovery immediately west of the pit. Table 6 Highlights of RC Drilling Results at BaritovyHole Number Total Length (metres) Mineralised Width In Gold Silver Equivalent Gold Intercept Metres g/t g/t g/t From ToBRC-1 37 4 12 8 2.21 1.15 2.22 28 30 2 1.76 1.0 1.77BRC-2 44 36 38 2 1.11 1.5 1.13BRC-6 36 8 20 12 1.68 29.9 1.98BRC-8 34 10 18 8 1.62 26.25 1.88BRC-12 28 4 8 4 1.45 2.37 1.47BRC-14 36 26 30 4 0.51 137.0 1.88 Table 7 Baritovy In-Pit Trenching ResultsTrench Total Length (metres) Mineralised Width In Gold Silver g/ Equivalent GoldNumber Intercept Metres t g/t g/tB-2 12 1.5-3 1.5 4.55 1.25 4.56B-4 16 0-6 6.0 4.25 10.07 4.35B-5 17 0-9.5 9.5 4.82 31.7 5.14B-6 11 0-7 7.0 5.64 83.57 6.48B-7 5 0-3 3 3.66 6.71 3.73B-8 4 0-4 4 3.24 41.8 3.66B-9 16 0-12 12 1.42 71.2 2.13B-10 15 5-7 2 0.60 2.56 0.62 Brian Savage, CEO of Frontier Mining, comments "The Naimanjal licence area is anapproved commercial discovery of approximately 170 square kilometres,representing a very large, highly mineralised region. The positive results ofour 2006 exploration programme demonstrate the real potential for further goldproducing deposits in this area. We will continue to release drill results asthey become available." Qualified Persons and QA/QC: Frontier Mining Ltd employ a robust QA/QC protocol which was designed by BehreDolbear & Company (USA), Inc. The quality control programme is independent ofthe assay laboratories internal QA/QC and involves the insertion of certifiedreference standards, quality control blanks and staged duplicates into eachbatch of samples. Behre Dolbear & Company (USA), Inc. have reviewed the assayresults for the certified reference standards, quality control blanks and stagedduplicates inserted during the 2006 exploration programme and confirm thatsample preparation and assaying has been of a very high standard. RC samples were split using a Jones type splitter and the sample was assayed atthe Naimanjal laboratory along with blanks and mineralized standards for eachdrill hole. Diamond drill core is cut into equal halves using a diamond drillsaw at the Companies core handling facility in Kurchatov. Samples are crushedand pulverized by Geochem Exploration LLP in Almaty and are assayed by AlexStewart Assayers at Kara Balta in Kyrgyzstan. Alex Stewart Assayers at KaraBalta operate an ISO accredited laboratory, participate in the biannual GeostatsPty Ltd round robin surveys of laboratory quality and are an internationalsubsidiary of the Alex Stewart Group. Enquiries: Frontier Mining Ltd Brian Savage +44 (0) 20 7898 9019Parkgreen Communications Cathy Malins / Annabel Leather +44 (0) 20 7851 7480 About Frontier Frontier Mining Ltd. is a mineral exploration and development company that wasincorporated in the state of Delaware, USA, on August 5, 1998 for the purpose ofexploring and developing gold and copper deposits in the Republic of Kazakhstan.Through its subsidiaries and affiliates, Frontier locates, evaluates,acquires, explores and develops mineral properties. Frontier has two licenses owned by its wholly owned subsidiaries in Kazakhstan.They are the Naimanjal exploration and mining licence, held by FML Kazakhstan,and the Baltemir exploration licence, held by Baltemir LLP. Frontier has oneproducing gold mine, Naimanjal; one pre-feasibility stage gold project,Koskuduk; and one exploration stage gold prospect, Baltemir. Frontier also has one potential copper porphyry deposit with associated gold andmolybdenum, Baitimir; and several copper/gold prospects along a 25-km trendincluding both VMS and porphyry types. Metallurgical tests on its Beschoku andYubileiny copper projects confirm the oxide copper ore is amenable to extractionusing low cost SX-EW technology. Frontier shares are traded on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange.Frontier has 132,979,597 ordinary shares issued and 6,197,091 outstandingoptions and warrants, giving 139,176,688 fully diluted ordinary shares. Further company information may be accessed at the Frontier Mining Ltd. websiteat: www.frontiermining.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange