Less Ads, More Data, More Tools Register for FREE

Pin to quick picksKatoro Gold Regulatory News (KAT)

  • There is currently no data for KAT

Haneti Nickel Project Update

9 Jul 2019 14:00

RNS Number : 9698E
Katoro Gold PLC
09 July 2019
 

 

Katoro Gold plc (Incorporated in England and Wales)

(Registration Number: 9306219)

Share code on AIM: KAT

ISIN: GB00BSNBL022

("Katoro" or "the Company")

 

Dated: 9 July 2019

Katoro Gold PLC ('Katoro' or the 'Company')

Haneti Project - Lithium Prospectivity and New Licences

 

Katoro Gold PLC (AIM: KAT), the Tanzanian focused exploration and development company, is pleased to provide an update in respect of its 75% owned Haneti Nickel Project ('Haneti' or the 'Project') in Tanzania.

 

Summary:

· As part of regional exploration reconnaissance, the Haneti exploration team have identified several pegmatite outcrops included within two abandoned artisanal pits;

 

· The pegmatites appear to intrude along the sheared contact between granite gneisses and serpentinised ultramafic rocks and consist of coarse quartz, lepidolite, and red and black tourmaline;

 

· Lepidolite contains significant lithium and its presence may be indicative of the presence of lithium minerals such as spodumene and petalite. These pegmatites can also prove prospective for rare earth elements as well as other exotic minerals such as tantalite-columbite;

 

· There is a clear indication for further exploration work in this area and Eagle Exploration Ltd, the Tanzanian subsidiary of Katoro which holds 100 per cent. of Haneti and which the Company has a 75 per cent. interest in, has applied for five additional exploration licences in the area covering the zones of interest; and

 

· A further work programme is being developed which may include a regional desktop study, detailed field mapping and geochemical analysis, principally to identify lithium bearing minerals including spodumene and petalite and to assess the extent of any mineralisation identified.

 

Louis Coetzee, Executive Chairman of Katoro commented: "The main thrust of our work to date at Haneti has been exploration for nickel sulphides, and we will be publishing details of the planned drill programme in this regard shortly.

 

Notwithstanding the nickel sulphide focus, work completed to date has also identified the potential for lithium and rare earth element mineralisation and we have decided to investigate this potential immediately, and in parallel to our nickel drill programme.

 

Recognising the findings, we have moved to rapidly secure licence ground to cover the areas of interest and may extend this licence coverage, should additional zones of interest be identified.

 

These are exciting times for Katoro as we move into the initial fully funded drilling phase for nickel sulphides and now undertake work to investigate lithium prospectivity."

 

 

Background to the Haneti Nickel Project

 

Katoro has a 75% interest in Haneti, a highly prospective, high-grade nickel sulphide asset in Tanzania. Development of Haneti is being advanced in tandem with its joint venture partner, Power Metal Resources plc (LON:POW) ("Power Metal") (previously called African Battery Metals plc), which has the remaining 25% interest in Haneti and a right to acquire a further 10% interest from Katoro to increase its interest to 35%, through a cash payment of £25,000 to Katoro, until 15 May 2020.

 

The Company and Power Metal have been undertaking a review and analysis of all historic work completed on the 5,000 sq. km polymetallic Project and believe that it could host a chonolith type nickel sulphide deposit. Previous work undertaken, totalling approximately US$1.5 million, has identified grades of up to 13.59% nickel with additional gold, cobalt, platinum values and some significant lithium anomalies. Additionally, independent work, undertaken by Western Geophysics Pty, underlined the potential of Haneti to host a substantial nickel sulphide deposit.

 

In 2012/13, the Geological Survey of Tanzania ('GST') conducted a high resolution airborne geophysical survey covering an area of approximately 12,000 sq. km. The GST survey outlined mafic-ultramafic zones with strike lengths of 10-20 km (northwest zone), 30 km (southwest zone) and 80 km (central zone), extending the footprint of the known nickel sulphide prospective Haneti-Itiso Ultramafic Complex ('HIUC').

 

Haneti lies within the ground area covered by the HIUC and, following the findings above, was subject to an independent geochemical interpretation, which identified the Mihanza Hill area as a prime drill target for nickel, copper and PGM mineralisation. The findings from the geochemical interpretation report and the in-house review thereon was sent to Perth based geophysical consultants, Spinifex Geophysics, for detailed processing and interpretation to better understand the geology of Haneti and to generate new target areas particularly for nickel, copper and platinum group metals (PGM) style mineralisation.

 

A follow up extensive soil sampling programme was then undertaken, the results of which were announced by Katoro on 20 May 2019. This extended the strike length of previously identified high priority areas and the findings have been utilised to inform planning for a proposed drill programme. Furthermore, it also identified a new, previously unidentified exploration target.

 

Following further review of the accumulated work undertaken, the JV partners have agreed to immediately implement a drill programme at two of the Project's key targets: Mihanza Hill and Mwaka Hill. At the primary target, Mihanza Hill, a high magnetic anomaly was modelled using a 3D inversion modelling technique to better understand how the magnetic signature varied with depth. The results indicate that there is a considerable 'root' to the Mihanza Hill ultramafic outcrop, which points to a large volume of rock that could have positive implications for the differentiation of nickel sulphide rich magmas and provides a large volume of nickel prospective target rock at this location.

 

The main objective of the 2019 exploration work programme will be to ascertain the existence of disseminated or massive sulphide mineralisation at the identified high priority exploration targets. Using a variety of exploration techniques, the programme will seek to define a future drilling programme. Further information regarding this programme, including more extensive information on the drilling methodology and additional geological rationale for the targets selected for drilling, will be provided in due course.

 

**ENDS**

 

This announcement contains inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) no. 596/2014.

 

For further information please visit www.katorogold.com or contact:

 

 

 

Louis Coetzee

 

louisc@katorogold.com

Katoro Gold plc

Executive Chairman

Richard Tulloch

+44 (0) 20 7409 3494

Strand Hanson Limited

Nominated Adviser

Ritchie Balmer

Georgia Langoulant

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ben Tadd

Tom Curran

 

+44 (0) 203 7000 093

SVS Securities

Broker

Isabel de Salis

Gaby Jenner

+44 (0) 207 236 1177

St Brides Partners Ltd

Investor and Media Relations Adviser

 

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
 
END
 
 
UPDLLFSLDAIAIIA
Date   Source Headline
13th Jul 20189:49 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
9th Jul 201811:15 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
26th Jun 20187:00 amRNSAdmission of Placing Shares
22nd Jun 20187:15 amRNSAcquisition of Nickel Project & Placing
15th Jun 201811:05 amRNSSecond Price Monitoring Extn
15th Jun 201811:00 amRNSPrice Monitoring Extension
11th Jun 201810:52 amRNSResult of AGM
24th May 20187:00 amRNSImweru Project Update
10th May 20185:13 pmRNSPosting of Annual Report and Notice of AGM
27th Apr 201810:40 amRNSFinal Results
20th Mar 20187:00 amRNSProject Update
12th Mar 20189:09 amRNSHolding(s) in Company
9th Mar 20187:00 amRNSProject Update
6th Mar 20183:21 pmRNSNew Corporate Broker
2nd Mar 201811:58 amRNSStatement re broker
17th Jan 20189:44 amRNSHoldings in Company
11th Jan 20181:26 pmRNSIssue of Fee Shares and Total Voting Rights
18th Dec 201711:25 amRNSBoard Appointment
14th Dec 20177:00 amRNSImweru Project Update
24th Nov 20171:36 pmRNSHolding(s) in Company
24th Nov 20177:00 amRNSImweru PFS expanded to Include a LiDAR Survey
16th Nov 20177:00 amRNSAppointment of Adviser
30th Oct 20177:00 amRNSImweru project update
28th Sep 20177:45 amRNSImweru Project Update
27th Sep 20177:00 amRNSInterim Results
13th Sep 20177:00 amRNSPhase 1 of the Imweru ESIA Completed Successfully
31st Aug 20177:00 amRNSSubmission of Imweru Laboratory Samples
20th Jul 20177:00 amRNSImweru Drill Programme Complete
12th Jul 20177:00 amRNSImweru Drill Programme Ahead of Schedule
4th Jul 20177:00 amRNSComment on Proposed Legislative Change in Tanzania
28th Jun 20172:37 pmRNSResult of AGM
15th Jun 20177:00 amRNSImweru Drill Programme Update
2nd Jun 20179:00 amRNSNotice of AGM
2nd Jun 20178:00 amRNSLake Victoria Early Stage Licence Portfolio Update
1st Jun 20177:00 amRNSMCPP Receives Formal Reconfirmation
31st May 20177:00 amRNSUpdate on Katoro Gold PLC: Imweru Gold Project
31st May 20177:00 amRNSWork on Imweru Gold Project Commences
26th May 201711:00 amRNSFull Year Results 2016
23rd May 20179:25 amRNSAdmission to AIM and First Day of Dealings
22nd May 201712:40 pmRNSResult of GM, Cancellation and Admission to AIM
5th May 20178:00 amRNSCompletion of Acquisition,Placing and Notice of GM
11th Apr 20174:50 pmRNSFinal Results
11th Apr 20174:43 pmRNSPotential Transaction and Cancellation of Listing
7th Mar 20175:49 pmRNSChange of Registered Office and Company Secretary
2nd Mar 201710:30 amRNSStatement re Potential Transaction
2nd Dec 20167:00 amRNSStatement re Potential Acquisition
23rd Sep 20167:45 amRNSStatement re Potential Acquisition
18th Jul 201611:48 amRNSDirector/PDMR Shareholding
15th Jul 20167:00 amRNSHalf-year Report
11th Jul 201610:20 amRNSHolding in Company

Due to London Stock Exchange licensing terms, we stipulate that you must be a private investor. We apologise for the inconvenience.

To access our Live RNS you must confirm you are a private investor by using the button below.