21 Nov 2011 07:00
21 November 2011
Sovereign Mines of Africa PLC
("the Company")
Drilling Programme Underway
at Mandiana Magana, Republic of Guinea
As reported in the Interim Results on 23 September, the Company has been searching for a reverse circulation ("RC") drill to supplement its diamond drilling programme, which was postponed due to the exceptionally severe weather at the time. The rainy season has now ended and our Country Manager who was appointed in September has mobilised a team to repair the access roads and prepare the camp and drill sites.
Although rigs of any kind for gold exploration are currently in high demand in West Africa, and as such extremely difficult to secure, we have been able to secure a RC rig for a 3,000 metres drilling programme. Mobilisation has now been completed and no technical difficulties have been encountered and management is very confident that the drilling programme will be completed within the next few weeks.
The RC drill programme involves a head-to-toe profile of inclined drill holes across four zones of gold mineralisation, selected on the basis of fieldwork to date. These holes are being drilled at a 60 degree inclination to the base of oxidation at approximately 70 metres vertical depth. The zones enriched in gold are along an open-ended, North West trending corridor which is about six kilometres in strike and, which have been intensely and episodically mined by artisans over many decades. This is the first time any part of this major mineralising system has been drill tested.
As the Company also announced on 23 September, the diamond drilling contractor found it impossible to generate any momentum, or to retrieve consistently acceptable core recovery from the two holes which they were able to complete, largely due to the extremely weathered and friable rock formation and the large amounts of surface water resulting from torrential rains. The diamond drilling team are, however, planning to return to the site within the next four weeks. On the basis of what they learnt about the ground conditions in July and August, they are optimistic of being able to retrieve core-samples, which will adequately support a compliant mineral resource estimate. This diamond drilling programme will be undertaken using the diamond rig which has remained on site during the rainy season.
John Barry, Exploration Director, commented:
"The RC drilling is generating good samples for assessing gold enrichment and extent. Core recovery from the diamond drilling, which it is anticipated will recommence as soon as the RC programme has been completed, should provide detailed geological information about the structural controls and style of mineralisation."
Shareholders will be informed of any further material developments as they arise.
Mr John Barry PGeo, MSc, MBA, is an economic geologist with 23 years experience in exploration for gold and is a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101. Mr John Barry is the Exploration Director of Sovereign Mines of Africa, and is responsible for the preparation of the technical information in this release.
Ends
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