The Company continued to progress exploration and evaluation of its Namibian tenement
reporting period. These tenement vanadium.
(OML), north east Namibia (Figure 1). The OML is a
application. There are four
These advanced projects have been the main focus of the Company's exploration efforts.
mines of the Otavi Mountain Land - Abenab and Christiana, (formerly Abenab West). Both mines have
Figure 1. Location of the Com pany's Namibian projects
trends. Each trend hosts at least
exploration target identified by a prospectivity review completed earlier. These trends and targets in priority order are as follows:
Figure 2. The location of Khusib Springs, Deblin, Nosib Block and Christiana in Golden Dee s Grootfontein Project, Otavi Mountainland,
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Khusib Trend
The Khusib
Trend is an east-west trending zone of copper anomalies and prospects locat
d around a
contact zone between dolomites and limestones. This is known as the T2/T3 contact position. The Khusib Trend is marked by the Pickaxe, Butterfly and Dogleg anomalies and trends northeast for over six kilometres, with the Khusib Springs copper mine located near the centre of the trend (Figure 3).
1.1 Khusib Springs Copper Mine
Khusib Springs was discovered and mined during the 1990s. Approximately 500,000t @ 10% Cu, 1.8% Pb and 584g/t Ag (unreferenced) was mined from Khusib Springs before its closure in 1997.
Goldfields actively explored the area around Khusib Springs during the 1990s using predominantly electrical geophysics. Records show that many anomalies were generated from this work but few of the conductors were effectively drill tested. The EM technique and loop locations may also not have been optimal. This leaves a significant opportunity for new discoveries in the area.
The area
around Khusib Springs
is considered highly prospective for additional high grade Cu-Pb-Ag
deposits similar to that of the mined out deposit. The area around the mine hosts a number of high-order anomalies generated from close-spaced soil geochemistry, geophysics and airborne magnetics.
Figure 3. Simplified geology of the Khusib Springs area showing Protem loops with high priority EM targets circled in green
A large volume of new information was acquired from the Tsumeb archives during the year. This information was in the form of hardcopy maps and reports, which were scanned and filed on the Perth office server. A large amount of underground survey data and underground drillhole data were converted to digital format from the scanned hardcopies. This allowed the generation of detailed 3D geological models. This ongoing work has added significant value to the project.
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Abenab-Nosib Trend
The Abenab Trend is defined by a series of V-Pb-Zn-Cu occurrences l
cated near the contact between the
Auros Shale and Maieberg Dolomites. The Christiana, Nosib Block, and Okurundu mines are located on this
contact position and
are the hig
est priority
targets. A
proximately
40km strike extent of
this highly
prospective trend lies within the Company's EPL3543.
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Christiana Zn-Pb-V Mine
Christiana is the largest historic m ne in the Grootfontein Base Metal Project and was formerly known as
Abenab West. The Abenab area pr
duced over 100,000t of Vanadium concentrates. Production figures from
Christiana itself are not known, but the workings extend over 800m of strike and to a depth of at least 380m below surface. In the underground mine, extensive level development is in place, but only selective mining has been undertaken, leaving broad zones of mineralisation in situ.
During the year further progress was made on the potential development of the "Zinc Reef" mineralisation at
Christiana.
High level scoping and test work indicate that a positive cash flow is possible fro
a potential
high grade mining operation on the project.
The Company continued discussions with several potential
buyers for a high grade zinc product and several potential contractors for proposed mining, mineral dressing and haulage operations.
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Nosib Block Cu Mine
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Figure 4. Azurite mineralisation in underground exposure at Nosib Block Mine
The historic Nosib copper mine is located on
the western end of the Abenab-Nosib Trend.
High grade
copper, lead, vanadium and silver are hosted in a sequence of tillites, conglomerates and felspathic sandstones (mine sequence) in contact with massive dolomites to the north (hanging wall) and basement granites to the south (footwall). The mine sequence is dipping moderately to the north and the mineralisation appears to be plunging to the north east.
The Company's sampling and mapping activities indicate that most of the copper mineralisation remains in situ. Level 1, 20m below surface, Level 2, 40m below surface and Level 3, 60m below surface have been
accessed, mapped and sampled. encountered on all levels.
Broad zones of strong copper, le
d, vanadium and silve
have been
In excess of 1,600m of strike have been identified to date containing several high priority exploration targets (Figure 7).
The Company's 3D modelling shows high grade continuity from surface to over 60m below surface. The mineralisation remains open in all directions.
Channel sample results from Level 1 included;
NOUG0001 6 m @ 9.30% Cu, 4.72% Pb & 7.92 g/t Ag*
NOUG0002 13m @ 2.32% Cu, 7.06% Pb, 6.85 g/t Ag*
NOUG0005 6 m @ 1.51% Cu, 10.59% Pb, 7.15 g/t
g & 1.12% V2O5*
NOUG0004 9 m @ 1.37% Cu, 10.37% Pb & 14.4 g/t Ag*
NOUG0006 6 m @ 1.38% Cu, 4.19% Pb, 3.53 g/t Ag, 0.45% Zn & 1.09% V2O5*
NOUG0003 16 m @ 0.68% Cu, 6.58% Pb & 5.5 g/t Ag*
NOUG0010 13m @ 1.99% Cu, 5.56% Pb, 2.30% V2O5, 20.56 g/t Ga*
Channel sample results from Levels 2 and 3 included;
NOUG0012 8 m @ 2.86% Cu, 3.13% Pb, 5.56 g/t Ag & 0.56% V2O5*
NOUG0018 6m @ 2.50% Cu, 40.00g/t Ag & 16.8g/t Ga*
NOUG0020 9m @ 3.10% Cu, 11.33g/t Ag, 10.84%
b, 3.12% V2O5 & 94.95g/t Ga*
*Refer to ASX announcement "More High Grade Copper, Lead, Silver Identified at Nosib", 20 Ja
uary 2014.
Several intersections contain anomalous levels of gallium, germanium and zinc, which show a similar metal association to the Tsumeb deposit located 26km to the northwest (30MT @ 4.3% Cu, 10% Pb, 3.5% Zn, 100g/t Ag and 50g/t Ge). This metal association has strong implications for the exploration and development potential of Nosib Block.
Figure 5. View looking WNW showing the underground workings in blue and 4% Cu Equivalent (CuEq)* 3D implic it model in red
*CuEq grade is calculated by combining the metals of interest based on their prices. In this case C % + (Zn% x 0.25) + (Pb% x 0.25) + (Ag ppm * 0.00625) + (V2O5% * 1.695) + CuEq%. It is used as a visualisation tool only and is required Nosib Block due to the poly metallic and strongly zoned nature of the mineralisation. In this situation a CuEq grade provides a better picture of the overall geometry of the mineralisation than using copper grade on its own.
Figure 6. Plan view of the Nosib Mine workings. To the east the pinch out position is shown and the potential san dstone host is shown extending to the west
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Askevold Trend
The Askevold Trend is defined by a series of copper occurrences and geochemical anomalies associated with a sheared contact between the Askevold Volcanics and the overlying Abenab Dolomites. A 30km strike length of this highly prospective contact position is held by the Company.
Historic data compilation, field map
ing, soil geochemistry and surface EM surveying has resulted in six high
priority targets on the Askevold Trend. They are the Deblin, Askevold South, Hartbeespoort South, Redrob,
Deblin South and Deblin West pros
ects (Figure 7).
Figure 7. The Askevold Trend showing geochemical anomalies and prospect locations. Debl n, Askevold Sou th, Hartbeespoort South and
Redrob are the highest priority prospects
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Deblin Copper Mine
Earlier drilling and subsequent geological modelling by
Deeps resulted in several significant copper
intersections at the Deblin prospect. Further drilling is required to extend and confirm the geometry and mineralisation and to allow a JORC compliant copper mineral resource to be estimated.
Broad intersections of mineralisation resulted in a revised structural interpretation for Deblin. The new model suggests faulting and thrusting to be the main controls rather than folding. The interpreted thrust positions and their related structures will be targeted for thick accumulations of copper mineralisation similar to those intersected in DBDD0002 (Figure 8).
Importantly, most mineralisation encountered at Deblin to date is within 100 metres of surface
The simple
mineralogy of the Deblin deposit, the presence of a broad low-grade halo of copper mineralisation (in excess of 60 m) around the thickest intercept, and the newly interpreted geometry of the deposit make Deblin potentially amenable to open cut mining.
Figure 8. Interpreted geological cross section at 758545mE, looking west, and showing drillholes DBDD0001 and DBDD0002, new drill targets and new structural interpretation
Figure 9. Geological Map of Deblin showing the channel sample locations and drillhole collars
Figure 10. Interpreted longitudinal projection of Deblin looking north. Note that historic drill intercepts and tra ces have been digitised from historic interpreted sections. Several drill collar locations have been confirmed in the field but hard copy as says and drill cores are not available
The results to date demonstrate the potential for Deblin to host a signifi ant copper deposit and highlight the prospectivity of the Askevold Copper Trend.
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Deblin West
Deblin West was identified in 2012 by the use of close spaced soil sampling programs. The sampling identified two high amplitude (+1000ppm Cu, or 0.1% Cu) geochemical anomalies directly along strike to the west of the Deblin deposit (Figures 11 and 12). The anomalies are approximately 1km and 1.8km west of Deblin. Both anomalies are similar in size and amplitude to the Deblin gossan anomaly, which is believed to be the surface expression of the Deblin copper mineralisation.
Followup work discovered a zone of strong
outcropping copper mineralisation at Anomaly 1. The
outcropping including:
mineralisation was channel sampled and mapped in d
tail, with very encouraging results
16 m @ 1.21% Cu & 2.11 g/t Ag including 2 m @ 5.38% Cu & 5.45 g/t Ag in DBCS0008 20 m @ 1.02% Cu & 8.53 g/t Ag in DBCS0009
Followup drilling did not intersect any significant mineralisation beneath the outcrop at Anomaly 1, but only one hole was drilled at the time. The hole intersected Askevold Volcanics from very close to surface and was therefore likely collared too far north to effectively test the target. This anomaly requires further work to locate the source of the surface mineralisation.
Figure 11. Geological map of the Deblin area showing the location of Anomaly 1 and channel samples D BCS0008 to DBCS0011
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Deblin South
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The FLTEM survey conducted during the 2012 detected three strong conductors at Deblin South, approximately 600m south of the Deblin Copper Mine. Four holes have been designed to test the three separate conductive bodies.
Figure 12. Locations of the Deblin West geochemical anomalies and the Deblin South FLTEM conductors
