Bauxite Resources Limited (ASX: BAU)
ASX RELEASE 20 January 2009
SIGNIFICANT HIGH-GRADE BAUXITE MINERALISATION INTERSECTED AT
NORTH AND SOUTH DARLING RANGE PROJECTS
* Close spaced drilling in the Brunswick Junction region confirmed continuity of high-grade mineralisation identified by historic drilling at Blackboy Hollow with intersections including:
� 5m at 34.8% Available Al2O3, 2.6% Reactive SiO2 and
� 4m at 35.2% Available Al2O3, 2.8% Reactive SiO2.
* Regional scout drilling at the Shenton Ridge and Martin Road prospects delineated targets for systematic pattern drilling to identify the significance of bauxite mineralisation present. Better intersections include:
� 3m at 30.7% Available Al2O3, 2.7% Reactive SiO2; and
� 3m at 33.3% Available Al2O3, 4.2% Reactive SiO2.
* Reconnaissance exploration drilling is continuing at both the Shenton Ridge and Martin Road prospects.
* Drilling in the Bindoon region intersects thick blankets of bauxite mineralisation including:
� 6m at 31.6% Available Al2O3, 2.7% Reactive SiO2; and
� 5m at 34.6% Available Al2O3, 3.0% Reactive SiO2.
Perth-based bauxite explorer, Bauxite Resources Limited (ASX: BAU; �BRL�), is pleased to announce the results of recent drilling activities at its North and South Darling Ranges Bauxite Projects in Western Australia. Assays have returned excellent grades and widths of mineralisation from the first 113 holes, providing further support for the Company�s objective of developing a high-grade Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) bauxite export business later this year.
Together these areas underlie part of BRL�s extensive 11,000km� tenement holdings in the Darling Ranges, located east of Perth in Western Australia.
Drilling at the Dewars Prospect in the Bindoon region, consist of infill drilling of the historical CSR/Pacminex drilling. These assay results indicate that the gibbsitic bauxite mineralisation is low in reactive silica and the bauxite laterites are continuous in grade and thickness. The drilling results forms part of the exploration data of the maiden resource announcement last week of an Inferred Resource of 18.2Mt at a grade of 43.1% Total Al2O3, 31.6 Available Al2O3 and 3.2% Reactive Silica.
Drilling programmes completed in the Brunswick Junction area, have targeted bauxite mineralisation at the Shenton Ridge and Martin Road Prospects. Scout drilling at Shenton Ridge is being carried out on close spaced drill patterns where higher Available Al2O3 grades are intercepted. The regional exploration drilling is targeting new areas of bauxite mineralisation at surface and to date have received encouraging higher grade intersections of Available Al2O3.
The objective of the drilling programme in the Brunswick Junction and Bindoon regions is to confirm historical drill results, determine the significance of mineralisation present and obtain samples for mineralogical characteristics studies (see Figure 1).
Significant bauxite mineralisation from the drilling has been intersected in both the Bindoon and Brunswick Junction regions, highlighting the excellent exploration potential of BRL�s ground position. To date BRL has received assay results from the first 113 holes and further assay results are pending as drilling progresses. In the Brunswick Junction region, BRL has agreements in place with private property owners to explore and mine bauxite from a number of properties where the ground is outside the ambit of the Mining Act. Drilling at Brunswick Junction targeted the Shenton Ridge and Martin Road prospects.
Shenton Ridge Prospect
At the Shenton Ridge prospect, historic drilling by Project Mining Corporation (PMC) intersected bauxite mineralisation up to 5m at 36.4% Available Al2O3 from an extensive laterite plateau. A close spaced drill pattern has been completed over high-grade bauxite mineralisation at Blackboy Hollow within an existing Planning Consent and Extractive Industries Licence, and scout drilling has been commenced on a 200m by 200m spacing over the remainder of the laterite plateau.
Results from this drilling have defined a high-grade pod of bauxite mineralisation at Blackboy Hollow that is open to the north and east. Results from Blackboy Hollow drilling are presented in Table 1 and Figure 2.
Initial results from scout drilling over sections of the laterite plateau at Shenton Ridge have defined coherent zones of anomalous bauxite mineralisation. This first-pass drilling is ongoing with infill drilling of bauxite mineralisation planned in the near future. Assay results from the Shenton Ridge scout drilling are show in Table 1 and collar locations are plotted on Figure 2.
Martin Road Prospect
Historic PMC drilling at the Martin Road Prospect intersected significant bauxite mineralisation associated with lateritic ridges in the Mornington region. BRL has commenced scout drilling on a 200m by 200m spacing with initial results delineating zones of anomalous bauxite mineralisation requiring infill drilling. Assay results from the Martin Road drilling are shown in Table 2 and collar locations are plotted on Figure3.
Bindoon Prospect
Close-spaced drilling was completed over areas of historical drilling by CSR/Pacminex Pty Ltd at the Dewars prospect to obtain representative samples for mineralogical characterisation studies from the Bindoon region. This drilling is located within the maiden JORC resource area announced last week and demonstrates the quality of bauxite mineralisation present. Assay results from the Bindoon drilling are shown in Table 3.
Summary
Commenting on the results, BRL�s Managing Director, Mr Daniel Tenardi, said: �If you take into account the recent signing of MOU�s with Chinese interests and our recently announced 18.2Mt Inferred Resource, we are now clearly gathering significant momentum towards our goal of becoming a bauxite producer this year, with these drilling results giving us a strong platform on which to define further high-grade resources.�
�We are now entering a critical time in our short history and the next few months will be very active in terms of ramping up feasibility studies, increasing knowledge of the resource base and securing infrastructure arrangements that are crucial to getting the project up and running this year,� he added.
-ENDS-
For more information please contact:
Mr Dan Tenardi Mr Brad Farmer
Managing Director Public Affairs
Ph: +618 9221 5019 Ph: +618 9221 5019
Mobile: 0409 106 022 Mobile: 0413 031 870
email: dtenardi@bauxiteresources.com.au email: bfarmer@bauxiteresources.com.au
BACKGROUND
Bauxite Resources Limited was founded in May 2006 for the purpose of securing tenements over land deemed prospective for bauxite mineralisation. BRL listed on the ASX on 22 October 2007 after closing its A$7.5 million IPO early and oversubscribed.
The Company is establishing itself in the bauxite and alumina industries in Western Australia and is the only ASX-listed junior bauxite explorer in the highly prospective Darling Range. This area in Western Australia is acknowledged as the largest producing alumina region in the world supplying approximately 18% of the world�s alumina and the location of Alcoa�s Huntly Mine, the largest producing bauxite mine in the world. The Darling Range is also the site of four alumina refineries; three of these are in the top five for lowest operating costs globally which is principally due to the gibbsite composition of the Darling Range bauxite, and it�s low reactive silica.
To date, the WA-owned Company has applied for 59 tenements in the four project areas of North Darling Range, South Darling Range, East Darling Range and Kimberley. The Darling Range tenements cover over 11,000km2 and the Kimberley tenements cover approximately 1,100km2.
Bauxite Resources is primarily focused on defining an initial sustainable economic bauxite resource sufficient to support a >3Mtpa DSO bauxite project. In the longer term the Company is reviewing opportunities for the development of an alumina refinery and possible smelter.
The recent signing of MOU�s with state-sanctioned Chinese interests has further strengthened BRL�s firm position as an emerging and significant resource entity.
Table 1. Results from Drilling on the Shenton Ridge Prospect, January 2009
Hole ID | MGA N (Zone 50) | MGA E (Zone 50) | Depth (m) | Intersections |
From | To | Interval (m) | Avail. Al2O3 % | Re. SiO2 % | Total Al2O3 % | Total SiO2 % | Fe2O3 % | LOI % |
Blackboy Hollow |
SRV007 | 6,317,250 | 397,250 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 (EOH) | 28.5 | 10.7 | 38.7 | 20.4 | 18.2 | 20.3 |
SRV010 | 6,317,300 | 397,250 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 (EOH) | 40.6 | 11.4 | 28.7 | 37.9 | 18.6 | 13.3 |
SRV013 | 6,317,400 | 397,340 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 4 (EOH) | 35.2 | 2.8 | 41.6 | 21.3 | 14.7 | 21.0 |
SRV014 | 6,317,400 | 397,300 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 (EOH) | 30.1 | 2.6 | 40.5 | 26.8 | 13.9 | 16.8 |
SRV022 | 6,317,500 | 397,250 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 (EOH) | 35.6 | 4.3 | 42.7 | 23.8 | 9.7 | 21.9 |
SRV024 | 6,317,600 | 397,250 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 28.3 | 3.5 | 38.2 | 28.3 | 12.4 | 19.2 |
SRV025 | 6,317,600 | 397,300 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 31.9 | 5.2 | 40.0 | 26.6 | 11.0 | 20.8 |
SRV026 | 6,317,600 | 397,350 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 31.8 | 2.8 | 42.1 | 17.9 | 18.9 | 19.3 |
SRV027 | 6,317,550 | 397,350 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 30.3 | 3.8 | 37.5 | 23.1 | 19.1 | 18.6 |
SRV028 | 6,317,550 | 397,300 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 (EOH) | 34.8 | 2.6 | 41.0 | 22.8 | 13.1 | 21.3 |
SRV029 | 6,317,550 | 397,250 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 31.6 | 3.2 | 39.9 | 24.6 | 13.7 | 20.0 |
SRV031 | 6,317,500 | 397,300 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 (EOH) | 34.9 | 2.5 | 39.9 | 24.7 | 11.5 | 22.1 |
SRV032 | 6,317,500 | 397,350 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 31.2 | 2.7 | 42.9 | 18.1 | 16.9 | 20.3 |
SRV033 | 6,317,450 | 397,350 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 5 (EOH) | 32.7 | 2.1 | 42.6 | 20.0 | 15.6 | 20.2 |
SRV034 | 6,317,450 | 397,300 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 (EOH) | 33.0 | 2.8 | 39.0 | 28.3 | 11.0 | 20.2 |
Scout Drilling (200m by 200m spacing) |
SRV039 | 6316600 | 397600 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 28.0 | 3.5 | * | * | * | * |
SRV053 | 6315800 | 397700 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 (EOH) | 28.3 | 3.1 | * | * | * | * |
SRV057 | 6316800 | 397400 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 30.8 | 5.6 | * | * | * | * |
SRV058 | 6316800 | 397200 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 (EOH) | 30.7 | 2.7 | * | * | * | * |
SRV063 | 6317000 | 397800 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 33.7 | 2.9 | * | * | * | * |
SRV064 | 6317000 | 398000 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 (EOH) | 28.5 | 5.3 | * | * | * | * |
Available Al2O3 and Reactive SiO2 analysed by bomb digest at 143 �C / ICP05 at SGS. Total Al2O3, SiO2 and Fe2O3 analysed by XRF at SGS. Intersections calculated using a lower cutoff of 27% Available Al2O3, minimum width of 1m and maximum of 1m internal waste. EOH denotes intersection to end of hole. * Results from pending. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Figure 1: Location of drilling programs on North and South Darling Range projects.
Figure 2: Maximum Available Al2O3 in recent drilling at the Shenton Ridge Prospect, Brunswick Junction.
Table 2. Results from drilling on the Martin Road Prospect, January 2009
Hole ID | MGA N (Zone 50) | MGA E (Zone 50) | Depth (m) | Intersections |
From | To | Interval(m) (m) | Avail Al2O3 | Re. SiO2 |
MR003 | 6329050 | 399380 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 33.3 | 4.2 |
MR004 | 6328871 | 399378 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 36.4 | 3.6 |
MR008 | 6329050 | 399180 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 EOH) | 28.9 | 4.9 |
MR010 | 6329000 | 398980 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 (EOH) | 27.7 | 3.9 |
MR011 | 6329000 | 400000 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 28.0 | 6.5 |
MR020 | 6329800 | 399201 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 (EOH) | 30.7 | 3.7 |
MR021 | 6329992 | 399203 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 27.5 | 4.0 |
MR025 | 6329400 | 399000 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 (EOH) | 28.6 | 9.1 |
Available Al2O3 and Reactive SiO2 analysed by bomb digest at 143 �C / ICP05 by SGS. Intersections calculated using a lower cutoff of 27% Available Al2O3, minimum width of 1m and maximum of up to 1m internal waste. EOH denotes intersection to end of hole. Results from Total Al2O3, Fe2O3, SiO2 and LOI pending. |
Figure 3: Maximum Available Al2O3 in recent drilling at the Martin Road Prospect, Brunswick Junction.
Table 3. Results from drilling on the Bindoon region, January 2009
Hole ID | MGA N (Zone 50) | MGA E (Zone 50) | Depth (m) | Intersections |
From | To | Interval (m) | Avail. Al2O3 | Re. SiO2 | Total Al2O3 | Total SiO2 | Fe2O3 | LOI |
BDV001 | 6533050 | 420600 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 32.7 | 2.3 | 41.5 | 6.6 | 26.8 | 22.2 |
BDV003 | 6533150 | 420550 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 31.2 | 1.0 | 42.8 | 2.6 | 29.2 | 19.1 |
BDV005 | 6533100 | 420550 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 27.8 | 3.8 | 37.7 | 6.3 | 32.7 | 19.2 |
BDV039 | 6533100 | 420650 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 6 (EOH) | 30.1 | 4.3 | 36.6 | 7.6 | 33.2 | 19.4 |
BDV041 | 6533150 | 420650 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 28.7 | 0.9 | 39.3 | 1.9 | 36.5 | 18.0 |
BDV050 | 6533050 | 420700 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 31.6 | 2.7 | 38.2 | 3.9 | 35.9 | 18.7 |
BDV051 | 6533100 | 420700 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 35.8 | 4.2 | 42.8 | 7.6 | 24.5 | 22.0 |
BDV052 | 6533150 | 420700 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 34.6 | 3.0 | 43.3 | 7.0 | 24.3 | 22.3 |
BDV056 | 6533150 | 420600 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 28.8 | 1.5 | 43.0 | 3.2 | 30.6 | 17.5 |
Available Al2O3 and Reactive SiO2 analysed by bomb digest at 143 �C / ICP05 by SGS. Total Al2O3, SiO2 and Fe2O3 analysed by XRF at SGS. Intersections calculated using a lower cutoff of 27% Available Al2O3, minimum width of 1m and maximum of 1m internal waste. EOH denotes intersection to end of hole. |
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