During the break in the drilling program, Midlands has been able to
better define drill targets through a combination of
geological reinterpretation of the airborne geophysical survey and a
new MMI geochemical survey capable of detecting gold anomalism below
cover. The redefining of drill targets is an ongoing
process. These advancements, in conjunction, have indicated that Sian
Praso comprises a zone where major ENE-trending lineaments control the
location of multiple NNE-trending gold mineralised zones.
Please click on the links below for maps of contoured
geochemical anomalies:
www.midlandsminerals.com/press_releases/images/DTM_Drill_Holes_Geology_JUN11.pdf
www.midlandsminerals.com/press_releases/images/DTM_Drill_Holes_Geochem1_JUN11.pdf
The ENE-trending lineaments trace back broadly to those that control
the location of the giant Ashanti/Obuasi and Akyem gold deposits to
the northwest and southwest respectively. The NNE-trending structures
are in the same orientation as Chirano and Bibiani gold mines on the Sefwi
Gold Belt and the Abore and Obotan gold mines on the Asankrangwa Gold
Belt.
At Sian-Praso, the intersection of these lineaments has produced a very
broad zone of gold anomalism over an area of 15 square
kilometres. Within this, there is a particularly focussed zone
immediately to the north of, and to the south and west of the Esaase open
pit. Initial diamond drill holes will test a NNE-trending mineralised
zone. At the same time, ground follow-up, including trenching, is
being used to rank a number of robust geochemical targets to the east,
south and southwest of the Esaase open pit. These will be drilled in the
coming weeks as assay results are further interpreted.
Another newly defined zone of renewed interest is the granite contact
with the volcanic rocks to the west of the Esaase open pit. A major
gold geochemical anomaly lies along this contact, extending for 1.2
kilometres along strike. Some previous reconnaissance drilling in
2007/2008, defined thick intersections of 1.1 g/t over 29 metres Au and 25
metres at 0.6 g/t Au in the Mpeyo area (drill holes MERC035 and MERC040),
(please refer to News Release of January 8, 2008). This raises the
potential for bulk low-grade mineralisation along the granite contact, as
in other deposits elsewhere in the world.
Kim Harris, President and CEO of Midlands, said, "Our new geochemical
results are very exciting and provide an excellent foundation for
renewed diamond drilling at Sian/Praso. We seem to have the right
combination of structural controls and coincident geochemical anomalies to
help us select drill targets and increase our 0.6 moz gold resource."
The technical information in this news release has been reviewed by Tom
Neelands, P.Geo., a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 and
David Groves, Ph.D., a Technical Advisor to Midlands Minerals
Corporation.
Quality Assurance and Quality Control
With reverse circulation (RC) drilling, the chips are split on site
into two 2 kg samples, where one is kept for reference and the other is
sent to a qualified laboratory. A three-tablespoon portion of the 1.0
m sample is screened to greater than 1 mm, washed, logged and stored in
plastic trays for reference. All RC samples were sent to the SGS
Laboratory in Tarkwa, Ghana, where they were assayed using standard
50-gram fire assay with atomic absorption finish. Quality control
included the submission of blanks and standards, which represented 10% of
the total samples submitted. Intercepts shown above were calculated
using a minimum of a 0.5 g/t cut-off.
ABOUT MIDLANDS MINERALS
Midlands is a growth oriented and value based gold exploration company
operating in Ghana and Tanzania, two stable countries with a history of
gold mining. Midlands' top priority project is the fully permitted
Sian gold project in Ghana. The Sian property contains Esaase and
Ampeha, two previously producing open pit mines with a resource with
significant growth potential. Midlands' contiguous Kwahu Praso
project, which was once part of Sian, contains extensions of the Esaase
and Ampeha trends. Sian and Praso are just 30 kilometres northeast of
Newmont Mining's +8.7 million-ounce Akyem gold deposit.
Midlands' second priority project in Ghana is the highly prospective
Kaniago gold project, which is located on the Asankrangwa Gold Belt and is
contiguous to two past open pit gold producers – Abore to the north and
Obotan to the south.
Midlands also holds highly prospective licences for gold and diamonds
in the Lake Victoria Goldfields in Tanzania, including its advanced
Itilima Gold Project, which lies within the Geita-Bulyanhulu-Sekenke
Trend, which is host to over 40 million ounces in gold reserves, and has
now added to its Tanzania portfolio with the acquisition of the New
Kilindi-Handeni prospecting licences.
The Company has a highly qualified management and technical team with
broad African experience and extensive experience in the countries in
which the Company operates. For more information on the Company,
please visit Midlands' website at www.midlandsminerals.com.
On behalf of the Board
Kim Harris, President and Chief Executive Officer
