JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Australia-listed diversified-metals group Marengo Mining on Tuesday reported that it had started diamond drilling at its Kombruku copper/molybdenum/gold prospect, in Papua New Guinea.

The diamond drilling was focusing on priority targets confirmed by a programme of ground geophysics, which was completed over about 40% of the prospect area. Five drill holes have been selected, and additional holes will be added as the programme proceeded.

Marengo said in a statement that mapping and surface sampling at Kombruku, completed earlier this year, had established that the prospect covered an area of around 8 km², and appeared to be related to a north-west tending structures, northerly tending extensional structures, porphyry intrusives, and related skarns within a granodiorite host.

“The discovery of mineralisation at Kombruku represents a significant strategic development for the Yandera project, opening up an important new exploration front for the company outside of the Yadera central porphyry, which is the focus of the current definitive feasibility study,” the company said in a statement.

The Yandera feasibility study, which was scheduled for completion by December next year, was based on an openpit mining operation, initially processing at 25-million tons a year, with the potential to increase to a long-term rate of around 50-million tons a year.

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