JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed Premier African Minerals has been awarded new exploration tenements in central Benin, after it concluded a convention with the West African country’s Ministry of Mines.
Obligations under the convention would see Premier spend a minimum of $125 000 in the first year.
The rights would be held by Premier's 100%-owned subsidiary G&B African Resources Benin SARL.
Premier's aim was to explore existing artisanal mines, while identifying further targets through satellite image interpretation.
The 249.75 km² exploration permit contained numerous tantalum-bearing pegmatites with overlying eluvial resources, as well as potential gem-quality tourmaline and aquamarine.
"The area under license has seen active artisanal working for cassiterite, tantalite and coloured gemstones. Early trenching has confirmed at least three extensive pegmatite structures and assay results from initial sampling are expected in the near future. Visible tantalum mineralisation, gem-quality tourmaline off surface and other indicators for coloured gemstones are most encouraging.
“Premier intends to assess these tenements for possible fast-track development in the same way as we have approached [our] RHA Tungsten and Zulu Tantalum and Lithium projects,” CEO George Roach commented.
With the company's strategy to target low cost near-term mining opportunities, exploration activities would concentrate on the tantalite-bearing eluvial cover over the pegmatites. These were easy to evaluate by pitting or auger drilling and could be mined at low cost.