Dual-listed URU Metals says Zeb Nickel will shortly start geotechnical drilling at the Zeb project, as part of dolomitic stability investigation for the proposed mining infrastructure area which forms part of Zeb’s mining right application to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).

URU successfully completed the disposal of the project to Zeb Nickel in August 2021 and the project remains the primary focus of URU through its 74.82% interest in Zeb Nickel.

The mining right application submitted to the DMRE earmarks certain areas on the project for surface mining infrastructure, which is underlain by dolomite.

The DMRE has requested that the company perform a dolomitic stability investigation in this prescribed area to ensure any future surface mining infrastructure is not situated on geotechnically unstable ground, which can be associated with dolomite.

The drilling will be conducted by Ntamu Engineers – a South African professional environmental consulting agency, with a team of professionals specialising in several environmental science and environmental engineering fields.

Drilling will follow on the back of a geophysical investigation consisting of a gravity survey to delineate areas of low densities possibly associated with dissolution cavities.

Drilling of an estimated 17 boreholes using an air percussion drilling method will be drilled to a minimum of 6 m into hard rock or 60 m, whichever comes first as per South African National Standard 1936-2.

Logging of the drilling chips will be done by a qualified engineering geologist. Drilling will also be supervised by the company’s geologists, who will monitor the chips for any geological information pertinent to the project and examine the chips for signs of mineralisation.

No assays will be done on material collected from these drillholes unless mineralisation is intersected.

The results of the study will be submitted to the Council for Geoscience for review and then the final report will be submitted to the DMRE for comment.

Drilling is expected to be completed by October 28 and the final report submitted to the DMRE during early December.

“This study, as requested by the DMRE, forms part of routine geotechnical investigations for any construction activities that may be situated on dolomite or limestone lithologies. The company does not anticipate any complications arising out of this study, and the geological team are eager to log these holes and be on the lookout for any nickel/copper/platinum group elements and gold mineralisation which is known to occur in the area under investigation.

“This study will benefit the company by not only advancing the application for a mining right over the project area, but also by providing additional geological information in the footwall to targets one and two,” comments Zeb Nickel CEO and director Wayne Isaacs.