Aim-listed AfriTin Mining has started Phase 1 of the validation and drilling programme at its flagship asset, the Uis tin mine, in Namibia.

Confirmatory drilling began on October 26, and is expected to continue until the first quarter of 2019. The planned programme is expected to comprise 3 950 m, distributed over 27 holes.

This programme, CEO Anthony Viljoen said on Tuesday, is “another important step in the development of the Uis tin project”.

The company has always been focussed on upgrading the historic resource that was identified at Uis to a modern Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant resource and is a key element of AfriTin’s current mine plan and the bankable feasibility study for Phase 2, he added.

The historical database that was originally created for Uis was extensive and provided a high level of detail for the company, Viljoen pointed out.

“We will now look to use this data to allow for an expedited validation drilling and exploration programme, as well as increasing the confidence of mineralisation hosted by the V1 and V2 pegmatites,” he said.

In addition to the tin content, AfriTin will also be investigating the potential for economic concentrations of lithium and tantalum in the Uis pegmatites, as these were not historically quantified, but may be significant once project economics are considered, the company further noted.

In addition to the drilling programme, the company has initiated additional work streams on the other mining licences held in Namibia. Both of these mining licence areas, namely ML129 and ML133, have been historically worked and are considered to have potential for tin, lithium and tantalum.

Geological mapping and sampling is currently under way in these areas, with an emphasis being placed on historically mined areas.

This, AfriTin said, will allow it to better understand the characteristics and mineralogy of each licence.