JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – London-listed Asiamet Resources believes that its BKZ polymetallic deposit has the potential to be the company’s second mine in the BK district of Kalimantan, Indonesia, the firm said on Wednesday, announcing an initial resource estimate for the project.
The resource estimate for BKZ, which is located adjacent to existing and proposed infrastructure for the BKM copper project, is divided into the BKZ upper polymetallic zone (BKZ-UPZ) and the BKZ lower copper zone (BKZ-LCZ).
The BKZ-UPZ’s inferred mineral resource comprises a high-grade domain of 750 000 t at 8% zinc, 3.4% lead, 50 g/t silver and 0.35 g/t gold, containing 132-million pounds of zinc, 57-million pounds of lead, 1.2-million ounces of silver and 8 400 oz of gold, at a 4% zinc cutoff grade.
The low-grade domain has a resource of 590 000 t at 1.6% zinc, 0.5% lead, 13 g/t silver and 0.15 g/t gold, containing 20-million pounds of zinc, seven-million pounds of lead, 247 000 oz of silver and 2 800 oz of gold, at a 1% zinc cutoff grade.
The BKZ-LCZ’s inferred resource comprises 1.1-million tonnes of ore at 1.1% copper and 13 g/t silver, for 26-million pounds of copper and 460 000 oz of silver, at a 0.5% zinc cutoff grade.
“BKZ remains open in multiple directions and all geological indicators suggest the BKM-BKZ corridor and multiple surrounding targets will continue to deliver further substantial growth in the company's mineral inventory over the coming months and years,” CEO Peter Bird commented in a statement.
He added that the BKZ polymetallic deposit mineralisation was located close to existing roads and the proposed infrastructure for the BKM copper project, which is currently in the bankable feasibility study stage.
“The BKZ inventory has the potential to significantly enhance the economics of any mine development in the area. Our ability to discover and delineate this high grade, near surface polymetallic deposit in such a short timeframe clearly demonstrates the largely untapped potential of both the BK district and the broader KSK contract of works,” Bird added.