Initial results from Arc Minerals’ airborne geophysical and soil sampling programme at the Zamsort copper/cobalt project, in north-western Zambia, have identified significant new target areas.
Two large new targets – Cheyeza West and Lumbeta – have been discovered.
Eight significant targets have also been confirmed.
The initial results indicate several new large anomalies, a number of which stretch for many kilometres, Arc said in a release on Monday.
Cheyeza West has been highlighted from the new targets, with a core 3 km by 3 km anomaly outlined by very high copper values in the soils enclosed by the wider 10 km by 8 km Cheyeza anomaly.
Moreover, the coincident electromagnetic anomaly over this 3 km core, indicating conductivity within the host rock, has moved Cheyeza West to the top of the company’s internal ranking of its exploration targets.
The Lumbeta target, the company’s second ranked exploration target and stretching for 11 km, is associated with the crest of a fold. These hinge points in a folded environment can act as mineralisation traps and form high-grade deposits.
Historical drilling at Cheyeza East has intersected zones of copper mineralisation averaging 0.6%.
Similarly, at Fwiji and Nyambwezu, grades averaging 0.5% copper have been reported. The location of these new target areas appears to be higher up in the stratigraphy in the central part of the licence, which has not been previously explored.
The company continues to assess the results with its external exploration consultants and a more detailed update is expected shortly.
“The initial results from the airborne survey and soil sampling programme are extremely exciting and have exceeded all our expectations,” commented Arc executive chairperson Nick von Schirnding.
“It is clear that our licences lie in a very prospective mineral belt adjacent to Zambia’s largest copper mines and we believe they have the potential to host not one but multiple large new copper deposits.
“The two new target discoveries, which are close to ten times the size of Kalaba, with strong soil geochem and geophysical properties/grades, is a potential game changer for Arc. We have been approached by some very large industry players and are in discussions.”