Recent drilling operations at the Kabwe Zinc […]

Recent drilling operations at the Kabwe Zinc mine in the previously unmined “Speaks” and “Mine Club” zones by UK firm Shuka Minerals have confirmed localized copper grades reaching up to 3%, according to a statement published on JSE and seen by the Zambian Business Times – ZBT. Shuka Minerals Plc has confirmed that it has successfully completed the eighth drill hole KBDD08 in the previously unmined “Speaks” and “Mine Club” zones at the Kabwe Zinc Mine (“Kabwe Project”).

The Company and consultants, GeoQuest, planned these exploration holes to intersect a different, previously unexploited orebody in the Speaks and Mine Club areas some 1km+ NW from the Pit 2 area where the Company has been focusing its studies to date. According to the report the KBDD08 represents the third exploratory drill hole, targeting the more central part of the Speaks / Mine Club area which represents the northern extension of the old (and a previously unexploited section) of the Kabwe Zinc-Lead-Copper deposit. The hole was planned for 200m at a 50° dip on an azimuth of 130°.

The actual readings from a down hole gyroscope survey revealed the hole was 191.1m deep, with a final azimuth of 131.65° and a dip of 48.6°. Pinpoint XRF readings over the defined mineralised intervals ranged from 1 – 22% zinc (“Zn”). Lead (“Pb”) is present as values ranging 0.1 – 3.3% Pb. Copper (“Cu”) grades of up to 3.00% were also detected in line with the historically reported copper oxide mineralisation.

Shuka Minerals CEO, Richard Lloyd, said in a statement, “It is encouraging to see the orebody thicken and show its copper mineralisation as we head into the more central area of Speaks / Mine Club. These exploration holes are giving us confidence in north-south continuity along the entire orebody.

Historically the Speaks orebody was thought to be a lot more patchy, this is proving not to be the case. We are hoping to hit a lot more highgrade zinc mineralisation as well as copper.” The Behre Dolbear 2023 NI 43-101 report indicates that the Speaks orebody contains 1.944 million tonnes (“MT”) of indicated and inferred resource at grades of 12% Zn and 2% Pb. The Mine Club orebody contains 0.666 MT of indicated and inferred resource at grades of 11.7% Zn and 0.8% Pb, plus silver and vanadium oxide.

 Copper mineralisation has also been reported in the northerly areas. “Encouragingly, the mineralisation thickens in the central part of the northerly area and the copper oxide mineralisation the Board expected in the central and southern areas of Speaks and Mine Club is appearing.” “The Company will continue to drill (KB009 and KB010) to target the southern areas of the underexplored Mine Speaks and Club orebodies.”

Article by Tyndale Muchiya