Predictive Discovery Limited (ASX: PDI) has announced strong initial sampling results from its 100%-owned Kaninko Project in Guinea, Africa.
The company reported that encouraging results were received from 12 vertical channel samples collected at the new Kaninko Project from large and active artisanal mine sites.
PDI announced that seven samples from workings in strongly weathered bedrock (saprolite) returned an average value of 1.5g/t gold with a peak value recorded of 4.6g/t gold.
PDI reported that a program of systematic channel sampling of saprolite exposures in the deeper pits as well as grid-based sampling of surficial (laterite) spoil in the surrounding area is now in progress.
Kaninko project
Predictive currently holds 500km2 of landholdings in Guinea most with widespread artisanal gold workings.
The Kaninko project is located northwest of Predictive’s Kankan project in the Siguiri Basin in West Africa. Four projects of PDI are within the Siguiri Basin which hosts Anglogold’s large Siguiri Mine.
The Kaninko Reconnaissance Authorisation was granted to a Predictive subsidiary in Guinea in June 2019. It is 100% owned by Predictive.
Initial sampling at Kaninko
The company reported that it had obtained 12 vertical channel samples from artisanal pits on the Kaninko Reconnaissance Authorisation.
At Kaninko, samples were obtained from vertical channels and weighed between 2 and 8kg. The channel samples were obtained from artisanal mine pits from depths below surface of between 0.15m and 7.0m.
It may be noted that channel sampling is used in pits and trenches to obtain a representative sample of rock or regolith materials.
The samples were then assayed for gold by SGS in Bamako, Mali.
Encouraging results
The company reported encouraging initial sampling results from its 100%-owned Kaninko Project.
Results include 0.137g/t gold from 2.0-2.5m (Saprolite pit); 4.23g/t gold from 3.0-3.5m (Saprolite pit); 0.1185g/t gold from 4.0-4.4m (Saprolite pit); 4.6g/t gold from 3.0-5.0m (Saprolite pit); 0.939g/t gold from 5.5-7.0m (Saprolite pit); 0.087g/t gold from 0.15-0.5m (Laterite pit); 0.121g/t gold from 2.0-2.5m (Laterite pit); 1.46g/t gold from 2.0-2.5m (Saprolite pit); 0.482g/t gold from 2.5-2.8m (Saprolite pit); 0.0365g/t gold from 2-2.5m (Laterite pit); 0.045g/t gold from 2.5-3.0m(Laterite pit); and 0.034g/t gold from 1.0-3.0m(Laterite pit).
The company said that although this zone of saprolite exposure extends for 300m in a north-easterly direction, extensive surrounding surficial (laterite) workings suggest that potential area of bedrock mineralisation may be much larger.
Updates and next steps
Predictive reported that its team is currently undertaking follow-up vertical channel sampling over the artisanal site on an approximate 25 x 25m grid.
The company said that the sampling of dumps derived from surrounding surficial workings will also be collected on a 50 x 50 m grid.
PDI said that its team has also been mapping new artisanal mine sites on the property with systematic sampling to be conducted across them in the coming weeks.
Predictive noted that the ongoing wet weather is impeding resumption of soil sampling at Kankan and Nonta at the moment. However, XRF analysis of soil sample pulps is being carried out at PDI’s new field office in Kouroussa using the Company’s hand-held XRF machine.
The company reported that the results of this analysis will be used to help infer rock types and possible structures below the surface laterite.
The company announced that larger scale geochemical surveys on the Kankan, Nonta, Kaninko and possibly Boroto properties will be undertaken in the next few months. These may be accompanied by ground geophysical surveys where appropriate.
Predictive said that all this work is aimed at readying its best Guinea prospects for drilling in the March Quarter of 2020.
Management comments
Managing Director, Paul Roberts said: “These early results from Kaninko add a promising new prospect into our Guinea portfolio following the earlier results from Kankan and Nonta which identified extensive soil geochemical anomalies1,2.
The better results were obtained from vertical channel sampling of weathered bedrock within a 300m length of artisanal workings from which artisanal miners report that they are currently extracting significant quantities of gold.
We are hopeful that follow-up exploration of this site will enable us to expand the prospective area substantially and provide a strong target for drilling during the March Quarter. We are continuing with our evaluation of new opportunities in the Siguiri Basin and expect to announce further ground acquisitions in Guinea in the coming months.”
