Sustainable phosphate producer PhosCo (ASX:PHO) reports it has started a first pass auger drilling program at its 100% owned Zeflana Base Metals Project in Tunisia.
The auger drilling program has commenced with a goal of testing below transported cover and to follow up on ‘highly anomalous’ soil geochemistry identified by mine mineral explorer Oz Minerals (ASX:OZL) in 2008.
The drilling target areas are considered ‘highly prospective’ due to the fact that they are located along strike from the Sidi Bou Aouane zinc-lead (Zn-Pb) deposit, which was mined in the early 20th century and are situated in a region that contains many Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) Zn-Pb deposits.
It is also reported that these targets are coincident with gravity high and share similar characteristics to the historic Sidi Bou Aouane mine, located to the northeast of the project.
The drilling target areas are considered ‘highly prospective’ due to the fact that they are located along strike from the Sidi Bou Aouane zinc-lead (Zn-Pb) deposit
Auger drilling began last month and has completed 13 of the planned 25-drillholes to date by using a track mounted auger drill at notional 200m intervals across mineralised trends or geophysical anomalies.
The company also notes that evidence of historical base metals mining has been identified on the project at the Sidi Abdullah prospect, where several mine shafts and adits were uncovered.
PhosCo is a sustainable phosphate producer with a mission of becoming a leading producer of sustainable fertiliser by developing its flagship Chaketma Phosphate Project in northern Tunisia. The company’s Zeflana project is located in Tunisia and comprises 3 wholly owned exploration permits which were granted in 2018 and 2019 and cover a total land area of 78km-square. The project is situated within the Atlas Zinc-Lead belt, which boasts an ancient history of base metal mining that stretches back to Phoenician and Roman times, however modern exploration has been very limited.
The most extensive exploration conducted at the project occurred in the period between 2004 and 2008 by other exploration companies, including nickel mining company Albidon in a joint-venture (JV) with Zinifex (now owned by Oz Minerals) and gold (Au) and copper (Cu) explorer Maghreb Minerals.
With drilling at the Zeflana project still ongoing, PhosCo announces it remains focussed on developing its flagship Chaketma project with an updated scoping study scheduled for release this month.
Images: PhosCo Ltd
