Sovereign Metals Limited (ASX: SVM) announced that the results from the Phase 9 drilling at Kasiya, the Company’s flagship, large, high-grade rutile deposit in Malawi, has increased the size of the high-grade mineralised envelope by ~35% to 89km2 from the previous 66km2.
Standout results included 11m at 1.78% rutile including 8m at 2.01% rutile; 14m at 1.3% including 5m at 1.8% rutile; 13m at 1.08% including 5m at 1.52% rutile; 11m at 1.34% including 5m at 1.54% rutile; and 11m at 1.17% including 5m at 1.48% rutile.
The Company has now reported a total ~114km2 drilled area of high-grade rutile mineralisation (Kasiya 89km2 + Nsaru 25km2).
SVM said that all drill results for the maiden Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) at Kasiya have now been received. The company said that the resource estimation for the MRE at Kasiya well underway with the resource expected to cover a large portion of the 89km2 mineralised envelope and targeted for completion in the coming weeks.
Phase 9 drilling at Kasiya
The company had recently commenced the Phase 9 drilling at Kasiya deposit. SVM has now reported Phase 9 results comprising a further 204 hand-auger holes for a total of 1,797m.
With the inclusion of Phase 9, the total number of holes reported from Kasiya to date is now 507 with 4,820m drilled.
35% increase in high-grade rutile envelope
Sovereign announced that Phase 9 drill results have increased the size of the high-grade rutile mineralised envelope at Kasiya by ~35% to 89km2 with extensions defined on the north, east and southern parts of the deposit.
The Company now has a total of ~114km2 of drilled, high-grade rutile mineralisation (Kasiya 89km2 + Nsaru 25km2).
Important results included 13m @ 1.08% inc. 5m @ 1.52% rutile; 11m @ 1.17% inc. 5m @ 1.48% rutile; 11m @ 1.34% inc. 5m @ 1.54% rutile; 11m @ 1.18% inc. 4m @ 1.53% rutile; 11m @ 1.27% inc. 4m @ 1.68% rutile; 12m @ 1.02% inc. 4m @ 1.42% rutile; 7m @ 1.42% inc. 4m @ 1.53% rutile; 15m @ 1.45% inc. 5m @ 1.59% rutile; 14m @ 1.30% inc. 5m @ 1.80% rutile; 13m @ 1.24% inc. 4m @ 1.47% rutile; 12m @ 1.15% inc. 4m @ 1.38% rutile; 11m @ 1.78% inc. 8m @ 2.01% rutile; 15m @ 1.15% inc. 2m @ 1.80% rutile; and 10m @ 1.20% inc. 5m @ 1.46% rutile.
SVM said that the drill results continued to demonstrate that significant rutile enrichment occurs in the top ~8m from surface with very-high grades, commonly greater than 1.5% rutile occurring in the top 3-5m from surface.
Results to be incorporated to maiden JORC MRE
The company said that the drilling is complete at Kasiya for the time being, with this final batch of results to be incorporated into the maiden JORC MRE.
SVM said that modelling and estimation are underway and well-advanced, with the MRE expected to cover a large portion of the 89km2 mineralised footprint at Kasiya.
Updates and next steps
The company said that the laboratory processing of 2021 drilling samples on the saprolite prospects continues. SVM said that drilling is ongoing at Kasiya and Nsaru to further expand the areas of known rutile mineralisation.
SVM said that the step-out drilling at Kasiya and Nsaru is continuing with multiple field drilling teams deployed. The company said that additional rutile mineralisation delineated will potentially result in future additions to the MRE.
Sovereign said that the peripheral zones at Kasiya with nominal 800m x 800m may need further infill drilling before they can be included in a future MRE. The company said that Nsaru deposit also requires further infill and extensional drilling before it will be brought in to the MRE.
Work programs planned and underway include the maiden MRE for Kasiya, expected to cover a large portion of the 89km2 mineralised envelope is underway and well advanced with completion expected in the coming weeks; extensional and infill hand-auger and core drilling to increase the MRE confidence and grow tonnages; and commencement of long-lead elements of the Scoping Study.
This includes mining method and pit optimisation studies; tailings disposal design and methodology studies; continued metallurgical test-work focused on variability; and investigation of a potential graphite by-product from Kasiya.
Management comments
Sovereign’s Managing Director Dr.Julian Stephens commented: “This drilling has served to significantly further increase the high-grade, near surface rutile mineralisation at Kasiya. We now have a grand total of well over a hundred square kilometres of mineralisation defined across Kasiya and Nsaru. This is the final batch of results we have been awaiting in order to complete the dataset required for our maiden Kasiya JORC resource estimate.
These very large, high-grade areas of mineralisation may well become one of the largest primary rutile deposits in the world. Unlocking a new, globally significant source of direct feed natural rutile could help meet the growing demand for low carbon feedstock across the titanium industry supply-chain.”
Image Source: Sovereign Metals Limited