Noronex Limited started the extensive gravity survey over the Humpback-Damara Project within its Namibia’s Kalahari Copper Belt exploration portfolio.
The Humpback Project is located in newly granted 100%-owned Noronex tenements and contains several domal structures encompassing the prospective NPF-D’Kar contact.
Copper mineralisation intersected in historical and recent Noronex drilling appears to have many hallmarks of the deposits defined in Botswana over 400km to the east, including the large Zone 5 deposit (167Mt @ 2.1 % Cu, owned by MMG).
Historical drilling at Fiesta had defined a steeply dipping sheet of mineralisation over 4km long, corresponding to the prospective contact of shales and sandstones in the D’Kar Formation on the western plunge of a sheared antiformal structure.
An 800m by 100m gravity survey will build on the geological knowledge gained from magnetics and drilling to help define structural closures and highlight favourable horizons along the prospective reductant horizon.
Drill positions will be finalised on completion of the gravity survey.
The Damara Zone encompasses the northern margin of the Kalahari Copper Belt, which generally has between 0-100m of Kalahari cover and has never been drill tested.
There is excellent potential along this northern margin for the discovery of copper mineralisation in the basement shear zone, as encountered in the Central African Copper Belt with deposits such as Lumwana (1Bt @ 0.6% Cu, Barrick) and related to Iron Oxide alteration systems in Zambia such as Kitumbu (345Mt @ 0.5% Cu, Junction Mining).
A detailed gravity survey has commenced across the three project areas – the Okatumba Gate, Otjozondera and Otjiuapehuri prospects – to assist in understanding the complex aeromagnetic targets.
The survey will initially be conducted at 800 x 200m centres with in-fill lines at 400 x 100m in critical areas to define drill targets.
A drilling program is planned for later in the quarter, initially at Fiesta and then at the Damara Zone.
Funding of A$750,000 for the first quarter under the earn-in agreement with South32 has been received to fund the activities underway with the Namibian exploration team.
By the terms of the earn-in agreement, South32 shall provide A$15m in exploration funding to Noronex over five years in return for an option to acquire 60% of the Humpback-Damara Project.
The strategic alliance with South32 has also commenced, with early projects in Namibia being identified for further analysis to submit to the committee.
A payment of A$200,000 has been received from South32 for the commencement of the Strategic Alliance.
Under the Earn-in Agreement, South32 will earn into the regional package of seven granted EPLs and four recent EPL applications that cover over 7,677 square kilometres.
