Positive Results from Preliminary Granulometric Testwork
27/04/2023 09:30
27 April 2023
BWA Group PLC
(“BWA”, or the “Company”) (AQSE: BWAP)
Positive Results from Preliminary Granulometric Testwork at the Dehane 2 Heavy
Mineral Sands Project, Cameroon
BWA Group plc [AQSE: BWAP], which has mineral exploration licences in both
Cameroon and Canada and is quoted on London’s AQSE Growth Market, provides
an update on its recently approved Dehane 2 rutile sands Licence, located in
Central Cameroon (“Dehane 2” or the “Dehane Project”).
The Dehane 2 licence covers an area of 54 km(2) and includes an additional 14
km of strike length of the Nyong river system, an area known to be prospective
for Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon and Kyanite heavy mineral sand mineralisation.
Moreover, the licence covers some 20 km of the mouth of the Nyong river and
estuarine environment as it empties into the Gulf of Guinea. A river mouth can
lead to a change in flow conditions that can cause the fluvial system to
deposit any supplementary sediment including heavy mineral sand (HMS) it is
carrying, where potentially economic accumulations of HMS are found within the
lowest energy zone on the beach, the swash zone.
Dehane 2 is located 166 km to the southwest of Yaoundé, and 70 km from the
deep seaport and industrial zone of Kribi.
A version of this announcement including maps and photographs can be viewed on
the Company’s website, http://www.bwagroupplc.com/bwa-announcements.html
Outlook
One auger and two beach samples were collected during a one-day initial
prospecting site visit (detailed in RNS dated the 6 April 2023).
The auger sample (DH2_001) underwent granulometric testwork involving sieve
sized fraction studies and panned concentration, completed by BWA using the
facilities at Afrigeolabs, Yaoundé, Cameroon. From field observations, sand
is logged for the entirety of the 1.90 m deep auger hole. The particle size
analysis is presented in the table below and shows that this sample is
composed of six particle size fractions. Some 93% of the grains have a size
between 180 and 600 microns, defined by Wentworth (1922) as medium to fine
sand.
Mineralogically, rutile is the dominant heavy mineral in the coarse fractions
and is in most of the fractions above 1000 microns, 600 microns and 355
microns, i.e., up to approximately 40% of the sieved sample. Kyanite crystals
are also visible in this grain size range. In the (+) 180-micron fractions,
ilmenite becomes the dominant mineral although rutile is still clearly
visible, and in the smaller fractions (+ 150 microns and + 75 microns)
ilmenite is predominant.
Using a high-resolution camera, a yellow mineral in this grain size range was
also observed, which could potentially be monazite. However, further studies
and analytical testwork is required to confirm the presence of monazite.
Highlights:
* Rutile most dominant (heavy) mineral in fractions above 1000 microns, 600
microns and 355 microns, i.e., up to approximately 40% of the sample.
* Ilmenite and rutile observed in smaller fractions.
* Implications of the granulometric studies are as yet not fully recognised,
although are encouraging and certainly justifies the licence acquisition and
follow up exploration and testwork.
* Abundance of heavy minerals observed in panned concentrates (presented in
table below).
* Possible monazite observed and is found (like rutile) in the fractions above
1000, 600 and 355 µm. Further studies and analytical testwork is required to
verify the observations.
Particle µm (-)75µm (+)75µm (+)150µm (+)180µm (+) 355µm (+)600µm (+)1000µm
Weight of fraction (g) 0 30 20 750 490 35 2
Percentage of sample weight 0 2 1 50 40 3 0.10
Weight of panned concentrated (g) 0 20 15 370 320 30 2
Percentage of panned concentrated weight 0% 5% 2% 45% 40% 5% 0.5%
Geology and Geological Interpretation
The Dehane licences are located on the Western Cameroon Domain, which extends
along the border between Nigeria and Cameroon. This domain consists of a
series of medium-grade to high grade schists and gneisses of volcanic and
volcano-sedimentary origin, intruded by later-stage granitoid complexes, the
basement rocks are source of heavy minerals.
The Nyong river is the main river which runs through the licence areas. The
BWA licences allows access to approximately 60 km of the prospective Nyong
river floodplain system, deltas, and associated tributaries.
The licences encompass a large active river system and an even larger
paleo-floodplain area, and marine coastline observed in satellite imagery,
although this has yet to be fully ground-truthed through fieldwork.
This paleo-floodplain is likely to be a significant target for exploration and
covers the length of the river with an initial expected width of over 2 km in
the north and increasing in the south. Other rivers of various importance are
found there: Owoumbé, Nkoudou, Bidinga, Mbebe, Mboke, and Ongué.
The Dehane area has been known for some historic small scale artisanal
historical rutile mining.
James Butterfield, interim Non-executive Chairman of BWA, commented:
“We are pleased to have performed preliminary granulometric testwork on the
Dehane 2 auger sample and are encouraged with the amount of heavy minerals
that have been observed within the bulk sample and various size fractions, in
particular the sand sized fraction, and potentially amenable to simple
separation techniques. BWA are planning a more comprehensive exploration and
test work programme to investigate the licence in a more systematic and
thorough manner in the near future.”
Competent Person’s Statement
The information in this report which relates to the BWA Dehane Project is
based upon and fairly represents information collected and compiled by Mr
Emmanuel Simo, MSc., Senior Geologist and Chief Geologist for BWA, who is a
Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists.
The results were reviewed by Mr J.N. Hogg, MSc. MAIG, Principal Geologist for
Addison Mining Services (AMS) and Non-executive Director of BWA.
Mr Simo and Mr Hogg have sufficient experience relevant to the style of
mineralisation, the type of deposit under consideration and to the activity
undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012
edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral
Resources and Ore Reserves.
Mr Hogg has reviewed and verified the technical information that forms the
basis of and has been used in the preparation of this announcement, including
all sampling and analytical data, and analytical techniques. Mr Hogg consents
to the inclusion in this announcement of the matters based on the information,
in the form and context in which it appears.
Forward Looking Statement
This announcement contains forward-looking statements which involve a number
of risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are expressed in
good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis. These statements reflect
current expectations, intentions or strategies regarding the future and
assumptions based on currently available information. Should one or more of
the risks or uncertainties materialise, or should underlying assumptions prove
incorrect, actual results may vary from the expectations, intentions and
strategies described in this announcement.
No obligation is assumed to update forward looking statements if these
beliefs, opinions and estimates should change or to reflect other future
developments.
Two samples were taken outside of the licence and despite being an upstream
extension or similar geological / depositional setting, the samples by no
means indicate that the material in the licence is of economic quality and
neither BWA nor the Competent Persons draw any conclusions from these samples.
The samples were taken in good faith to act as a guide to potential
mineralisation in the general area.
For further information on the Company, please visit
http://www.bwagroupplc.com/index.html or contact:
BWA Group PLC James Butterfield Interim Chairman +44 (0) 7770 225 253 enquiries@bwagroupplc.com
Allenby Capital Limited Corporate Adviser Nick Harris/Lauren Wright +44 (0)20 3328 5656
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