Reconnaissance Drilling Heavy Mineral Separation and Analytical Results at Dehane 2
05/06/2024 07:00
5 June 2024
BWA Group PLC
(“BWA”, or the “Company”) (AQSE: BWAP)
Reconnaissance Drilling Heavy Mineral Separation and Analytical Results at
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
further results from its recently completed reconnaissance drilling programme
at its Dehane 2 rutile sands Licence, located in Central Cameroon (“Dehane
2” or the “Dehane Project”), initially reported on 27th February 2024
(see following link).
https://www.aquis.eu/stock-exchange/announcements/4488530
Dehane 2 is located 166 km southwest of Yaoundé, and 70 km from the deep
seaport and industrial zone of Kribi (Figure 1). The D2 licence covers an
area of 54 km2 and includes 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 (HMS) mineralisation. Moreover, the licence covers some 20 km of
the mouth of the Nyong River as it empties into the Gulf of Guinea and
adjacent sandy beach-setting coastline. The beach swash zone was the target
for the 19-hole reconnaissance auger drilling being reported.
A version of this announcement that includes maps and additional tables can be
viewed on the link below.
Highlights
The highlights of heavy mineral separation studies and x-ray fluorescence
(XRF) analysis on 35 samples, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses on 11
samples taken from the auger drilling are presented below:
* HMS mineralisation encountered from the surface down to the basement
occurring at depths around 5-7 m.
* Total Heavy Mineral (THM) raw sample grades up to 13.5% over 2 metres
thickness.
* Total Heavy Mineral (THM) significant interval grades up to 8.3% over 3.5
metres thickness.
* Valuable Heavy Mineral (VHM) content (kyanite, rutile, ilmenite, garnet and
zircon) up to 9.4% over 2 metres thickness.
* Low slimes between 0.4 and 15.6%.
* Raw sample TiO2 grades ranging between 0.1 and 12.1%, Al2O3 grades vary
between 0.2 and 7.7% and ZrO2 between 0.01 and 1.01%.
* Results outline a >1% coherent VHM exploration near surface target area of
approximately 12 km x 0.25 km aerial extent and average three metres of
thickness.
Jonathan Wearing, Chairman of BWA Group Plc, commented:
“These preliminary reconnaissance drilling results within the BWAR Dehane 2
licence are extremely encouraging and lend support to the BWA Board belief of
the occurrence of HMS mineralisation of potential future economic interest.
The percentage of THM and VHM encountered is higher than anticipated and HLS
results were better than expected, as well as lower slimes given the sand
environment. Although at an early stage of development, the results
demonstrate that there are heavy mineral accumulations of the composition,
extent and thickness to be of potential future economic and commercial
interest.
BWA are currently further evaluating the significance of these results and
designing follow-up exploration programmes including systematic drilling for
the purposes of input to mineral resource estimates, and the commencement of
ESG baseline studies. It is intended to raise further funds to finance the
work needed to produce mineral resources estimates.”
Work Completed
An initial first pass reconnaissance drilling programme was carried out
between the 5th and 20th of November 2023, consisting of 19 drillholes
completed at a spacing of between 500 and 1000 metres along strike and around
50 to 100 metres across the project width where access permitted (Figure 2).
Holes were drilled to an average depth of around six metres using the Archway
track rig and approximately three metres using the Van Walt hand auger.
Ninety-one primary samples were collected and composited within holes by
similar lithologies. Thirty-five primary samples were selected and submitted
to Scientific Services Laboratory, Cape Town, South Africa, for heavy liquid
separation (HLS), x-ray fluorescence (XRF). 11 samples were selected from the
THM sub-samples for x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Drillhole locations are
shown in Figure 2 and sample details and results are presented in Tables 1, 2
and 3.
Evidence of heavy minerals was observed at the surface and within all
drillholes, which provides encouraging evidence for the potential economic
accumulations of heavy mineral sands within the licence (reported on 27th
February 2024). Within the drill core, medium and coarse-grained rutile,
ilmenite and kyanite were observed in numerous horizons and appear to be
continuous layers of sand within the mouth of the Nyong River and to the
south.
Significant downhole intercepts for THM% are presented below in Table 1 and
Figure 3. The intercepts were calculated using a minimum thickness of 1 metre,
a trigger value of 0.5% THM, a minimum grade of 1% THM and a maximum of 1
metre of dilution.
Table 2 shows the VHM% calculations from the XRD analyses with VHM (kyanite
rutile, ilmenite and garnets) ranging between 1.0 and 9.4% as shown in Figure
4.
Table 3 shows the key drilling results. There are low slimes (0.4 and 15.6%)
and promising THM grades, ranging between 0.5 and 13.5% THM. Furthermore, the
TiO2 grades are also encouraging with values ranging between 0.1 and 12.1%.
The Al2O3 grades vary between 0.2 and 7.7% and ZrO2 grades vary between 0.01
and 1.01%.
Eleven samples were submitted for XRD analysis based on favourable THM% and
high TiO2 and Al2O3 grades. From the 11 samples, TRIZ (Total Rutile, Ilmenite
and Zircon) values ranged from 0.3 to 3.7%. THM, VHM and rutile grades and
distributions are presented in Figures 3, 4 and 5. The images show that there
is a slight increase in THM concentration in the south. Significant intercepts
for THM% and VHM are presented below in Tables 1 and 2 respectively. The
results are being interpreted and further work will be planned based on the
updated understanding.
Table 1: THM% analysis. Holes were vertical, mineralisation horizontal and
thicknesses are representative of the true thickness. The intercepts were
created using a minimum thickness of 1 metre, a trigger value of 0.5% THM, a
minimum grade of 1% THM and 1 metre of dilution.
Hole From To Interval THM % Deslime % TiO2% ZrO2% Al2O3%
DH2_001 0.00 3.00 3.00 7.79 0.66 5.78 0.29 4.73
DH2_002 0.00 5.00 5.00 3.02 3.00 1.69 0.26 1.77
DH2_003 0.00 6.00 6.00 3.07 1.51 2.00 0.14 1.93
DH2_004 0.00 7.00 7.00 2.32 2.78 1.18 0.14 1.27
DH2_005 0.00 6.00 6.00 3.26 1.27 1.41 0.13 1.88
DH2_006 0.00 6.00 6.00 1.62 1.76 0.93 0.14 0.84
DH2_007 0.00 7.00 7.00 1.09 2.23 0.78 0.11 0.51
DH2_008 0.00 7.00 7.00 1.77 3.02 1.26 0.12 0.93
DH2_009 0.00 3.50 3.50 8.03 1.73 7.10 0.61 4.55
DH2_010 0.00 3.00 3.00 7.42 0.74 5.82 0.36 4.33
DH2_012 0.00 3.00 3.00 5.87 1.54 5.57 0.77 2.64
DH2_014 0.00 4.00 4.00 2.31 2.83 1.59 0.10 1.36
DH2_017 0.00 4.00 4.00 1.58 4.81 1.12 0.12 0.79
DH2_019 0.00 3.00 3.00 2.13 0.77 1.93 0.22 0.96
Table 2: THM and VHM% analysis from select XRD samples.
Valuable HM in Ground
Hole Sample From To Interval THM sand Kyanite Garnet Ilmenite Rutile Zircon TRIZ VHM
ID ID
DH2_001 N027201 0.00 3.00 3.00 7.8% 1.3% 0.9% 1.6% 0.3% 0.5% 2.3% 4.5%
DH2_002 N027203 2.00 4.00 2.00 2.2% 0.7% 0.4% 0.2% 0.0% 0.0% 0.3% 1.4%
DH2_003 N027207 2.00 3.00 1.00 8.8% 3.7% 0.7% 1.0% 0.1% 0.2% 1.4% 5.7%
DH2_004 N027210 2.00 6.00 4.00 1.8% 0.6% 0.1% 0.2% 0.1% 0.0% 0.3% 1.0%
DH2_005 N027212 0.00 3.00 3.00 4.5% 1.5% 0.1% 0.4% 0.1% 0.0% 0.5% 2.2%
DH2_008 N027220 0.00 3.00 3.00 2.5% 0.6% 0.1% 0.4% 0.1% 0.1% 0.6% 1.3%
DH2_009 N027223 0.00 2.00 2.00 13.5% 4.7% 1.1% 2.7% 0.6% 0.3% 3.7% 9.4%
DH2_010 N027225 0.00 3.00 3.00 7.4% 2.7% 0.5% 1.4% 0.4% 0.2% 2.0% 5.2%
DH2_012 N027227 0.00 3.00 3.00 5.9% 1.9% 0.3% 1.5% 0.2% 0.2% 1.9% 4.1%
DH2_014 N027228 0.00 2.00 2.00 4.1% 1.3% 0.2% 0.5% 0.1% 0.0% 0.7% 2.2%
DH2_019 N027237 0.00 3.00 3.00 2.1% 0.5% 0.1% 0.5% 0.1% 0.1% 0.6% 1.2%
Geology and Geological Interpretation
The Dehane licences are located in 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 the source of heavy minerals.
The Nyong River is the main river which runs through the licence areas
(Figures 1 and 2). The BWAR licences (D1, D2 and D3) allow access to
approximately 60 km of the prospective Nyong River floodplain system, deltas,
estuarine coastline 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
(Figure 2), 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. However, the extent of its exploitation has not
translated to concentrated modern exploration.
Dehane 2 comprises approximately 14 kms 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 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 (Figure 2).
Mineralisation
Rutile and ilmenite were visible during the drilling. Generally, the rutile
grains are reddish and medium to coarse-grained compared to the black
finer-grained ilmenite (reported on 27th February 2024). The sands are
generally thicker towards the southern part of the Dehane 2 licence, although
the XRF and XRD results show that the HMS mineralisation is continuous and of
similar grades, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Rutile and ilmenite
mineralisation was observed in all sand horizons with larger grains of heavy
minerals located within the coarser sands. Micas are generally observed in the
drillhole near the boundary to the gneiss bedrock.
The typical drillhole lithologies consist of a thin layer of organic
soil-sandy material measuring less than 10 cm from the surface. This layer
overlies a varying thickness of coarse to medium-grained sands, where the HMS
is predominant. The gneiss bedrock's depth varies between six to seven metres.
Competent Person’s Statement
The information in this report which relates to the BWA Dehane 2 Project is
based upon and fairly represents information and data collected, supervised
and compiled by Mr Lewis Harvey, MSc., Principal Consulting Geologist for
Addison Mining Services, 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 BWAR.
Mr Harvey and Mr Hogg have sufficient experience relevant to the style of
mineralisation, the type of deposit under consideration and 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 Harvey and Mr Hogg have 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 where applicable. Mr Harvey and Mr Hogg consent 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.
For further information on the Company, please visit
www.bwagroupplc.com/index.html or:
BWA Group PLC James Butterfield Managing Director +44 (0) 7770 225 253 enquiries@bwagroupplc.com
Allenby Capital Limited Corporate Adviser +44 (0)20 3328 5656 Nick Harris/Lauren Wright
BWAR D2 Drilling Analytical Results RNS FINAL (https://mb.cision.com/Public/22539/3995135/b44c1e79b8595347.pdf)
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