REG - Premier African Min - Zulu Assay Results Update

Premier African MineralsAnnouncement

14/07/2022 07:00

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RNS Number : 4122S  Premier African Minerals Limited  14 July 2022

14 July 2022

Premier African Minerals Limited

 

Premier African Minerals Limited ("Premier" or the "Company"), is pleased to
report on assay results at Premier's Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project
("Zulu").

Highlights:

·    Multiple thick high-grade zones intersected

George Roach, CEO commented, "The results set out below are again impressive.
Notable is the continued pervasive Tantalum and Rubidium presence. The results
reported on are from boreholes within the existing resource area and are part
of the ongoing programme that is intended to upgrade confidence in the
original resource estimate from an inferred level to an indicated level. At
the same time, we have reviewed all the previous work done prior to January
2022 and adjusted the geological model as indicated. The work to date has
provided the level of confidence we needed internally to support the pilot
plant concept as recently announced. In fact, what we are now understanding
about the Zulu deposit is entirely complementary to the use of sensor-based
ore sorting and in time is likely to result in  a most efficient and
effective process.

It should be noted that these results are all confined within the original
claims area. The deposit remains open on strike in both directions and at
depth."

Drill Holes: Lithium & Tantalum Results

The table below sets out the independent external laboratory analyses for
holes ZDD033, ZDD034, ZDD035R, ZDD036, ZDD022 and ZDD060.

Holes ZDD033 and ZDD034 (as announced on 7 February 2022) and ZDD035R and
ZDD036 (as announced on 21 February 2022) have been restated to ensure
consistency in the reporting methodology in line with the announcement on 1
July 2022.

Table 1 - Assay Summary Results

 Hole      From (m)  To (m)  Width* (m)  Li(2)O%**  Ta(2)O(5) ppm  Rb ppm
 ZDD033    86.15     90.15   4.00        1.03       57             2702

 Restated
 Incl.     86.15     88.15   2.00        1.30       43             1231

 ZDD034    71.82     81.82   10.00       1.84       59             1518

 Incl.     71.82     73.82   2.00        1.92       90             1890

 Incl.     76.82     81.82   5.00        2.35       54             1172

 ZDD034    84.82     97.88   13.06       1.73       83             2455

 Incl.     85.82     89.82   4.00        2.29       119            1471

 Incl.     91.82     92.82   1.00        2.03                      2917

 ZDD034    142.28    149.28  7.00        1.05       270            271

 Incl.     143.28    144.28  1.00        1.71       112            1796

 Incl.     145.28    147.28  2.00        1.31       222            17

 ZDD034    153.81    156.55  2.74        1.67       264            315

 ZDD035R   45.45     57.3    11.85       1.38       95             994

 Incl.     45.45     54.45   9.00        1.60       85             996

 New
 ZDD036    22.38     44.3    21.92       1.11       204            3733

 Incl.     23.38     28.38   5.00        1.44       243            5572

 Incl.     32.38     36.38   4.00        1.88       125            2419

 ZDD052    47.32     49.32   2.00        1.39       37             1369

 Incl.     48.32     49.32   1.00        2.01       26             1116

 ZDD052    51.32     56.32   5.00        1.04       59             2003

 Incl.     51.32     53.32   2.00        1.53       55             1939

 ZDD060    52.18     56.73   4.55        0.82       223            36

 Incl.     53.18     54.18   1.00        1.35       105            1388

*Not True Width but lineal width

**0.50% Li(2)O cut-off applied.

The following compositing routine was applied:

 ·         0.50% Li(2)O cut-off was applied to the pegmatitic intersections.
 ·         <2m standalone composites at the cut-off grade but with an overall weighted
           average grade of >0.5% Li(2)O are not reported however;
 ·         Within any composite >2m thickness, high-grade intersections of 1m are
           reported, and
 ·         Within any composite, inclusions of country rock of <2m thickness are
           included within the composite provided the overall grade of the composite is
           not <0.50% Li(2)O.

 

Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC)

The drill holes are initially sited using a hand-held GPS (Global Positioning
System device) within the -tenement areas. Accurate coordinates and elevations
of drill holes collars are subsequently derived from a DGPS (Differential
Global Position devices) survey.

Drill cores are geologically logged, intersections of interest are selected
are marked-up with unique sample ID assigned before splitting and sampling.
Cores are cut in half using a core cutter, individual samples bagged, and sent
for analysis.

Alternating Certified Refence Materials (CRM), blank or duplicate samples are
inserted every 10(th) sample into the sample stream sent to the laboratory to
ensure QA/QC compliance. These QA/QC samples are assessed upon receipt of
analyses, checked and, if acceptable, accepted into the analytical database.
Follow-up with the laboratory is instigated in cases were any QA/QC sample
fails the QA/QC parameters.

All samples are crushed and pulverised to 75 microns with 85% of the
pulverised sample passing -75microns. Samples are analysed at the SGS
Laboratory Services in Randfontein, South Africa as 30-element scans following
a sodium peroxide fusion and ICP-OES and ICP-MS analytical finish (SGS code
ICM90A).

The Geology of Zulu

The area, located in the Fort Rixon Greenstone Belt, is underlain by
Archaean-aged meta-volcanics and meta-sedimentary sequences of the Bulawayan
Supergroup, with serpentinites and banded iron formations at the base in the
east and metamorphosed volcano-sedimentary sequences to the west. The
greenstone belt is tear drop shaped measuring 30 km long and 19 km wide near
the broad section at the top. Metamorphism is up to Greenschist facies.

 

The Zulu Pegmatite is a LCT (Lithium-Caesium-Tantalum) pegmatite swarm which
intrudes along the contacts between serpentine and meta-sedimentary rocks over
a strike length of several kilometres. Outcrop widths vary between 10 and 25
m. The pegmatite bodies strike N20° and dip with 70° to 90° to the west.

 

The area was first pegged in 1955 by J.S. Willemse and intensely explored,
under an option, with mapping, trenching and drilling by Rhodesian Selection
Trust Co. Ltd. ("RST") in 1958. In 1961 and 1962 a small quantity of petalite
was mined by W. Burchett in partnership with J.S. Willemse. Premier later
acquired the claims the Zulu in 2013.

 

The thickest pegmatite, north and south of the Machakwe river, is rich in
spodumene, petalite and lepidolite while the thinner footwall pegmatites tend
to be lower in Li-grade but carry good tantalum and rubidium grades.

 

In general, the lithium minerals, occurring in varying quantities, are coarse
grained with associated feldspars and quartz with only very minor sulphides
being observed. In several contact zones, the lithium-bearing amphibole,
holmquistite, has been observed.

Qualified Person:

Bruce Cumming, geologist with Premier, has reviewed and approved this release
to the extent that reference is made to Zulu.  Mr. Cumming is a SACNASP and
GSSA registered geoscientist with 46 years' experience in exploration and
project management, in multicommodity projects throughout Africa.

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to
constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations
(EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK Domestic Law by virtue of the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018.

The person who arranged the release of this announcement on behalf of the
Company was George Roach.

Forward Looking Statements:

Certain statements in this announcement are or may be deemed to be forward
looking statements. Forward looking statements are identified by their use of
terms and phrases such as ''believe'' ''could'' "should" ''envisage''
''estimate'' ''intend'' ''may'' ''plan'' ''will'' or the negative of those
variations or comparable expressions including references to assumptions.
These forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but rather
on the Directors' current expectations and assumptions regarding the Company's
future growth results of operations performance future capital and other
expenditures (including the amount. Nature and sources of funding thereof)
competitive advantages business prospects and opportunities. Such forward
looking statements reflect the Directors' current beliefs and assumptions and
are based on information currently available to the Directors. A number of
factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results
discussed in the forward-looking statements including risks associated with
vulnerability to general economic and business conditions competition
environmental and other regulatory changes actions by governmental authorities
the availability of capital markets reliance on key personnel uninsured and
underinsured losses and other factors many of which are beyond the control of
the Company. Although any forward-looking statements contained in this
announcement are based upon what the Directors believe to be reasonable
assumptions. The Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be
consistent with such forward looking statements.

Notes to Editors:

Premier African Minerals Limited (AIM: PREM) is a multi-commodity mining and
natural resource development company focused on Southern Africa with its RHA
Tungsten and Zulu Lithium projects in Zimbabwe.

 

The Company has a diverse portfolio of projects, which include tungsten, rare
earth elements, lithium and tantalum in Zimbabwe and lithium and gold in
Mozambique, encompassing brownfield projects with near-term production
potential to grass-roots exploration. The Company has accepted a share offer
by Vortex Limited ("Vortex") for the exchange of Premier's entire 4.8%
interest in Circum Minerals Limited ("Circum"), the owners of the Danakil
Potash Project in Ethiopia, for a 13.1% interest in the enlarged share capital
of Vortex. Vortex has an interest of 36.7% in Circum.

 

In addition, the Company holds a 19% interest in MN Holdings Limited, the
operator of the Otjozondu Manganese Mining Project in Namibia.

Enquiries:

 

 George Roach                        Premier African Minerals Limited    Tel: +27 (0) 100 201 281

 Michael Cornish / Roland Cornish    Beaumont Cornish Limited            Tel: +44 (0) 20 7628 3396

                                     (Nominated Adviser)

 John More/Toby Gibbs                Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited  Tel: +44 (0) 20 7408 4090

                                     (Joint Broker)

 

 Glossary of Technical Terms:
 "amphibole"                    A class of rock-forming silicate or aluminosilicate minerals typically
                                occurring as fibrous or columnar crystals.
 "Banded Iron Formation (BIF)"  A sedimentary rock consisting of alternating layers of iron oxides and
                                iron-poor chert.
 "Greenschist facies"           The Greenschist facies is at low pressure and temperature. The facies is named
                                for the typical schistose texture of the rocks and green colour of the
                                minerals chlorite, epidote and actinolite.
 "feldspar"                     An aluminosilicate mineral consisting of potassium, sodium, and calcium.
 "Holmquistite"                 A lithium-bearing amphibole related to hornblende with a formula as
                                (Na,K,Ca)Li(Mg,Fe)(3)Al(2)Si(8)O(22)(OH)(2)
 "Lepidolite"                   A pink to lavender coloured lithium bearing mineral (KLi2Al(Si4O10)(F,OH)2)
 "Li to Li2O"                   x 2.152
 "Li"                           Lithium
 "Li(2)O"                       Lithium Oxide (Lithia) - an inorganic lithium compound used to assess lithium
                                minerals
 "m"                            meters
 "meta-sediments"               Sedimentary rocks that have been metamorphosed
 "meta-volcanics"               Volcanic rocks that have been metamorphosed
 "Petalite"                     A white coloured lithium bearing mineral (LiAl(Si4O10))
 "PP"                           Petalite pegmatite
 "ppm"                          parts per million
 "Rb"                           Rubidium
 "serpentinite"                 A dark, typically greenish metamorphic rock, consisting of serpentine or
                                related minerals, formed when mafic igneous rocks are altered.
 "SPLP"                         Spodumene petalite lepidolite pegmatite
 "Spodumene"                    A white to pink coloured lithium bearing mineral (LiAlSi2O6)
 "SPP"                          Spodumene petalite pegmatite
 "Ta to Ta2O5"                  x 1.221
 "Ta"                           Tantalum
 "XRD"                          X-Ray Diffraction

 

LITHIUM CLASSIFICATION AND CONVERSION FACTORS

Lithium grades are normally presented in percentages or parts per million
(ppm). Grades of deposits are also expressed as lithium compounds in
percentages, for example as a percent lithium oxide (Li(2)O) content. The
standard conversion factors are set out in the table below:

Table: Conversion Factors for Lithium Compounds and Minerals

 Convert from           Convert to Li  Convert to Li(2)O
 Lithium        Li      1.000          2.153
 Lithium Oxide  Li(2)O  0.464          1.000

 

Ends

 

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