Maravi

Huge uranium deposits found in Kariba - Dr Mwansa

Huge uranium deposits found in Kariba - Dr Mwansa
By Joan Chirwa
Thursday July 26, 2007 [04:00]

EQUINOX Minerals Limited has announced that it has found significant uranium deposits at its Lumwana project in North Western Province. And mines minister Dr Kalombo Mwansa has said huge uranium deposits have been found in Kariba.
Equinox initiated a uranium feasibility study (UFS) at Malundwe in North Western Province, and results indicate intercepts above 0.3 per cent of uranium.

Company president and chief executive officer Craig Williams said the drilling programme currently underway appeared to be defining discrete and coherent mineralised zones with significant uranium grades at Malundwe.

“In addition to this Malundwe work, Equinox is proactively exploring additional regional uranium targets within its 1,355 km2 Lumwana Mining Licence and Equinox’s regional tenements,” stated Williams in his comments on the uranium drill results.

“Recent heliborne radiometric surveying and reprocessed fixed wing radiometric data has proven very successful in identifying and delivering numerous additional uranium channel anomalies for our teams to investigate outside of the UFS. “

Williams states that the results suggest further uranium potential in the region as the company works to expand the total Lumwana uranium resource.

Uranium within the Malundwe and Chimiwungo copper deposits at Lumwana occurs as discrete uranium-enriched zones that will be mined separately during the copper mining operation.
The resources would be revised on completion of the current UFS programme.

The company’s UFS drill programme commenced in April 2007 and comprises approximately 16,000m in 160 drill holes that will extend along a 2km strike length of the Malundwe copper deposit within the currently designed main Malundwe open pit.

On completion of this drilling programme, drill hole collar spacing will average 50m x 50m and in some areas the density will have been increased to 25m x 25m to increase statistical definition of the resources.

And Dr Mwansa said preliminary exploration works in Kariba have revealed huge deposits if uranium in the area.

“There is a lot of prospecting going on. I can tell you that there are signs of uranium deposits in Kariba and in North Western Province as well. Although copper is being mined there, uranium has also been found,” Dr Mwansa said.

“The ministry has already established a document to govern the mining of uranium. This document is currently with the Ministry of Justice and after the process is over, people will be invited to get licenses for the mining of uranium.”

Labels: EQUINOX, KALOMBO MWANSA, KARIBA, URANIUM

posted by MrK @ 5:02 PM