Ariana Resources announced exploration drilling results

Highlights:

• A new high-grade vein has been discovered in the hanging-wall of the Arzu South vein, providing the following results:
  • 12.8 m at 6.09 g/t gold (Au) and 107.58 g/t silver (Ag).
  • 2.10 m at 4.75 g/t Au and 14.76 g/t Au.
• Further significant results identify the potential for underground development at Arzu South, including:
  • 10.8 m at 3.39 g/t Au and 40.35 g/t Ag.
  • 9.60 m at 3.31 g/t Au and 53.53 g/t Ag.
  • 10.5 m at 2.18 g/t Au and 31.68 g/t Ag.
• Conceptual underground mining plans completed for Arzu South are undergoing further review, supported by geotechnical studies being undertaken at the Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.

Dr Kerim Sener, Managing Director, commented: "We are very pleased with the results of this drilling programme, which clearly demonstrate the potential for mining to continue along the northwest extension of the Arzu South vein. The recognition of an additional and consistent high-grade structure in the hangingwall of the Arzu South vein is a fantastic result and its discovery is a credit to the intelligence of our exploration team.

“We are now investigating the opportunities for further exploration and resource drilling in this area, along with progressing additional underground mining studies. Based on the initial work completed to date, there are opportunities to either extend the Arzu South pit to the northwest by at least 200 m or to develop this area by underground mining methods. We are keen to undertake further studies in parallel with the completion of drafting of our new joint venture agreements with Ozaltin Holding A.S. and Proccea Construction Co., which we are focused on finalising in the coming weeks.

“I would specifically like to take this opportunity to thank our exploration team for their dedication to the initiation and completion of this drilling programme through a period of significant uncertainty caused by COVID-19. Of course, it does not go without saying that their efforts were supported at all times by our JV mining team at Kiziltepe, who helped ensure a safe operating environment for our drilling contractors and exploration staff. We are deeply appreciative of their collective efforts."

Drilling programme

Since December 2019, the Ariana team has worked to revise its geological model at Kiziltepe. One of the primary objectives of this work was to identify opportunities for underground development beneath and along strike of the Arzu South opencast. A secondary objective was to better define subsidiary veins that may have been intercepted on the periphery of the main vein system, particularly along its northwest extension.

In January 2020, the Ariana exploration team designed a drilling programme specifically to test mineralisation under the Arzu South opencast. In particular, the drilling was designed to target extensions of known plunging shoots that have become apparent through historic drilling, geological modelling and active mining.

Between April and June 2020, the Ariana and Zenit JV teams successfully completed a 2390.5 m diamond drilling programme at Arzu South. The programme consisted of 13 diamond drill-holes of PQ to HQ dia., targeting mineralisation at an average depth of approximately 100 m, and testing multiple targets to an average depth of approximately 120 m and a maximum of up to 170 m below surface.

The programme was designed to follow-up on and provide infill data for the initial exploration drilling work, which had targeted underground extensions, and was completed during the summer of 2019. The latest programme provided infill data between existing holes to give further confidence to the geological modelling in Zone A and Zone C of Arzu South. No further drilling was completed within Zone B at this time, since this area was sufficiently drill tested historically and more recently with the drilling completed in 2019.

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/exploration-development/02092020/ariana-resources-announced-exploration-drilling-results/