Following a “strong start” to its maiden drilling programme at the Prieska Copper (PC) zinc/copper project, in the Northern Cape, ASX-listed Orion Gold reports that the latest results from ongoing drilling include an “impressive” intersection of 17 m grading 10% zinc and 2% copper.

The PC mine is a key part of Orion’s emerging mineral portfolio within the Northern Cape’s Areachap belt and has a recorded historical production of 0.43-million tonnes of copper and one-million tonnes of zinc from 46.8-million tonnes of sulphide ore milled, according to the company.

The project covers unmined dip and strike potential, which has been previously delineated by extensive drilling and geophysics.

The current drilling programme, which started in June, is designed to confirm infill and extend historical drilling at the +105 exploration target, where it is targeting mineralisation that would be amenable to extraction through an openpit, the company reported at the end of last month.

Further, 18 reverse-circulation holes have been completed by Orion for 1 283 m drilled, with results now having been received from the first ten completed holes.

The latest drilling results include 20 m at 8.58% zinc and 2.21% copper at OCOR023, including 17 m at 9.98% zinc and 2.01% copper.

Initial results last month included 22 m at 10.8% zinc, 1.38% copper and 0.3 g/t gold from 57 m, including 7 m at 17.8% zinc and 1.41% copper at OCOR016, as well as 12 m at 4.14% copper, 1.89% zinc and 0.29 g/t gold from 57 m, including 3 m at 7.4% copper and 4.34% zinc at OCOR017. The results also include 5 m at 2.1% copper and 0.34% zinc from 35 m at OCOR014 and 5 m at 0.92% copper and 1.56% zinc from 15 m at OCOR013A, Orion reported.

Drilling at the exploration target continues to intersect near-surface massive sulphide mineralisation, with further results expected in the coming weeks.

Modelling of the mineralisation defined by drilling is now under way with the aim of estimating a maiden Joint Ore Reserves Committee- (Jorc-) compliant code 2012 mineral resource estimate for this target in future.

Further, Orion noted that drilling also continues to return significant gold/silver mineralisation associated with the zinc/copper mineralisation, which is sometimes enriched in the overlying leached horizon.

While the previous operator of the historical Prieska copper mine did not routinely assay for precious metals, the results received to date indicate the potential for significant precious metal credits, the company added.