https://www.engineeringnews.co.za
Africa|Copper|Exploration|Gold|Paper|Pipes|PROJECT|Resources|System|Testing|Drilling
Africa|Copper|Exploration|Gold|Paper|Pipes|PROJECT|Resources|System|Testing|Drilling
africa|copper|exploration|gold|paper|pipes|project|resources|system|testing|drilling

Geological interpretation highlights high-priority targets at Okiep

21st May 2021

By: Tasneem Bulbulia

Senior Contributing Editor Online

     

Font size: - +

Dual-listed Orion Minerals has identified new high-priority drill targets on the Carolusberg – Koperberg complex that form part of the Okiep copper project (OCP), in South Africa’s Northern Cape.

The Carolusberg – Koperberg line was first discovered in 1680 and subsequent workings have been intermittently mined from 1850 to 2001.

Newmont and subsequently Gold Fields, who were previously the owners of OCP, undertook extensive drilling and geological mapping during their tenure.

Paper records of the historic exploration have now been digitised and are being modelled by Orion.

“Our geological team at OCP continue to unpack huge value from the historic data that we have secured.

“Using modern three-dimensional Geographic Information System modelling, we are able to get a better understanding of the geological controls which assist in identifying high-priority targets for drill testing,” says Orion MD and CEO Errol Smart.

“We have already demonstrated that the high-quality data allows us to fast-track the re-estimation of resources using historic drill data with a mineral resource of 11.5-million tonnes at 1.4% copper already reported in accordance with Joint Ore Reserves Committee 2012,” he adds.

This resource was confirmed within three months of securing options on the mineral rights and the historic data. Resource estimation work is continuing under the guidance of Paul Matthews, who has joined Orion as group mineral resource manager, Smart says.

He adds that the attention at OCP is now turning to identifying high-quality targets for undiscovered high-grade deposits such as those historically discovered in the Okiep district including the Okiep mine and at Nababeeb South.

“We are focusing on similar geological settings to that of Okiep and Nababeeb South and have identified high-priority targets to be tested on the BCC property which is currently under option to Orion.

“These high-grade deposits are usually found in pipes or blows and have very small dimensions of 150 m to 250 m diameter and were easily missed by historic wide-spaced drilling,” Smart says.

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

Comments

Showroom

AutoX
AutoX

We are dedicated to business excellence and innovation.

VISIT SHOWROOM 
VEGA Controls SA (Pty) Ltd
VEGA Controls SA (Pty) Ltd

For over 60 years, VEGA has provided industry-leading products for the measurement of level, density, weight and pressure. As the inventor of the...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.07 0.124s - 160pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now