Aim-listed Shuka Minerals has successfully completed the third drill hole – KBDD03 – at the Number 2 orebody at its Kabwe zinc mine, in Zambia.

The third diamond drill hole was planned at 65° at a bearing of 125° and was designed to intersect the orebody 30 m to the east of the KBDD01 intersection at a depth of about 250 m.

The company has begun a fourth hole to intersect the orebody in the western area of the extended orebody.

Shuka explains that the actual readings from a down hole gyroscope survey revealed the hole was 240 m deep, with a final azimuth of 123.66° and a dip of 65.49°.  

The company says all of these survey readings are vital in order to accurately map the trajectory of the hole and therefore the mineralised zones in a 3D model.

As previously announced, Shuka says Behre Dolbear's 2023 National Instrument (NI) 43-101 report indicates that the Number 2 orebody has 3.1-million tonnes of ore remaining at grades of 11.4% zinc and 1.7% lead plus silver and vanadium oxide.

RESULTS

Shuka notes that KBDD03 returned 29.58% zinc over 19 m from 221.1 m to 240.1 m (down hole), based on an arithmetic average of 62 individual portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) readings at three readings per metre of whole core.

Individual readings over the entire interval ranged from 1% to 53.0% zinc with better point grades, averaging 40.09% zinc in the uppermost 9 m of the orebody.

The company explains that mineralisation is typically associated with a weakly brecciated to semi-massive haematitic ironstone mixed with mostly zinc silicate (probably willemite) and lesser zinc carbonate minerals.

The footwall comprises moderately jointed and fractured massive dolomite with hematite stringers and fracture-coatings that are believed to be the main hosts to zinc mineralisation.

The company says these assays were taken with a calibrated XRF machine and will be verified in due course with Joint Ore Reserves Committee- (Jorc-) or NI 43-101-compliant laboratory analysis and testing.

Shuka says this intersection aligns with the company's objectives for its 2026 exploration programme aiming to increase the existing resource by 50%, subject to the results of the drilling programme.

The GeoQuest geological team are on site with company CEO Richard Lloyd, who is overseeing the initial 2 000 m phase of drilling. Drilling is being undertaken by Ox Drilling, a contractor with 21 years established operating experience in Zambia.

The company will provide further updates as drilling advances.

"The follow-up holes of our campaign continue to deliver excellent zinc grades. With every hole and intersection we are learning more and more about the orebody.

“It is also extremely encouraging to continue to see much higher grades and over significant widths versus the previously reported NI 43-101 resource. The upcoming drill holes will look to prove the orebody extending laterally and at depth,” says Lloyd.