Key points
- The first phase includes a geophysical survey of approximately 1,200 line-kilometres and at least 25 vibro-core samples of 100-millimetre diameter.
- The program targets features 6 and 8, both of which showed diamonds in two previous reconnaissance sampling programs.
- Feature 6 covers approximately 4.1 square kilometres and is structurally similar to Luderitz-area deposits with a historical inferred resource of 4.1 million carats of diamonds.
- Feature 8 covers approximately 11.2 square kilometres and is structurally similar to a deposit near the Orange River mouth where Namdeb produces in excess of 900,000 carats annually.
Afri-Can Marine Minerals Corp.’s first phase of its resources delineation program on block J in Namibia will commence on Oct. 8, 2006, and will last approximately 25 days.
The first phase of the program will consist of a geophysical survey which will total approximately 1,200 line-kilometres, and the extraction at least 25 vibro-core samples of 100-millimetre diameter. The survey and vibro-core sampling will focus specifically on target areas called features 6 and 8, both of which proved to contain diamonds from the two previous reconnaissance sampling programs. Feature 6 forms a known aeolian-fluvial diamondiferous deposit covering approximately 4.1 square kilometres, and is structurally similar to known deposits in the Luderitz area in Namibia where a historical inferred resource of 4.1 million carats of diamonds has been estimated. Feature 8 consists of known diamondiferous gravel waves and lag gravel deposits covering approximately 11.2 square kilometres. Feature 8 is structurally similar to a known deposit at the mouth of the Orange River area in Namibian waters, where Namdeb (a joint venture between the government of Namibia and De Beers Group) is producing in excess of 900,000 carats annually.
The aim of the first phase is to accurately map and modelize features 6 and 8 and to increase the company’s understanding of the geology, stratigraphy and to determine the volume of diamondiferous gravels contained in the deposits. Furthermore, the interpretation of the results of the first phase will enable the finalization of the details of the second phase of the program, which will essentially be a bulk sampling of approximately 319 large samples, each of 10 square metres. The second phase is planned to begin soon after the completion of the analysis and interpretation of the results from the first phase. The aim of the complete program is to delineate diamond resources on block J in compliance with National Instrument 43-101.
As previously announced, the work will be carried out by International Mining and Dredging Holding Ltd. (IMD), which is an international marine mining contractor with state-of-the-art geophysical survey and sampling equipment. The parent company of IMD (Argo SRL) owns several marine exploration and mining vessels that have been successfully operating diamond mining projects in Namibian territorial waters for over six years. The vessel designated to conduct the exploration program on block J, the mv Mare Oceano, has a gross tonnage of 2,033 tons and is equipped with DGPS positioning system as well as advanced survey and geotechnical equipment.
