Herald?s N. Sumatra zinc-lead project update
Monday, November 3 2003 - 08:04 AM WIB
FURTHER NEW DISCOVERY AT DAIRI PROJECT
Recently discovered cliff exposures at the Basuki Lode zinc / lead oxide prospect, about 1km northwest of the Anjing Hitam massive sulphide deposit (presently subject to a Bankable Feasibility Study as a 1Mtpy development), have returned some particularly high zinc analyses from channel samples. The ?Lode? is now revealed as a supergene enriched, karsted fracture zone at the top of the Jehe carbonate unit, just below the Julu shale unit which hosts the massive sulphide deposits. The latter are stripped by erosion in this locality but descending metal rich solutions leaching from same are possibly responsible for these high-grades.
Assays to 35.1% Zn (+1.5% Pb, 20g/t Ag) and 6 others in the 20-30% Zn range have been reported, along with several mutually exclusive high lead values to 27% Pb. They occur, together with previously reported trench sampled zones, in about a 100m vertical range over about 800m of strike but with uncertain overall width.
Similar high grade zones, in the same stratigraphic position have been encountered at the Pondok Gambir locality, 3 km to the NW. Other zinc soil anomalies are thought to reflect similar oxide deposits.
While the tonnage potential of the zone has been significantly increased, the current emphasis on the Bankable Feasibility Study will be maintained. (end of release)
Editor's note: Dairi project is located in North Sumatra. Herald has 80 percent stake in PT Dairi Prima Mineral, which runs the project, with state miner PT Aneka Tambang Tbk holds the remaining 20 percent.