Oropa to commence N. Sumatra gold exploration March

Australian junior mining firm Oropa Limited said it intended to commence exploration in Pungkut gold project, North Sumatra, including diamond drilling in March this year, after the company secured fund through right issue.

Oropa said last week that an inferred resources of 3.5Mt @ 2.7g/t Au (304,000 oz Au) in Pungkut had already been established from the results of an initial diamond drill program undertaken by the previous operator.

In addition to the Sihayo prospect, within the CoW there are a large number of other mineralised areas with varying styles and mineral types. It is anticipated that additional drilling targets will be generated by further exploration of the gold, porphyry-copper, and zinc-lead mineralised areas already identified by previous operator for follow up.

Oropa said it had completed a technical evaluation of the work undertaken to date and has generated a new diamond drilling program which will partially confirm the existing resource at Sihayo 1 North and attempt to outline additional resource areas at Sihayo 1 South. This drill program will also test a number of other prospects in the Sihayo area and is scheduled to begin midway through the January-March quarter.

At present, 1200m of diamond drilling is planned, which will take some 2 months to complete. Additional diamond drilling is anticipated, based on the results of the initial program.

Oropa acquired 75 percent interest in Pungkut gold project late last year.State miner PT. Aneka tambang Tbk. holds the balance. Some 70 km north of Pungkut is Newmont's large Martabe gold project, located on the west coast of North Sumatera and which currently hosts an inferred gold resource of approximately 2.2 million ounces, (alex)