Chirumbu gold-copper prospects positive

By Hilary Mare

CELSIUS Resources Limited has recorded high grade results from the recent sampling that was conducted at the Chirumbu Gold-Copper Prospect, a regional prospect within the Company’s 95% owned Opuwo Cobalt Project.

Mineralisation at the prospect has previously been determined to be hosted in carbonate-quartz veins.

Systematic rock chip sampling of outcropping and subcropping veins was completed during October and November with a total of 130 samples sent for analysis.

“Excellent results were returned with 13 samples above 1g/t gold and 37 samples greater than 1.0% copper. These included peak values of 56.9g/t gold in sample AR022 and 36.9% copper in AR112. Limited, shallow historical drilling by Kunene Resources yielded no significant results but is interpreted to have been oriented sub-optimally to intersect the mineralised vein system,” the company recently said in a statement.

The recent sampling programme was aimed at providing increased sample coverage to provide a more robust interpretation for the orientation of mineralised structures at Chirumbu. Mineralised samples  fall into two NNW-trending zones  named the Eastern and Western Vein Zones. These zones are between 10m and 30m wide and include evidence of brecciation and hydrothermal stockworking as well as an increase in density of quartz-carbonate veining. These zones are at a high angle to the regional stratigraphy (which is an anticlinal structure dipping to the north-west).

“Historical drilling was oriented perpendicular to stratigraphy (geological layering) rather than perpendicular to the veining. The mineralised veins are predominantly ankerite-dolomite-calcite-quartz veins with locally intense copper mineralisation (represented by chalcocite, chalcopyrite and secondary malachite). As gold only correlates moderately with copper there may well be two different mineralizing events at Chirumbu.”

Celsius plans to follow up the Chirumbu results by targeting rheological and chemical contrasts which would lead to the precipitation of gold. Next steps are likely to comprise an IP survey to identify any potential sub surface accumulations of sulphide minerals as well as delineate favourable lithologies such as shale horizons, as well as further mapping to understand the spatial relationship of mineralised veins.

“Celsius is aiming to define a long-life, reliable source of conflict-free cobalt at Opuwo. The Company considers the Project to have advantages such as that it is large scale, has favourable mineralogy: cobalt and copper sulphide minerals, is low in deleterious elements: notably arsenic, cadmium and uranium, mining friendly, politically stable and safe location with excellent infrastructure and the that cobalt has best exposure to lithium ion battery boom,” the company further stated.

The Opuwo Cobalt Project is located in northwestern Namibia. The Project has excellent infrastructure, with the regional capital of Opuwo approximately 30 km to the south, where services such as accommodation, fuel, supplies, and an airport and hospital are available. Good quality bitumen roads connect Opuwo to Windhoek and Walvis Bay. The Ruacana hydro power station (320 MW), which supplies a majority of Namibia’s power, is located nearby, and a 66 kV transmission line passes through the eastern boundary of the Project. The Opuwo Project consists of four Exclusive Prospecting Licences covering approximately 1,470 km2