Etruscan schedules 2,000-metre program for Djelimangara
2004-11-23 11:12 ET - News Release
ETRUSCAN TO DRILL MALI GOLD TARGET
Etruscan Resources Inc. has scheduled a 2,000-metre drill program to start on its Djelimangara permit located in western Mali. Drilling will be focused on the previously announced 2.3-kilometre-long gold-in-saprolite anomaly, located near the boundary with the Sadiola gold mine holdings of Iamgold and AngloGold Ashanti. Etruscan has also received partial results from the continuing auger sampling program which confirms continuity of the gold mineralization for 1.5 kilometres in the north, with more scattered values along the remaining 800 metres to the south.
The gold anomaly is located immediately south of Iamgold and AngloGold Ashanti's Sadiola property boundary, within the Kofi formation on the east side of the Mali West shear zone. The 10-million-ounce Sadiola gold mine is situated 18 kilometres north of Djelimangara and is similarly situated within the Kofi formation on the eastern side of the Mali West shear zone. Etruscan acquired the Djelimangara permit in 2001 because of the strong similarities in the geologic setting and geochemical responses between Sadiola and Djelimangara.
The 2.3-kilometre-long zone is defined by gold values between 0.1 gram and 11.6 grams per tonne. Laterite cover is up to 15 metres thick over the zone making trenching and geologic interpretations difficult. The gold zone is characterized by anomalous concentrations of certain pathfinder elements including arsenic, antimony, bismuth, iron and yttrium. The zone will initially be tested by a series of reverse circulation holes and diamond drilling to determine the attitude and nature of the mineralization. The Djelimangara permit was initially acquired by Barrick Gold following the discovery of the Sadiola gold deposit. The structural setting of the property is dominated by the regional Mali West shear zone that crosses through the heart of the permit. Barrick conducted detailed soil geochemical surveys over Djelimangara between 1995 and 1997, that outlined a profusion of gold anomalies in a variety of geological environments. Over 900 soil samples carried in excess of 50 parts per billion gold and 65 sites exceeded 250 parts per billion. Barrick carried out limited diamond drilling (3,000 metres in 23 holes) and tested only nine of the anomalous zones with the best intercept reported at 3.7 metres averaging 13.44 grams per tonne gold. The gold anomaly to be tested by Etruscan has never been diamond drilled. The distribution of gold anomalies on Djelimangara is very similar to the situation on the Sadiola property where at least 16 exploration targets have been identified outside of the main deposit at Sadiola Hill.
Unlike traditional soil sampling methods, auger drilling at Djelimangara penetrates the lateritic cover to obtain a single one-metre sample of saprolitic material per drill hole for analysis. All sample preparations including low detection limit aqua regia gold analyses and multielement ICP analyses were performed by Abilab of Bamako, Mali. Etruscan consistently employs a rigorous quality control and assurance program comprising regular insertion of certified reference standards, blanks and duplicates. The Djelimangara drilling and exploration program is being carried out under the supervision of David Duncan, PGeo, and qualified person acting for Etruscan. |
