Zulu Assay Results and Pilot Plant Update
Premier African Minerals Limited, is pleased to report on assay results at Premier’s Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project (“Zulu”). These results continue to support our decision to proceed with the pilot plant and at the same time will be incorporated into the revised Mineral Resource update required to support the DFS.
George Roach, CEO commented, “I am pleased to share further assay results from Zulu. It is well worth noting ZDD114 in particular. These very pleasing results are further confirmation of our decision to go ahead with the construction of the pilot plant at Zulu. As mentioned in the RNS dated 26 August 2022, work is progressing well with the installation of the pilot plant, and we remain on target for hot commissioning in Q1 of 2023.”
Drill Holes: Lithium & Tantalum Results
The table below sets out the composites determined, as per the outlined compositing routine in the text below, from analyses received from the independent external laboratory analyses for holes ZDD104, ZDD111, ZDD112 & ZDD114.
Table 1 -Assay Summary Results
Hole | From (m) | To (m) | Width* (m) | Li2O% | Ta2O5 ppm | Rb ppm |
ZDD104
| 208.24
| 215.68
| 7.44
| 1.04
| 53
| 1435
|
Incl. | 209.24
| 210.24
| 1.00
| 2.06
| 6
| 1995
|
Incl.
| 213.68
| 214.68
| 1.00
| 1.40
| 55
| 942
|
ZDD104
| 255.05
| 257.25
| 2.20
| 0.90
| 91
| 817
|
Incl.
| 255.25
| 256.25
| 1.00
| 1.76
| 100
| 1020
|
ZDD104
| 268.30
| 273.30
| 5.00
| 1.79
| 74
| 963
|
Incl | 270.30
| 271.30
| 1.00
| 2.01
| 76
| 793
|
ZDD111
| 209.32
| 211.48
| 2.16
| 0.96
| 186
| 2435
|
ZDD111
| 219.68
| 222.55
| 2.87
| 0.95
| 47
| 1326
|
ZDD112
| 168.80
| 176.80
| 8.00
| 1.37
| 39
| 1525
|
Incl. | 169.80
| 173.80
| 4.00
| 1.85
| 32
| 1441
|
Incl.
| 174.80
| 175.80
| 1.00
| 1.63
| 38
| 2485
|
ZDD114
| 111.98
| 135.70
| 23.72
| 1.51
| 93
| 2219
|
Incl.
| 114.40
| 115.40
| 1.00
| 2.33
| 82
| 2875
|
Incl.
| 123.40
| 125.40
| 2.00
| 2.07
| 147
| 1597
|
*Not True Width but lineal width
**0.50% Li2O cut-off applied.
The following compositing routine was applied:
· | 0.50% Li2O cut-off was applied to the pegmatitic intersections only. |
· | <2m standalone composites at the cut-off grade but with an overall weighted average grade of >0.5% Li2O are not reported however, |
· | Within any composite >2m thickness, high-grade intersections of 1m are reported; and |
· | Within any composite, inclusions of country rock of <2m thickness are included within the composite provided the overall grade of the composite is not <0.50% Li2O. |
Table 2 – Drilling Progress
A summary of the number of drill holes completed both prior to and for the ongoing DFS is set out below:
PROGRAMME | No of Drill Holes Completed | Metres (m) |
RST (1958) | 7 | 903.90 |
ZULU – Initial Exploration | 6 | 2,312.90 |
ZULU – PEA | 43 | 5,809.10 |
ZULU – DFS (completed) | 111 | 25,727.29 |
ZULU – DFS (in progress) * | See note below |
*Given the number of outstanding analyses as set out in the table below, a temporary suspension has been imposed on the Resource drilling. Three drill rigs remain on-site and will continue Resource drilling in the next 10 days to more targeted area of the Resource.
Table 3 – Analytical Pipeline
A summary of the status of DFS drill core analysis is set out below:
DFS – results received to date | 3,730 |
DFS – sample pulps at SGS Randfontein awaiting analysis | 1,256 |
DFS – sample pulps ready to be shipped to SGS | 401 |
DFS – samples being pulped at Antec | 209 |
DFS – ongoing sampling of drill cores at site* | 600 |
*Estimate
Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC)
The drill holes are initially sited using a hand-held GPS (Global Positioning System device) within the tenement areas. Accurate coordinates and elevations of drill holes collars are subsequently derived from a DGPS (Differential Global Position devices) survey.
Drill cores are geologically logged, intersections of interest are selected are marked-up with unique sample ID assigned before splitting and sampling. Cores are cut in half using a core cutter, individual samples bagged, and sent for analysis.
Alternating Certified Refence Materials (CRM), blank or duplicate samples are inserted every 10th sample into the sample stream sent to the laboratory to ensure QA/QC compliance. These QA/QC samples are assessed upon receipt of analyses, checked and, if acceptable, accepted into the analytical database. Follow-up with the laboratory is instigated in cases were any QA/QC sample fails the QA/QC parameters.
Currently, drill core samples are crushed and pulverised at the Antec Laboratory, Zimbabwe to 85% passing -75 microns. Sample pulps are inspected for export in Harare by the competent government authorities and couriered to the SGS Laboratory Services in Randfontein, South Africa where pulps are fused with sodium peroxide and analysed by ICP-OES and ICP-MS to report 51-elements. (SGS code ICP90A50 & IMS90A50).