Tati anomalies could be game changing for Power Metal

Power Metal Resources plc confirmed large scale anomalies from first soil sample results at its wholly owned gold-nickel Tati project near Francistown in Botswana.

SAMPLING

The company collected a total of 1,107 soil samples and 49 rock samples across five grid areas.

The results are from 727 soil samples from grids 2 to 5, analysed with portable field X-ray fluorescence equipment (XRF).

The soil samples from grid 1 and the 49 rock samples are undergoing fire assay analysis testing for gold with results expected in the coming weeks.

Power Metal said that XRF testing of soil samples across grids 2 to 5 confirmed multiple large-scale nickel and arsenic anomalies.

Arsenic is a pathfinder element for gold deposits in the Tati greenstone belt.

GRIDS

Grid 2 is 1,000m x 200m high-tenor nickel-in-soil anomaly coincident with a government-mapped mafic intrusive body. Of the 80 samples taken from grid 2, a total of 23 returned greater than 500ppm Ni (up to 1489ppm), and 50 samples returned greater than 100ppm Ni.

Grid 3 is 3,000m long in a northwest-southeast trending high-tenor arsenic-in-soil anomaly, ranging in width from 500m to 200m along its length.

Of the 354 samples collected from grid 3, 79 returned greater than 100ppm As (up to 1097ppm As).

Power Metal said that the anomaly was a “compelling” target.

Roughly 1,000m long by 400m wide grid 4 is a north-south trending arsenic-in-soil anomaly 2.5km from the Signal Hill gold mine to the southeast along the same geological structure.

Grid 4 is a “priority” exploration target for the company. 

Grid 5 is a 1,500m long by 300m wide northeast-southwest trending nickel-in-soil anomaly with nickel mines less than 5km away, prompting Power Metal to label the target a priority.

Power Metal is planning Phase II which might involve ground-based geophysics, magnetic surveys over the newly defined nickel targets, and rotary air blast drilling over the targets.

“The Tati project is potentially a game changing opportunity for Power Metal,” added chief executive Paul Johnson.

“The Tati greenstone belt was the site of southern Africa’s first gold rush, but since then its nickel and gold potential has been underexplored.

“It is now confirmed that we have substantial nickel and gold exploration targets emerging and we are following the pathway needed to make major discoveries.”