Modern Mining July 2015

COUNTRY FOCUS – BOTSWANA

copper/silver project

and exploring other priority targets in the sur- rounding area for possible new discoveries. “Sedgman has significant experience oper- ating in Botswana. This should assist MOD in building community and landowner rela- tionships and undertaking environmental and permitting related studies that will be required if feasibility studies confirm a viable under- ground mining operation at Mahumo.” Hanna is a geologist who was co-founder and former MD of Western Areas, Australia’s second largest underground miner. He leads a team which includes Steve McGhee, MOD’s Resources Director (he is also a co-founder and Director of IMO), and Jacques Janse van Rensburg, General Manager Exploration (Africa). MOD has tenements in Botswana extend- ing over nearly 7 000 km 2 in the area between Maun and Ghanzi. The Mahumo deposit, the

company’s main focus of interest, is located approximately 100 km south-west of Boseto, the only mine (although it is currently on care and maintenance) to have been built so far in the Kalahari Copperbelt. A Stage One mineral resource estimate for Mahumo of 2,7 Mt at 2,0 % copper and 50 g/t silver was announced in March this year. It is based on drilling completed by MOD in 2011/2012 and 2014/2015 along a 2,4 km strike length at Mahumo to an average depth of approximately 300 m. The resource remains open below the current limit of drilling and resource extension drilling (Stage Two) is due to start shortly (subject to funding). The Mahumo resource has a copper equiva- lent grade of approximately 2,5 %, which MOD believes is the highest grade for an announced copper/silver resource in Botswana. The silver grade of 50 g/t is particularly impressive and is

Above: Inspecting Mahumo drill core. Top: Copper-rich Mahumo drill core. Centre: Drilling at the Mahumo site in the Kalahari Copperbelt has outlined a resource of 2,7 Mt at 2,0 % copper and 50 g/t silver.

feature

July 2015  MODERN MINING  37