Modern Mining July 2019

MINING News

Drilling confirms continuity of Longonjo mineralisation

are significant as they add further proof of the existence of arcuate mineralised ring dyke structures around the margins of the circular carbonatite. “Several kilometres of this prospective contact zone have yet to be drill tested and offer further upside potential to the weath- ered zone mineralisation at Longonjo.” Pensana has appointed international engineering company Wood Group to execute the PFS for the expedited devel- opment of the Longonjo NdPr project. Wood Group previously undertook the Scoping Study for Longonjo and has an experienced rare earth mining and development team. The study will focus on the delivery of a low capital cost open- pit mining and processing operation which will export flotation concentrates to customers in China via the recently upgraded Benguela rail line and the Atlantic Port of Lobito. The project lies just 4,3 km from the sealed national highway and rail line that run from the port at Benguela, 200 km to the west, to the provincial capital of Huambo, 60 km to the east. A power transmission line from the Gove Dam hydroelectric power plant cur- rently extends to Caala, 38 km to the east of the project. 

Pensana’s Chairman, Paul Atherley, explaining the Longonjo development strategy earlier this year (photo: Pensana).

ASX-listed Pensana Metals has reported the final results from the recent infill and exploration reverse circulation (RC) drilling programme at the Longonjo NdPr project located in an infrastructure-rich region of Angola. Neodymium and praseodymium are commonly referred to as NdPr and are elements most commonly used in the creation of high-strength per- manent magnets. The results have confirmed

intersections confirm the continuous nature of the near surface blanket of weathered zone NdPr mineralisation in the area targeted for initial open-pit mining in the Preliminary Feasibility Study,” com- ments Pensana Executive Director Dave Hammond. “The results from the exploration holes

the continuity of high-grade weathered mineralisation from surface. The infill RC drilling was completed to support a revised Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the high-grade weath- ered zone mineralisation at Longonjo. An updated MRE has com- menced in support of the Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) which is scheduled for completion in September 2019. Exploration drilling on the southern margin of the car- bonatite has identified a thick zone of weathered mineralisa- tion which remains open along strike for 550 m to the east and requires further drilling to evalu- ate its full potential. “ These high-grade NdPr

An RC drill rig working at Longonjo (photo: Pensana).

12  MODERN MINING  July 2019