Soil samples taken from Si6 Metals’ Maibele East and Mashambe prospects in Botswana have revealed elevated levels of copper, zinc and nickel suggesting the possibility of nickel-sulphide deposits lurking beneath. Identified by X-ray fluorescence analysis, Si6 says the samples show evidence of ultramafic lithology across the Maibele-Mashambe trend whilst exploration at its Gobajango prospect has also revealed a number of overgrown trenches also containing ultramafic occurrences and gossanous material.
Si6 says the discoveries at Gobajango are coincident with airborne electromagnetic conductors and confirm the prospectivity of the under-explored area. Sample analysis by X-ray fluorescence at the prospect has also revealed a number of anomalous base metal zones similar to electromagnetic anomalies in the area.
The Maibele East, Mashambe and Gobajango prospects are fully owned by Si6 and lie outside the company’s Maibele joint-venture base metals project.
The company says more fieldwork including detailed mapping, further sampling and ground geophysics will be used to home in on drill targets across the prospects.
Si6 Metals Technical Director, Steve Groves said: “These encouraging results in Botswana on our 100 per cent-owned tenure are a positive development for Si6 as we look to accelerate exploration activities in the country. Si6 intends to continue the work which has started on this tenure as we aim to build a stronger understanding of these areas and generate a number of priority drill targets for future programs.”
Si6 is steadily advancing its exploration at the Maibele joint-venture project after recently receiving official consent to commence a drill program from the liquidators for partner BCL with drilling now expected to begin before the end of the year.
Si6 says it is finalising further exploration discussions with the relevant governing bodies including the mining and environmental departments that are awaiting liquidator approvals.
BCL owns a 40 per cent share in the joint-venture project, with Si6 making up the remaining 60 per cent. BCL has been in liquidation for several years and Si6 confirmed the company needed approvals from BCL via its liquidator for the proposed drilling programs to commence.
The advanced resource at the Maibele North prospect hosts 2.36 million tonnes at 0.72 per cent nickel and 0.21 per cent copper in addition to high-grade copper-silver discoveries at Airstrip and Dibete.
Si6 says its JV Maibele project contains nickel-sulphide mineralisation related to ultramafic intrusions similar in style to nickel discoveries such as IGO’s Nova-Bollinger, Chalice Mining’s Julimar and the Thompson Belt in Canada.
The company has also recently joined forces with the University of Botswana to review the company’s portfolio across the region for pegmatite-hosted mineralisation which includes highly sought-after lithium, tin tantalum and rare earths. A comprehensive field program is currently being planned in collaboration with the university that is expected to begin after exploration approvals have been finalised.
Botswana has long been regarded as the premier African address for exploration and mining, luring companies from around the world due to the region’s relative political stability. Encouraged by increasingly prospective mineralisation at surface and a drill program due to kick off by the end the year in a region renowned for producing elephant-sized deposits, Si6 will be hoping to fill its Christmas stockings in Africa.
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By Matt Birney
