Akora Resources makes high-grade iron hits in infill drilling at Bekisopa Southern Zone
Of the 86 holes drilled at the Bekisopa Southern Zone, 72 unearthed high-grade direct shipping ore iron mineralisation.
Infill drilling by Akora Resources (ASX: AKO) at the Bekisopa Southern Zone in Madagascar has confirmed significant areas of high-grade iron mineralisation.
Drilling of a total 86 holes produced strong results, with 72 holes intercepting direct shipping ore (DSO) mineralisation as well as areas within the weathered zone and from surface which are suitable for DSO lumps and fines products.
Best results were 9.8 metres from surface grading 66.27% weighted iron; 11.2m at 66.05% weighted iron; 11.59m at 66% weighted iron; and 9.72m at 65.25m weighted iron.
Drilling was aimed at increasing the size and confidence of the Southern Zone mineral resource.
New resource estimate
Akora chief executive officer Paul Bibby said the results would feed into an updated resource estimate for Southern Zone to be released later this year.
“The drilling results at Bekisopa are outstanding, showing a broad area across the Southern Zone of better-than-benchmark grade iron mineralisation,” he said.
“Substantial at-surface intercepts grading above 63% iron appear to be suitable for lump and fines direct ship ore … we believe the updated mineral resource estimate will be significant.”
High-grade mineralisation
The Southern Zone is approximately 1.2 kilometres wide with high-grade iron mineralisation exposed from surface.
Since listing on the ASX in December 2020, Akora has achieved considerable progress in the area through extensive drilling, product trials and the release of a maiden resource estimate.
Recent drilling campaigns have confirmed an extensive iron ore body along a 6km strike length, with mineralisation continuing at depths to 300m and beyond.
Resource classification
Mr Bibby said the latest infill drilling assays are expected to result in an upgraded resource classification (inferred to indicated) of around 12 million tonnes of DSO mineralisation across an area of just 700m by 500m.
This represents only 12% of the known strike length.
The enhanced resource classification across the Southern Zone will be added to the existing resource and exploration potential in the Northern and Central Zones and suggests Akora will achieve greater than 20Mt of DSO lump and fines product grade iron ore from Bekisopa.