AFRICA — NAR, Falco explore VMS targets in Zimbabwe

Since the summer, Toronto-based NAR Resources (NRL-M) has been funding a polymetallic exploration program operated by Falconbridge (FL-T) in the Archean greenstone belts of Zimbabwe.

The program has been focused primarily on finding volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits in areas where Falco’s subsidiary, Falconbridge Exploration Zimbabwe, has already completed preliminary fieldwork.

The first venture between the two companies is the Maramba project, situated 125 km northeast of Harare in the Shamva greenstone belt.

The project was initiated in September 1996 by Falco’s optioning of six claim groups totalling 450 ha. Encouraged by its initial results, the company has applied to expand its presence in the area to 60,127 ha.

Within the larger area are the following showings: Zveya Creek, Good Gold and a tungsten skarn at Kakonde mine.

The Zveya Creek copper-zinc gossan showing has been traced for 2 km along a creek near the village of Mutawatawa. There, Falconbridge has conducted geological mapping as well as geochemical and geophysical surveys.

Those surveys revealed anomalies associated with sulphide mineralization; these have a strike length of at least 4.6 km and are open both to the east and west.

It was found that electromagnetic conductors coincided with copper-lead-zinc geochemical anomalies, with one conducting trend being traceable over 4 km.

This conductor, dubbed “B,” was tested by nine holes drilled to a depth of fewer than 100 metres at intervals of 86 to 700 metres.

The holes intersected anomalous base metal sulphide mineralization, as well as silver. One of the best holes, No. 3, intersected more than 3.1 metres grading 2.49% copper and 0.7% zinc, as well as 52.5 grams silver per tonne.

Falco also conducted a downhole electromagnetic survey and detected off-hole conductors in two of the seven holes surveyed.

The Good Gold showing, about 6 km northwest of Zveya Creek, has been exploited by artisanal miners along a shear zone in 13 trenches ranging from 5 to 47 metres in length, with all but one trench being perpendicular to the shear strike.

Channel sampling was also carried out, the best result being 4.4 grams gold per tonne over 26 metres, including 16.9 grams gold over 4 metres, in trench 8.

The structure’s strike was traced over a length at least 960 metres and it was established that trenches 4 to 13 were actually north of a 25-to-45-metre-wide shear zone in granodioritic gneiss, a structure that has yet to be drill-tested.

The tungsten skarn deposit of the Kakonde mine, situated 17.5 km northeast of Good Gold, occurs along the margin of a granodiorite intrusive and a surrounding felsic schist of a greenstone belt.

The Kakonde mine operated from 1966 to 1972 and produced 76.8 tonnes of scheelite (a calcic tungsten-ore mineral).

A 1972 geochemical soil survey has outlined several northeasterly trending copper anomalies in the Kakonde area.

The partners are currently planning a 12-hole drilling program totalling 3,200 metres at the Maramba project.

The agreement between Falconbridge and NAR in Zimbabwe calls for the latter to fund a regional-scale exploration program in the areas of interest and earn an interest in any property acquisition based on the regional work.

For the regional work, NAR will provide a total of US$2 million spread over three years, with a minimum of US$750,000 spent in each of the first two years. At the end of the third year, the regional component of the agreement may be extended.

NAR can choose the target area in which it can acquire an interest by spending a further US$2 million exploring each area.

If, during the earn-in period, the area’s apparent primary economic value is recognized as copper, zinc or metals other than nickel or gold, NAR will earn a 40% interest in the property. For nickel or gold projects, NAR will earn a 20% or 80% interest, respectively.

Once an interest has been earned in a designated area, a joint venture will be formed, with both companies having the option to fund further work programs to maintain their interests or be diluted. As well, each company will have a right-of-first-refusal should a stake in a property be sold.

NAR will have five years in which to spend its US$2 million for each area.

Failing this, ownership in the property will revert to Falconbridge.

In the special case of the Maramba, NAR can earn a 40% interest by spending US$2 million, of which US$1.4 million must be spent exploring for copper and zinc. NAR must spend at least US$1.25 million during the first year and the remainder during the second.

Falco will remain the program’s operator until a joint venture is formed, at which time the operator will be determined by majority stake in the designated area.

NAR is 33%-owned by sister company Tandem Resources (TDM-M).