AFRICA SPECIAL — Ghana Goldfields outlines gold zones, quartz veins at Pampe concession

Drilling on the Pampe concession in southern Ghana is producing satisfactory results for junior Ghana Goldfields (GHN-V).

The concession contains two well-defined gold zones and includes a system of mineralized quartz veins exposed on surface and in four levels of underground workings.

The vein system is exposed over a minimum of 400 metres of strike length and contains disseminated pyrite hosted in an altered hangingwall and footwall phyllite. The style of mineralization is said to be similar to that of the nearby Ashanti gold deposit.

In 1996, six holes were drilled in the southern portion in a program spanning 909 metres. Highlights are as follows:

Holes 1 and 3 intersected mineralized quartz veins and a narrow interval of altered phyllitic wallrock. Hole 1 intersected 18.5 metres grading 2.19 grams gold per tonne (including 12.5 metres of 3.07 grams) and 2 metres of 8.87 grams, whereas hole 3 intersected 31 metres grading 1.56 grams gold (including 3.5 metres of 11.5 grams) and 3.5 metres of 11.5 grams. Hole 2 was abandoned as a result of drilling problems.

Hole 4 also intersected a mineralized quartz vein, plus a thicker interval of altered phyllitic rock. Mineralization consists of disseminated pyrite and arsenopyrite with isolated occurrences of visible gold. The hole returned 1.5 metres of 5.6 grams gold and 6 metres of 2.89 grams.

The alteration increases in hole 5, which consists of intense carbonate alteration and quartz flooding, with abundant arsenopyrite. Hole 5 intersected 59 metres of 3.22 grams gold, including 9.2 metres of 2 grams and 26 metres of 5.97 grams.

Assay results suggest gold values are associated with an increase in arsenopyrite mineralization, which occurs both as blebs in the veins and as needle-like crystals in the phyllitic wallrock.

But while drilling progresses at Pampe, bureaucratic delays continue to hinder the company’s efforts at the nearby Flagbase concession, which occupies a government forest reserve.

Drill permits for the 78-sq.-km property were delayed by elections in December 1996, and now the Forests Ministry is further delaying the processs, says company spokesman Byron Coulthard.

“The election has come and gone, yet nothing has changed,” he says.

The company has completed one 100-metre hole of a planned 5,000-metre diamond drill program at Flagbase.