Armeno to explore copper deposit in Africa’s Sudan

The Hofrat En Nahas prospect, which includes a former producing mine, is in southwestern Sudan and covers an area of about 22,000 sq km. Mining of the property, according to a brief history of copper development in the country, has probably been carried out in a small way for centuries.

Vice-President B.H. Kalpakian said previous exploration indicates a long zone of copper and gold mineralization extending in a northeast-southwest direction for about 125 km within the concession. Kalpakian calls the property a “world- class deposit.”

Exploration work sponsored by the United Nations in the 1960s and 1970s initially indicated possible reserves of 8.7 million tonnes grading 4% copper to a depth of 200 m, Kalpakian said. The amount of reserves was subsequently increased to 20 million tonnes grading 5.77% copper.

Two fairly shallow zones indicate open pit potential. A deeper sulphide zone has also been identified. The mineralization also contains traces of uranium, silver, cobalt, nickel and other minerals.

Armeno plans to spend about $2.7 million in a 4-phase program to be carried out during a 4-year period.

The company will incorporate a Sudanese subsidiary, Armeno Baladna Mining and Petroleum (Armbal), which will be the project operator. Armbal will have a 49% interest in the project, and the government of Sudan a 51% interest.

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