Modern Mining July 2016

COUNTRY FOCUS BOTSWANA

Exciting T3 discovery opens up options for MOD Resources

Copperbelt. Prior to the DMI deal, it already had 11 prospecting licences covering an area of 4 187 km 2 . The DMI acquisition has brought a further 14 prospecting licences covering 7 446 km 2 into its stable. It has an interest of 70 % in the new licences with Metal Tiger own- ing the balance. Metal Tiger is a company specialising in investing in opportunities in the minerals sec- tor worldwide – with an emphasis on precious and base metals – and was represented at the BRSC by its Chairman, well-known Australian geologist Terry Grammer. Addressing the BRSC, MOD’s Hanna described the Kalahari Copperbelt – which occupies a corridor running roughly from Maun south-west to the town of Ghanzi and beyond – as an emerging copper district with the potential for many large sediment-hosted copper-silver deposits, with the grade range ‘niche’ being 1,3 % to 2,0 % copper (Cu) with significant silver (Ag) credits. He said the known deposits had the capability of producing high-grade (plus 40 % Cu), high- quality (low arsenic) concentrates. Illustrating his point, he noted that testwork on sul- phide ore from MOD’s Mahumo project had

When we last covered ASX-listed, Perth-based MOD Resources (MOD) a year ago, the company was focused on its Mahumo copper/silver project in the heart of Botswana’s Kalahari Copperbelt. While Mahumo – which MOD is hoping to develop initially as a ‘starter’ underground mine – still remains a key asset, the recent discovery of the T3 deposit – located approximately 20 km south of Mahumo and offering open-pit potential – has greatly broadened MOD’s options with respect to mine development, as MOD’s MD, Julian Hanna, explained to delegates attending the recent Botswana Resource Sector Conference (BRSC) in Gaborone.

T he T3 discovery was made earlier this year on ground acquired by MOD as part of its recent acquisi- tion – in conjunction with a joint venture partner, AIM-listed Metal Tiger – of Discovery Mines (Pty) Ltd (DMI), the holder of a number of prospecting licences in the Kalahari in the vicinity of Mahumo. As a result of the deal, MOD now has by far the biggest landholding in the Kalahari

Inspecting core from T3. MOD’s General Manager Exploration (Africa), Jacques Janse van Rensburg, is third from left and Julian Hanna, MOD’s MD, fourth from left.

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36  MODERN MINING  July 2016