AMN - DRC: New resource estimate issued for Kipushi

Ivanhoe Mines Executive Chairman Robert Friedland and CEO Lars-Eric Johansson have released a new, independent, Mineral Resource estimate for the company’s historic, high-grade, Kipushi zinc copper-germanium-lead-silver mine.

Kipushi is a joint venture between Ivanhoe Mines and Gécamines, the state-owned mining company.  

Highlights of this initial estimate are: 

• Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources in the Big Zinc Zone of 10.2 million tonnes at grades of 34.89% zinc, 0.65% copper, 19 grams/tonne gold and 51 grams/tonne germanium, at a 7% zinc cut off

• The zinc grade of Kipushi’s measured and indicated mineral resources in the Big Zinc Zone is more than twice as high as the world’s next-highest-grade zinc project, independently ranked by Wood Mackenzie

• Zinc-rich Inferred Mineral Resources total an additional 1.9 million tonnes at grades of 28.24% zinc, 1.18% copper, 10 grams/tonne silver and 53 grams/tonne germanium. The Inferred Mineral Resources are contained partially in the Big Zinc Zone and partially in the Southern Zinc Zone • Kipushi’s copper-rich Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources contained in the adjacent Fault Zone, Fault Zone Splay and Série Récurrente Zone total an additional 1.63 million tonnes at grades of 4.01% copper, 2.87% zinc and 22 grams/tonne silver, at a 1.5% copper cut off.

Copper-rich Inferred Mineral Resources in these zones total an additional 1.64 million tonnes at grades of 3.30% copper, 6.97% zinc and 19 grams/tonne silver

 • Ivanhoe’s exploration program has demonstrated that zinc and copper mineralization of the Kipushi system remains open laterally and at depth. Results recently received from hole KPU081, drilled on section line 6S, confirm high-grade copper-zinc mineralization at depth.

KPU081 intersected 60.5 metres (21.7 metres true thickness) grading 2.6% copper, 36.2% zinc, 19 grams/tonne silver and 204 grams/tonnes germanium to a depth of 1763 metres. Included in this interval was an intersection from 580.9 metres to 591.3 metres (3.8 metres true thickness) grading 56.3% zinc, 0.5% copper, 12 grams/tonnes and 397 grams/tonnes germanium

“This independent estimate of Kipushi’s Mineral Resources has exceeded our expectations. We are convinced that significant additional Mineral Resources can be delineated at Kipushi,” Robert Friedland says.

“With a current resource now established, we are evaluating technical and infrastructure options to best advance the project. The exceptionally high grades that consistently are being discovered at Kipushi are unique in the international mining industry and provide further confirmation that this project has the potential to benefit the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo for decades to come when it returns to production.”

www.ivanhoemines.com

News courtesy of International Mining