AMN - SENEGAL: Avenira grows phosphate resource

The potential longevity of Avenira Ltd’s Baobab phosphate project in Senegal has been significantly increased with the release of an upgraded indicated mineral resource estimate. The 150% increase in tonnage at similar grades to the previous indicated resource estimate will substantially raise the confidence with which the company can develop its operations and market product to offtakers.

The indicated resource tonnage increased to 31.7 million tonnes (mt) at 20.6% P2O5 at a 15% P2O5 cut-off grade at Gadde Bissik East, which is part of the wider Baobab project.

The inferred resource of 56 mt @ 19% P2O5 at a 15% cut-off estimated for the remainder of Gadde Bissik East includes more broadly drilled portions of the Small Mine Permit (SMP).

Maiden inferred resource estimates have been released for three new prospects, taking the global inferred estimate at Baobab to 114 mt at 19% P2O5 at a 15% P2O5 cut-off.

Avenira says resource drilling programs are continuing adjacent to the SMP aimed at further increasing estimated indicated resource tonnes while exploration drilling programs continue at several other locations across the Baobab tenement targeting prospective ground to the east and north of Gadde Bissik and on the Gossas tenement to the south.

Avenira’s Chairman Dr Chris Pointon said: “The results show continuing success for our exploration team in growing the resource base at Baobab. The resources defined to date and the demonstrated further prospectivity of our concessions are most encouraging. They represent a major step in underpinning the medium and longer term growth of Avenira in Senegal.”

The Baobab project area covers 1553sq km. Within the area, the Gadde Bissik prospect of approximately 90 sq km was identified during excavation of water wells in the 1950s.

Avenira has managed the exploration of the Gadde Bissik area since early 2014, building up a comprehensive knowledge of the Baobab project and its potential. An SMP was granted in May 2015 over the area of thickest and highest grade mineralisation identified to date at Gadde Bissik and the focus of exploration has continued largely within and adjacent this area since that time.

Mining activities commenced within the SMP in March 2016 and the company expected the first shipment of product from the port of Dakar to occur during early March 2017.

www.avenira.com

News courtesy of International Mining