July 2014
MODERN MINING
15
MINING News
ASX-listed gold junior Auroch Minerals NL
reports it has reached conditional agree-
ment with Republic Gold Limited, also
listed on the ASX, to acquire African Stellar
Mozambique Limitada (ASMoz), the holder
of three prospecting licences and four pros-
pecting licence applications in the Manica
and Sofala provinces of Mozambique.
Auroch is developing the multi-
million ounce Manica gold project in
Mozambique. The project currently has a
JORC-compliant resource base of 2,82 mil-
lion ounces at 1,79 g/t.
“Auroch’s consolidation of the Manica
Greenstone Belt has really begun to take
shape and our aim to establish the Manica
area as a major gold exploration and
producing province is one step closer.
Building on the company’s 2,8 million
ounces of resource and with the benefit
of these contiguous exploration licences,
the company will have far greater options
with its proposed mining activities, with
Stage 1 of the DFS currently underway,”
commented Auroch’s Executive Chairman,
Glenn Whiddon.
Republic acquired ASMoz in April 2013
and has since completed an eight-hole
drill programme intersecting high-grade
gold mineralisation at the Mucurumadzi
project, located directly along strike to
Auroch’s 73 600 oz Guy Fawkes project.
Republic recently conducted a prelimi-
nary assessment of the alluvial potential
of the auriferous cobble-gravel deposit
located along the southern bank of the
Revue River within the south-western cor-
ner of the Mucurumadzi licence (5026L).
Selected grab sampling has been con-
ducted in 25 shafts from the base of the
cobble-boulder unit and show grades as
high as 4,46 grams per loose cubic metre.
Also within the portfolio to be acquired
by Auroch is the Gondola project (5000L).
The geology of the Gondola licence area
presents mobile belt associated grass roots
lode gold target possibilities. An unusual
pegmatite-associated native gold occur-
Auroch Minerals consolidates Mozambique ground
rence is reportedly being mined at present
by artisanal miners on this licence.
A third project is Sussundenga (4800L).
Republic targeted this licence for near sur-
face, bulk tonnage gold targets. The total
licence area is 245 km
2
covering a regional
contact margin between the Zimbabwe
Craton and adjacent Mozambique Belt.
The gold deposit model is thought to be an
intrusive related gold stylewith gold hosted
within the vein segregations in the gneiss.
While a first-pass exploration programme
has been completed over a small area, mini-
mal exploration activity has occurred at the
Sussundenga licence. Aurochmanagement
believes the licence represents a reasonably
high level grass roots exploration opportu-
nity over a large area.
The Sussundenga and Gondola project
areas are largely under-explored and their
potential will be assessed, starting with
reconnaissance field mapping in associa-
tion with satellite imagery interpretation
in order to develop specific target areas.
