By Nevsun Resources,
NEVSUN Resources Ltd. (TSX:NSU / NYSE MKT:NSU) is pleased to announce exploration drilling results from the Harena Mining License located 10 kilometers south of the Bisha Mine and processing plant. The drilling was completed as part of the 2014 Bisha Regional Exploration program.
Nevsun CEO Cliff Davis commented, “Our exploration program at Harena continues to be successful in demonstrating that our known resources remain open for further expansion. The Bisha area is under-explored and we will further assess Harena and the greater potential of the Bisha VMS belt.”
2014 REGIONAL EXPLORATION PROGRAM UPDATE
To-date, Bisha Mining Share Company (BMSC) has completed approximately 18,500 meters of a 25,000 meter planned diamond drilling program. Diamond drilling is in progress at Harena with two diamond drills operating and will resume on the Mogoraib River Exploration License in October following the short rainy season. Geophysical surveys are also in progress and consist of ground and borehole Transient Electromagnetic (BHTEM) surveys. These surveys have been instrumental in guiding the drilling at Harena.
HIGHLIGHTS
Intersections of massive sulphide including:
Hole HX-011: 0.75% Cu, 5.18% Zn, 0.40 g/t Au, 43.4 g/t Ag over 21.5 meters
Hole HX-012: 0.96% Cu, 6.57% Zn, 0.30 g/t Au, 30.1 g/t Ag over 13.5 meters
Hole HX-017: 0.85% Cu, 3.96% Zn, 0.40 g/t Au, 43.6 g/t Ag over 41.6 meters
High grade gold-rich footwall stringer intersections including:
Hole HX-008: 0.71% Cu, 0.22% Zn, 6.15 g/t Au, 241.6 g/t Ag over 17.2 meters
Hole HX-012: 0.15% Cu, 0.25% Zn, 6.22 g/t Au, 83.1 g/t Ag over 10.0 meters
Hole HX-019: 0.56% Cu, 0.23% Zn, 8.03 g/t Au, 119.7 g/t Ag over 5.5 meters
Hole HX-020: 0.25% Cu, 0.11% Zn, 8.50 g/t Au, 146.2 g/t Ag over 14.0 meters
Deposit extension confirmed with increasing width and depth of mineralization extended to 400 meters
Mineralization remains open at depth and along strike
Additional drilling and geophysical surveys ongoing
HARENA DRILL RESULTS
The 2014 Harena exploration program is designed to expand the deposit beyond the known resource following-up on the encouraging results encountered in hole HX-005 (1.77% Cu, 3.99% Zn, 1.22 g/t Au, 77.9 g/t Ag over 18.5 meters – see Press Release August 18, 2014). Drilling to the south and below HX-005 has been successful in expanding the deposit by 300 meters to the south and to a depth of 400 meters below surface. A plan map of the drilling and representative sections are attached at the end of this release.
Thick intervals of massive, semi-massive and stringer sulphides have been encountered up to 300 meters below hole HX-005 over a 150 meter strike length including a 58.7 meter interval in hole HX-012. These thicknesses are significantly greater than that of the historic resource and the deposit remains open to depth and along strike. Assay results for holes drilled down to approximately 200 meters below surface have been received (HX-008 to HX-020 excluding HX-021) while assay results from a deeper tier of holes (HX-022 to HX-026) are pending. Drilling is being guided by BHTEM and the massive sulphides give strong electromagnetic (EM) responses. Numerous in-hole, edge and off-hole responses have been detected and the drilling of these targets has been successful.
Intense sericite and chlorite altered felsic volcanic rocks continue to be intersected in the footwall of the deposit. Stringer sulphide zones in this alteration immediately below and along strike of massive sulphides are demonstrating high precious metal endowment. Hole HX-008 immediately along strike of massive sulphides encountered in hole HX-006 intersected 6.15 g/t Au and 241.6 g/t Ag over 17.2 meters. Similar zones have been intersected in holes HX-006, HX-012, HX-019 and HX-020.
Massive and stringer sulphides have been intersected at more than one horizon in a number of the drill holes such as hole HX-022. Sulphides zones have been encountered at more than one stratigraphic level in the felsic volcanic package — this suggests that stacked mineralized horizons are present. The combination of intense footwall and locally hangingwall alteration with stacked mineralized horizons and strong precious metal endowment is a good indication of a large long lived hydrothermal system. Numerous untested geophysical targets exist outside and along strike of Harena, and these targets will be the focus of future exploration.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
A Quality Assurance/Quality Control program was part of the sampling program for the Harena work. This program includes chain of custody protocols as well as systematic use of standards, duplicates and blank samples into the flow of samples produced by the sampling. Samples were prepared at African Horn Testing Services (Eritrea) and analyzed at Genalysis Laboratories (a NATA registered laboratory) in Perth, Western Australia. Drilling intercept lengths only are reported in the tables and text below.
Mr. Robert Foy PGeo., BMSC’s Exploration Manager, has been overseeing the drilling at Harena and is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Foy has reviewed the technical content of this press release and approved its dissemination.
