By Nevsun,
Nevsun Resources Ltd. (TSX:NSU / NYSE MKT:NSU) announces previously unreported assay results from drilling completed by the previous owner of the Mogoraib River exploration license that includes the Hambok mineral deposit.
Nevsun reports that Bisha has started a resource definition drilling program at Hambok with expectation that the results will be included in a mineral resource estimate for Hambok that will be part of an overall resource and reserve estimate in Q1 2014 for the Bisha area deposits, effective December 31, 2013. A total of 2,713 metres in 8 holes were completed prior to the onset of the summer rainy season that has temporarily halted work until September. Assay results from these holes are pending.
Highlights
- Drilling confirms continuity of the massive sulphide body
- Hambok mineral deposit still open to the south, north and at depth
- Further mineral resource definition drilling underway
- Updated Mineral Resource estimate anticipated in early 2014
- High potential exploration targets in immediate mineral deposit area
Select high grade results include:
- HAM-10-062: 79.1 m @ 1.56% Cu, 2.02% Zn from 189.1 – 268.2 m in massive sulphide
- HAM-12-076: 47.9 m @ 1.48% Cu, 2.35% Zn from 213.8 – 261.7 m in massive sulphide
- HAM-12-078: 75.4 M @ 1.70% Cu, 2.95% Zn from 192.5 – 267.9 m in massive sulphide
- HAM-12-084: 47.0 m @ 1.50% Cu, 2.65% Zn from 141.6 – 188.5 m in massive sulphide
Assay results are from the thickest and best developed part of the Hambok deposit.
Hambok is a copper-zinc massive sulphide mineral deposit located 16 kilometers southwest of Nevsun’s Bisha Mine that represents potential additional feed for Bisha. Hambok is on the 97.4 square kilometer Mogoraib River exploration license acquired in October 2012.
The deposit consists of a single massive sulphide lens that is steeply east dipping and lenticular in shape. The massive sulphide lens extends for over 1,000 metres along strike and 350 metres on dip. The distribution of base metal values is regular within the sulphide body. The best grades generally occur nearer to surface along the top and outer edges in the central area of the body. The massive sulphide lens is open to the north and south and there is limited drilling at depth.
In 2009, the previous owner of the Hambok property completed 52 historical diamond drill holes totaling 11,984 metres on the deposit. Between 2010 and 2012 an additional 33 holes totaling 10,923 metres of in-fill diamond drilling and 42 holes totaling 2,675 metres of RC (reverse circulation) drilling targeting near surface gold potential was completed to further evaluate this mineral deposit. Much of the drilling completed in 2012 had not been assayed prior to the purchase of the Mogoraib River exploration license. Bisha has now finished this work and the results for all holes drilled between 2010 and 2012 are reported in this release.
Bisha believes that there is significant expansion potential at Hambok and in the immediate area. Compilation of a historical ground EM, IP (induced polarization) and soil geochemical data has highlighted possible extensions to the mineral deposit along strike and to the immediate west of the mineral deposit. In addition, encouraging mineralization (e.g. 29.0 metres (drilled length) grading 0.83 grams per tonne Au, 0.71% Cu, 3.36% Zn including 10 metres grading 1.23 grams per tonne Au, 1.10% Cu, 5.94% Zn in hole ANK-006) has been intersected in the Aderat area located approximately 5 kilometres along strike to the north of Hambok by the previous owner. A program of trenching has been initiated at this target with follow-up drilling planned for later in 2013.
TABLE 1: Hambok Drill Hole Data from holes drilled by previous owner, 2010 to 2012 (1)
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Cu (%) | Zn (%) | Au (g/t) | Ag (g/t) | Length (m) |
| HAM-10-062 | 189.1 | 268.2 | 1.56 | 2.02 | 0.2 | 13.6 | 79.1 |
| HAM-10-063 | 185.2 | 263.1 | 1.05 | 1.93 | 0.2 | 11.4 | 78.0 |
| HAM-10-064 | 188.3 | 260 | 0.78 | 1.88 | 0.2 | 8.5 | 71.7 |
| HAM-11-066 | 138.9 | 177.3 | 0.64 | 1.24 | 0.2 | 6.1 | 38.4 |
| HAM-11-067 | 232.2 | 285.4 | 0.85 | 1.30 | 0.1 | 6.3 | 53.2 |
| HAM-11-068 | 145.3 | 174.4 | 0.67 | 1.73 | 0.1 | 4.1 | 29.2 |
| HAM-11-069 | 227.1 | 298.1 | 0.56 | 0.92 | 0.2 | 4.4 | 71.0 |
| HAM-11-071 | 245.7 | 327.1 | 0.97 | 1.50 | 0.2 | 4.4 | 81.4 |
| HAM-12-072 | 260.2 | 301.9 | 1.12 | 1.94 | 0.1 | 4.9 | 41.7 |
| HAM-12-074 | 242.5 | 341.9 | 0.65 | 0.59 | 0.2 | 4.3 | 99.4 |
| HAM-12-076 | 213.8 | 261.7 | 1.48 | 2.35 | 0.2 | 10.5 | 47.9 |
| HAM-12-077 | 205.7 | 244.2 | 0.73 | 1.17 | 0.2 | 5.9 | 38.5 |
| HAM-12-078 | 192.5 | 267.9 | 1.70 | 2.95 | 0.3 | 16.9 | 75.4 |
| HAM-12-079 | 191.5 | 257 | 0.72 | 2.43 | 0.1 | 10.3 | 65.5 |
| HAM-12-080 | 203.3 | 268.3 | 0.70 | 2.19 | 0.2 | 8.4 | 65.0 |
| HAM-12-081 | 188.7 | 220 | 0.59 | 1.33 | 0.1 | 6.7 | 31.3 |
| HAM-12-082 | 197.4 | 236.8 | 0.55 | 1.40 | 0.2 | 4.6 | 39.4 |
| HAM-12-083 | 214.4 | 258.9 | 0.75 | 1.75 | 0.2 | 5.3 | 44.6 |
| HAM-12-084 | 141.6 | 188.5 | 1.50 | 2.65 | 0.3 | 11.5 | 47.0 |
| HAM-12-085 | 118.2 | 157.7 | 0.69 | 1.76 | 0.2 | 5.9 | 39.5 |
| HAM-12-086 | 140.8 | 189.3 | 0.67 | 0.61 | 0.3 | 5.3 | 48.5 |
| HAM-12-087 | 205.3 | 239.7 | 0.87 | 2.61 | 0.2 | 9.8 | 34.4 |
| HAM-12-088 | 291.2 | 331.6 | 0.56 | 1.49 | 0.3 | 5.9 | 40.4 |
| HAM-12-089 | 305.8 | 356.7 | 0.56 | 1.37 | 0.2 | 5.8 | 50.9 |
| HAM-12-090 | 293.3 | 361.8 | 0.57 | 1.75 | 0.2 | 8.8 | 68.5 |
| HAM-12-091 | 281.5 | 370.3 | 0.56 | 1.57 | 0.2 | 9.1 | 88.8 |
| HAM-12-092 | 296.0 | 385.6 | 0.49 | 0.97 | 0.2 | 5.1 | 89.6 |
| HAM-12-094 | 286.3 | 378.1 | 0.53 | 0.56 | 0.2 | 4.0 | 91.8 |
| HAM-12-095 | 289.0 | 379.6 | 0.46 | 0.64 | 0.1 | 4.2 | 90.6 |
| HAM-12-096 | 293.9 | 371.6 | 0.55 | 0.79 | 0.2 | 4.0 | 77.7 |
(1) Drill holes without significant mineralization have been excluded from the above table (holes 65, 70, 73, 75, 93).
A renewal for the Mogoraib River exploration license is pending as of the date of this news release.
TABLE 2: Location of drill holes for which results are being reported
| Hole ID | Easting (mUTM) | Northing (mUTM) | Elevation (mabmsl) | Hole Depth | Azimuth | Dip |
| HAM-10-062 | 329143.3 | 1705039.6 | 628.6 | 280 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-10-063 | 329119.5 | 1704947.8 | 628.3 | 280 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-10-064 | 329166.9 | 1705093.0 | 627.8 | 277 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-10-065 | 328833.1 | 1704498.9 | 632.1 | 137 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-11-066 | 329176.2 | 1705319.3 | 627.9 | 189 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-11-067 | 329260.2 | 1705291.1 | 626.7 | 295 | 278.5 | -50 |
| HAM-11-068 | 329154.1 | 1705225.9 | 628.3 | 190 | 280 | -50 |
| HAM-11-069 | 329236.2 | 1705197.2 | 626.8 | 313 | 280 | -50 |
| HAM-11-070 | 329355.0 | 1704980.0 | 614.0 | 550 | 285 | -60 |
| HAM-11-071 | 329198.3 | 1704980.4 | 620.0 | 340 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-072 | 329163.6 | 1704886.9 | 617.0 | 328 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-073 | 329395.0 | 1704913.0 | 612.0 | 529 | 285 | -60 |
| HAM-12-074 | 329227.0 | 1705116.0 | 614.0 | 352 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-075 | 329323.0 | 1704853.0 | 618.0 | 514 | 285 | -60 |
| HAM-12-076 | 329110.0 | 1704904.0 | 618.0 | 280 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-077 | 329095.0 | 1704853.0 | 620.0 | 277 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-078 | 329143.0 | 1704998.0 | 619.0 | 283 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-079 | 329177.0 | 1705131.0 | 613.0 | 265 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-080 | 329197.0 | 1705164.0 | 619.0 | 283 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-081 | 329201.0 | 1705216.0 | 620.0 | 238 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-082 | 329217.0 | 1705260.0 | 618.0 | 253 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-083 | 329231.0 | 1705316.0 | 617.0 | 274 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-084 | 329093.0 | 1705014.0 | 619.0 | 208 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-085 | 329109.0 | 1705176.0 | 620.0 | 172 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-086 | 329057.8 | 1704921.1 | 618.0 | 214 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-087 | 329233.0 | 1705361.1 | 624.0 | 255 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-088 | 329318.7 | 1705335.7 | 622.0 | 351 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-089 | 329327.4 | 1705285.9 | 621.0 | 375 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-090 | 329308.9 | 1705235.0 | 622.0 | 377 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-091 | 329289.1 | 1705190.2 | 615.0 | 376 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-092 | 329276.4 | 1705098.9 | 619.0 | 398 | 285 | -55 |
| HAM-12-093 | 328795.0 | 1705324.0 | 621.0 | 300 | 105 | -50 |
| HAM-12-094 | 329286.7 | 1705139.0 | 613.0 | 391 | 285 | -50 |
| HAM-12-095 | 329262.1 | 1705069.2 | 617.0 | 394 | 285 | -55 |
| HAM-12-096 | 329255.0 | 1705012.8 | 617.0 | 385 | 285 | -55 |
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Quality Assurance
A Quality Assurance/Quality Control program was part of the sampling program on the Hambok deposit. 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. Results from work by the previous owner are acceptable.
Samples were prepared at African Horn Testing Services (Eritrea) and analyzed at Genalysis Laboratories (a NATA registered laboratory) in Perth, Western Australia.
Drilling intercepts lengths only are reported in the tables and text above; it is estimated that true width will be approximately 85% of the mineralized intersections reported
Mr. Paul Gribble C.Eng., FIMMM, BMSC’s Chief Resource Geologist has been overseeing the drilling and resource work at Hambok and is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Gribble has reviewed the technical content of this press release and approved its dissemination.
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