Alpha Exploration Ltd. has recently completed the diamond drilling part of the drilling program that was announced on July 7th 2022, and consisted of approximately 1,000 meters of diamond drilling and 3,000 meters of reverse-circulation drilling on three of its most important prospects on its large 100% owned Kerkasha Project, Eritrea. In addition, assay results have been received from the first diamond drill hole (ABD-001) on its Aburna gold prospect.
At this early stage of exploration, the true width of the mineralization is uncertain, but it is estimated to be 70% to 80% of reported intervals. Intervals were calculated with a start and finish value of 0.5 g/t gold and a minimum width of 2m and maximum internal dilution of 2 m at >0.2g/t gold.
On July 7th 2022, Alpha announced the start of a drill program consisting of approximately 1,000 meters of diamond drilling and 3,000 meters of reverse-circulation (RC) drilling at three of its prime prospects on its large Kerkasha Project in Eritrea.
These prospects are the Aburna orogenic gold prospect, Tolegimja copper-zinc-gold volcanogenic-massive-sulphide (VMS) prospect and the Anagulu gold-copper porphyry prospect. An additional target area known as Kona West, a copper VMS prospect, was added to the drilling program. The overall drilling program is now largely complete with assay results received to date from the single diamond drill holes at Aburna, Tolegimja and Kona West. Assay results for the balance of the drilling are expected by late October to early November.
Aburna Gold Prospect
The Aburna gold prospect is located on the western side of the Company’s Kerkasha Exploration License. Gold was mined at Aburna in the 1920s by Italian colonial miners and more recently by local artisanal miners. Earlier soil and rock chip sampling by Alpha identified gold mineralization over a large area (approximately 5 x 2 kms) northeast of the colonial mine.
Gold mineralization at Aburna is orogenic-type associated with three major NE-SW oriented shear zones. Recent work by Alpha has included continuous 1-m long sub-surface channel and trench sampling (See press releases on 4th November 2021 and 10th February 2022). Results from all the above work has defined six prospective sub-areas namely: Hill 52, Saddle Workings, Channel 12 Northeast, Celebration Hill, Pad 2 and Aburna Central.
ABD-001 is the first diamond drill hole at Aburna. A further twenty RC holes were planned for this area in this current program, fifteen have been completed to date and the remainder should be completed in one week with assay results expected in late October-early November 2022.
Tolegimja copper-zinc-gold VMS prospect
As part of the current drill program, Alpha completed one diamond drill hole (TLD-001) to test the large Induced Polarization (chargeability) anomaly located approximately 600m to the southwest of previous RC drill holes TLR-003 and TLR-009, where significant widths of copper and zinc mineralization were intercepted. TLD-001 was drilled to 400 meters depth revealing mostly diorite with very little evidence of VMS-style mineralization; assay results have been returned for this hole and there were no significant results. A further two RC holes are planned at Tolegimja as part of the current drill program.
