ASX-listed Arrow Minerals has confirmed a considerable bauxite discovery with high-grade mineralisation already outlined over 5 km2 at its Niagara bauxite undertaking, in Guinea.
This discovery is inside trucking distance of the Trans-Guinean multi-user railway, which is underneath building.
Outcomes from an extra 111 holes within the drilling programme are pending.
The most recent assays from 30 drill holes have highlighted vital intercepts, together with 4 m at 50.3% aluminium oxide (Al2O3) and three.1% silicon dioxide (SiO2) from floor (gap BS000096), 6 m at 47.1% Al2O3 and a pair of.3% SiO2 from floor (gap BS000076), and 15 m at 43.1% Al2O3 and three.7% SiO2 from floor (gap BS000075).
Different notable outcomes embody 2 m at 54.6% Al2O3 and a pair of.2% SiO2 from floor (gap BS000097) and seven m at 43.8% Al2O3 and 4.1% SiO2 from floor (gap BS000090). These outcomes affirm steady high-grade bauxite mineralisation over a 5 km2 space, with additional outcomes anticipated within the coming weeks.
“These newest excellent outcomes affirm that Niagara is a considerable bauxite discovery with high-grade mineralisation already outlined over 5 km2, with outcomes from one other 111 holes providing potential to develop the invention additional. That is all inside trucking distance of a multi-user railway at a time of report alumina and bauxite costs,” Arrow Minerals’ MD David Flanagan stated.
Guinea is the world’s largest producer of bauxite, contributing about 30% of worldwide provide.
Flanagan defined that Guinea’s bauxite is in excessive demand, with a premium product specification at 45% Al2O3 and three% SiO2 attracting costs which can be at present at all-time report highs of about $100/t price insurance coverage freight China.
“Coupled with the broad expanse of bauxite potential lithologies intersected in drilling and our proximity to the multi-user Trans-Guinean railway, the Niagara bauxite undertaking presents a wonderful alternative to create worth for shareholders, generate jobs in native communities, and place Arrow to realize its purpose of creating itself as a brand new impartial, extremely worthwhile provider of high-quality bauxite,” Flanagan stated.
Arrow’s exploration programme builds on historic work by different mining firms, together with drilling performed by Vale in 2007, which recognized 9 precedence bauxite exploration targets. The present programme contains 184 holes focusing on high-grade mineralisation intercepted in historic drilling, with SRK Consulting overseeing the marketing campaign.
The programme’s design goals to ship ample indicated and inferred sources to underpin a deliberate scoping examine. Drilling contains twinning Vale’s historic holes, shallow pitting and complete high quality management sampling to fulfill fashionable useful resource reporting requirements.
Arrow has accomplished preliminary baseline environmental research, engaged with native communities and initiated recruitment of native employees to help operations. The corporate has recognized no impediments to exploration or mining and has established productive relationships with group and authorities stakeholders. Preliminary baseline social- and environmental-impact research have additionally been accomplished.
The corporate plans to leverage present rural and nationwide roads to attach the undertaking to the Trans-Guinean railway, which is being developed by a consortium together with Baosteel, Rio Tinto and the Guinean authorities.
The railway is predicted to be operational by late 2025 and can present ore haulage providers to numerous mining initiatives. Arrow intends to make use of this infrastructure to help the event of the Niagara bauxite undertaking.
With bauxite costs at report highs, the undertaking’s strategic location close to the Trans-Guinean railway and its high-grade mineralisation provide vital alternatives.
“With SRK’s web site go to due for January 2025, we purpose to estimate a maiden mineral useful resource to kind the idea for our deliberate scoping examine to comply with within the first half of 2025,” Flanagan stated.
