Kasbah Resources has reported “excellent” results from latest exploration work at its Achmmach tin project in Morocco, including some very high grade drill holes in the Gap zone between two target areas which have already been better demarcated. However the company has decided to change its drilling contractor due to concerns about disappointing productivity, which will delay the completion of a pre-feasibility study into the first quarter of 2011.
The Gap Zone has been poorly tested to date, with only three holes previously drilled by the state geological service BRPM in the 1980s. According to the company “it represents a significant exploration target that could link the Meknes and Eastern Zones”. New results gave tin grades ranging from some 0.4% Sn up to over 5% Sn.
In late June Kasbah signed a contract with Geosond Maroc SARL, a domestic drilling contractor, to replace the current drilling contractor, North Scandinavia Drilling. NSD was served a termination notice and subsequently NSD has stood down all of its three drill rigs. Kasbah expects Geosond Maroc to mobilise two rigs to Achmmach within 2-3 weeks. Kasbah’s managing director Wayne Bramwell said it has also “commenced discussions with a number of large, international drilling companies to bring additional drilling resources to Achmmach as soon as possible”. The logistics associated with changing contractors is expected to delay the planned release of the resource upgrade and the pre-feasibility study (PFS) from the quarter ending December 2011 to the quarter ending March 2012.
