Tawana Resources’ Mofe Creek iron ore project delivers more promising results

ASX-listed Tawana Resources’ Mofe Creek Zawayiron ore prospect in Liberia is delivering extremely positive results – highlighting its potential to be a high grade iron ore producer.This latest discovery (additional high-grade outcropping coarse graineditabirite mineralisation at the Zaway prospect) follows the company’s recent preliminary assessment and metallurgical announcements which indicated theitabirite mineralisation has excellent weight recoveries of between 44% and 57% and concentrates into a high quality, 60%+ iron product from a simple coarse crush and gravity processing circuit.

“The occurrence of direct shipping ore (DSO) magnetite boulder float and exceptionally coarse grained; up to 2 cm particle size itabirite at Zaway adds further encouragement to the potential discovery of blind DSO similar to that mined at the historic Bomi Hills mine 20km along strike,” says Tawana Resources MD, Len Kolff.

He adds, “This latest new discovery of high grade iron ore demonstrates why we consider the Mofe Creek iron ore project, at only 20 km from the coast, is an exciting new iron ore discovery in Liberia, West Africa.”

Itabirite outcrops over a combined 1 km strike have been mapped and sampled at the main Zawayprospect with grades ranging between 44% to 62% iron and low contaminants. On the main target, outcrops dip steeply to the south and occur along both flanks of a 1.35 km x 280 m hill. Additional itabirite outcrops have been mapped along low ridges to the west and north of the main Zawayprospect hill over a combined strike length of >4.5 km.

Due to the lack of outcrop on top of the hill, pitting has commenced to determine the geology in-between the iron outcrops and the potential width extent of the mineralisation discovered.

The extremely coarse grained nature of the itabirite and presence of metre scale magnetite boulder float down slope of the outcrops is extremely encouraging and confirms the prospectivity of the Mofe Creek discovery.

The structures mapped to date could be interpreted to represent a south dipping synformal fold structure with coarser and higher grade iron formation occurring along the footwall contact. This is the same structural and lithological setting hosting the historic Bomi Hills mine 35 km along strike to the east, which produced 50 Mt of DSO through the early 60s to late 70s.

Although smaller scale then the Bomi Hills pit (roughly 750 x 500 m), Zaway represents a high priority target with outcropping high-grade itabirite with DSO boulder float and the potential for blind magnetite DSO along the footwall contact.
Zaway occurs in-between the Gofolo and Koehnko drilled prospects with a combined high-gradeitabirite exploration target of 95 Mt and is
within 20 km of the coast.

A global exploration target size potential of between 360 Mt and 670 Mt of friable mineralisation has been estimated for the Mofe Creek project area. This estimate includes both friable itabirite and friable intermixed itabirite/amphibolite mineralisation. The estimate does not include hard itabirite below base of oxidation, potential blind DSO or additional mineralisation associated with targets which have not had sufficient field work to date to justify inclusion.

About Mofe Creek
Mofe Creek is located within one of Liberia’s historic premier iron ore mining districts. The project is 10 km along strike from the abandoned Bomi Hills mine, 80 km along strike from the historic Bong mine, 45 km from Mano River mine and 20 km from Bea Mountain resource.

Ralated Article: Tawana Resources’ attractive Liberia iron ore project

Australia-based Tawana Resources has completed its maiden 2 500 m reverse circulation (RC) drill programme at its 100% owned Mofe Creek iron ore project in Liberia, West Africa

“We believe Mofe Creek represents a new discovery with intersections in excess of 40 m of friable itabirite with low contaminants from surface including direct shipping ore (DSO) intersections. This clearly demonstrates the potential of the Mofe Creekdiscovery,” says Tawana Resources MD Len Kolff.

“We are very pleased and encouraged with the results of our maiden drill programme; especially as they represent only 3 km of strike length of a total 65 km prospective strike within the project are,” he continues.

A total of 2 418 m of a planned 2 500m programme was drilled with 834 m for seven holes at theGofolo main target and 1 584 m for 15 holes at the Koehnko target. Drilling was completed using a track mounted RC rig.

The Mofe Creek project is located within one of Liberia‘s historic premier iron ore mining districts. The project is 10 km along strike from the abandoned Bomi Hills mine, 80 km along strike from the historic Bong mine, 45 km from the Mano River mine and 20 km from the Bea Mountain resource.

The project is also only 20 km from the coast, meaning the most likely development scenario would see construction of a haul-road for trucking of product to the coast and transhipment through barge to deeper water for on shipment.

Tawana Resources revealed that hand auger drilling has re-commenced to prioritise exploration targets for drilling in areas of poor outcrop, while existing drill samples will be defined and composited for metallurgical test work with results expected during the second half of 2013.

Work is also underway to assess exploration target size potential which will be reported by mid-March. The company said that a 10 000 m RC and diamond resource programme is being planned for Gofolo and Koehnko, while an additional 5 000 m RC exploration programme is being planned for other regional targets.

Drilling is expected to commence during Q2, 2013 with a joint ore reserves committee compliant resource expected to be defined by the end of 2013.