|
Uranium
Mineralization Discovered in Namibia
·
Yellow uranium
oxides in calcrete-style setting
·
Assays up to 0.19% U3O8
Pitchstone
Exploration Ltd.
(TSX-V: PXP; “Pitchstone”) is pleased to report the discovery
of uranium mineralization on the Dome property in Namibia. The
project is a joint venture between Pitchstone (55%) and private
company Manica Minerals Ltd. (45%) through Manica’s wholly-owned
subsidiary Cheetah Minerals Exploration Ltd. The property is located
65 kilometers south-southwest of the Rössing uranium mine and 60
kilometers southwest of the Langer Heinrich uranium mine.
The zone of
uranium mineralization was discovered by prospectors during an
exploration program completed in March. Five of six grab samples
from the zone are mineralized and contain 196 to 1,620 ppm uranium
(0.03-0.19% U3O8). Mineralization consists of a
yellow uranium-vanadium oxide (carnotite?) that occurs within
infrequently exposed conglomerate over a 2.5 kilometer long portion of
a dry drainage channel.
The area explored
with scintillometer prospecting and sampling, in the northern part of
the Dome property, measures 10 x 35 kilometers, and is considered to
be prospective for calcrete-style uranium mineralization similar to
the Langer Heinrich deposit. Most of the area can be characterized as
a plain covered by a thin but widespread gypsum-cemented hard surface
crust (duricrust). The drainage channel has locally cut into the
duricrust plain to a depth of up to 1 meter and exposed gypsum and
calcite cemented conglomerate.
Outcrop exposure
of the mineralized conglomerate is sparse and its thickness and areal
extent are not known. A ground electromagnetic survey is planned for
May to define the extent of the conglomerate ahead of a drilling
program. Field work is being conducted by Cape Town-based Remote
Exploration Services on behalf of the joint venture.
South Dome
Drilling Results
A drilling program
to test a Rössing-style target in the southern part of the Dome
property was completed in January (Feb. 26, 2009 news release).
Drilling confirmed the geological model and one hole intersected
leucogranite similar to that which hosts uranium mineralization at
Rössing. All geochemical analyses have now been received from the
laboratory; no significant uranium mineralization was encountered.
Steve Blower,
P.Geo., President of Pitchstone, is the Qualified Person for the
purposes of NI 43-101 with respect to the technical information in
this news release. Sample preparation and analyses were done by ALS
Chemex, Johannesburg. A multi-element ICP-MS analysis was completed
on the samples after a four acid near-total digestion. Pitchstone
utilizes internally and externally submitted standard reference
materials for quality assurance and quality control of the sample
preparation and analyses.
About Pitchstone
Pitchstone is well funded and exploring for uranium in four
proven districts. The property portfolio
features 11
projects in the eastern Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, three of which
are 100% owned. In addition, there are four joint venture projects in
the Hornby Bay Basin, Nunavut, an exploration partnership in the
Franceville Basin, Gabon, and an option on two projects in Namibia.
Pitchstone benefits from the collaboration of a unique group of
geologists with extensive uranium exploration and production
experience.
On behalf of the Board,
E.A.G. (Ted) Trueman, CEO & Chairman
For further information contact Claire
Stewart at 604 630 5563, Mark Brown, CFO, at 604 687 3520, or visit www.pitchstone.net.
The
TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy
or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain
assumptions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements regarding
future events. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks
and uncertainties and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond
Pitchstone’s control, that may cause actual results or performance to
differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.
|