A Perth company looking to develop base metals and gold opportunities in Uganda says that country is now making ground in improving its infrastructure to a level more compatible with developing mining operations for export projects and to attracting resources investment. Addressing the first day in Perth last week of the Paydirt 2015 Africa Down Under Conference, Sipa Resources Director, Ms Lynda Burnett, said the infrastructure gains were important as new mineral belts were being confirmed in Uganda, including the company’s interest in the Kitgum Pader Belt in the country’s north.
The Belt is comparable in size and style to the Fraser Range Belt in Western Australia, home to the world class Nova-Bollinger nickel-copper deposit.
“What we are seeing is improvements in key infrastructure important for mining and this is now includes new hydro stations under construction, a new Chinese funded railway and similar Chinese backed road upgrades along the key corridor of Gulu to Sedan,” Burnett said.
The infrastructure upgrades come as the Australian explorer builds on its two nickel sulphide discoveries, Akelikongo and Akelikongo West which contain wide zones of disseminated sulphides of 0.24-0.5% Ni and one to four metre wide zones of massive nickel sulphides grading 1-2% Ni.
It raised A$6 million in June in an oversubscribed placement and share purchase plan and now holds full title to its mineral district which stretches more than 100 km.
As a result, Burnett says the company will now push ahead on three fronts – to drill and extend Akelikongo looking for high grade zones, rotary drill at least five new priority nickel sulphide soil targets and diamond drill test at least one of those to discover multiple mineralised systems.
“Our primary objective is to gain a better understanding of the mineral system through 3D geometric modelling so we can then determine where the higher grade nickel and copper has been deposited.”
Most of the new work is scheduled to be completed by June next year.
Sipa is now fully focussed on its projects in Uganda where it holds over 6,500 km2 of exploration tenements. At the Kitgum-Pader base metals and gold project in central northern two standout targets are being delineated. There is the Akelikongo intrusive hosted nickel copper system and surrounding district and the Pamwa Broken Hill type, zinc-lead-silver system and surrounding base metal anomalies.