Forte Energy New Limited (ASX/AIM: FTE)
ASX/ AIM/
RELEASE
21
January 2009
Uranium
Resource Drilling Programme Completed at Firawa Project - Guinea, West Africa
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Resource drilling programme completed along a 2.5 km section of a 5km long uranium anomaly at Firawa.
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Planned 4,000m diamond core drilling programme
extended to +5,800m due to positive results encountered in some areas where no
mineralisation was previously indicated.
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Mineralisation remains open East and West of the
drilled area.
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Down-hole radiometric logging commencing shortly.
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Assay samples currently being dispatched to Canada
for analysis.
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Results expected to enable delineation of an initial
JORC Code compliant resource.
International uranium company Forte Energy NL (ASX:
FTE, AIM: FTE) is pleased to announce completion of the resource drilling
programme which commenced in October 2008 at its Firawa Uranium
Project in the Republic of Guinea, West Africa.
This programme follows up the Company's successful
1,800m reconnaissance R/C drilling campaign at Firawa carried out in May 2007
which delineated a potentially significant zone of uranium mineralisation over
a 2km strike length.
An initial programme comprising 50 drill holes for
4,000 metres of predominantly in-fill drilling was initially planned at 100
metre intervals, with drill spacing reduced to 50 metres where good results
were observed.
In the course of drilling, highly encouraging results
based on handheld scintillometer readings from core samples were observed in
some areas where no mineralisation was previously indicated. This resulted in a
decision to significantly extend the programme by undertaking over 1,800m of
additional drilling, for a total of around 5,850m.
A total of 56 holes were drilled to depths of between
80 and 154 metres, generally inclined at 50?. The drilling, which targeted a
2.5km section of a 5km uranium anomaly, was aimed at enabling estimation of an
initial JORC code compliant uranium resource for the Firawa Project.
Diamond core drilling was planned partly due to the
difficulties encountered with the previous R/C drilling campaign due to the
thick lateritic clay coverage extending in some places to depths of up to 100
metres. Drilling commenced in late October with initial delays experienced due
to the difficult clay conditions encountered, which led to the use of an
additional machine.
Fig.1
Diamec drill site at Firawa
![](http://www.24hgold.com/24hpmdata/articles/img/31313117_image007.jpg)
All drilling is now complete and assay samples are
being dispatched to Canada
with results to be released when available. PVC casing was installed down the
holes before the steel casing was removed to keep the holes open to enable
down-hole radiometric logging to be carried out. This will commence shortly.
In addition to the down-hole logging, a differential
GPS toposurvey will also be carried out as well as collection of samples for
Ore Process Assays at Lakefield laboratory in Canada.
Drilling at the eastern end of the target area was
expected to confirm the end of the mineralised zone. However, good results
observed from the easternmost holes indicate that mineralisation remains open
in this direction. The mineralised zone also extends to the west of the drilled
area, although the difficult terrain encountered prevented further drilling to
extend the zone during the current programme.
Fig.2
Firawa drilling programme, October 2008
![](http://www.24hgold.com/24hpmdata/articles/img/31313117_image008.jpg)
The uranium mineralisation follows an east-west
trending tectonic structure, interpreted as a fault zone, over a distance of
approximately five kilometres.
Fig.3 Core
samples showing radioactive mylonite in dolerite
![](http://www.24hgold.com/24hpmdata/articles/img/31313117_image009.jpg)
Mineralisation was previously only observed in the
lateritic clay. However, two of the recently completed drill-holes intersected
mineralisation in fresh bedrock. It was previously feared that the
mineralisation in clay had been derived from pegmatite. However observations
from the latest drilling indicate a more encouraging view of the
mineralisation. The bedrock consists of an alkaline strongly cataclastic
granite. It has been intruded by dolerite and later sheared causing mylonite
zones. The best bedrock mineralisation is in a mylonite but also the
cataclastic granite is in part mineralised.
Fig.4
Location of Forte Energy's Guinea
Projects
![](http://www.24hgold.com/24hpmdata/articles/img/31313117_image010.jpg)
The Firawa Project is the most advanced of Forte
Energy's three uranium exploration projects in Guinea.
The completion of the resource drilling marks a further significant milestone
for the Company, laying the foundations for its maiden JORC resource estimate,
which is expected to be completed by the end of March 2009.
![](20090121365989_fichiers/image001.gif)
Mark Reilly
Managing Director
Note:
The information in this report that relates to exploration results in
West Africa is based on information compiled by Mr. Bosse Gustafsson, who is a
member of the European Federation of Geologists a Recognised Overseas
Professional Organisation ("ROPO"). Mr Bosse Gustafsson is a full
time Technical Director of Forte Energy NL and is responsible for exploration
activities in Mauritania and Guinea.
Mr Gustafsson has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of
mineralisation and the type of deposit under consideration and to the activity,
which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2004
Edition of the 'Australian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral
Resources and Ore Reserve'. Mr Gustafsson consents to the inclusion in this
report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in
which it appears.
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