A further suite of geophysical density logs is planned in the first quarter of 2012, to better understand and confirm the geometry and thickness of the identified coal intervals at the Songea coal project in Southern Tanzania.
Australia based exploration and development company Uranex has confirmed the arrival of its core samples and the start of coal analyses for its Songea coal project n Southern Tanzania at a dedicated coal laboratory in Newcastle, Australia.
In addition, a density geophysical tool has been mobilised to site to confirm the coal intersections and assismall sand mining equipmentst with the estimation of a conceptual exploration target, at the Lumecha coalfield, within Uranex’s 100%-owned Songea coal project.
Songea covers a total area of 2 606 km2 in the southern part of the Karoo-age Ruhuhu basin, in south-west Tanzania.
The Songea coal project used vsi crushers salecovers the Lumecha coalfield, which has been identified from historical survey reports and interpreted to cover an area of some 250 km2 to 300 km2.
An eight-hole programme that was completed for the 2011 field season, included seven reverse circulation holes and one diamond hole, resulted in a poworld iron ore production 2010 2011tentially significant new coal discovery.
Coal intersections were recorded in five drill holes at four separate sites, with an average drill hole spacing of between 2.5 km and 3 km within the coalfield area.
The preliminary diamond drilling data indicates a coal-bearing interval occurring over a thickness of 29 m down-hole, with individual seam thickness, confirmed by core drilling, of between 0.3 m and 2.2 m, for a net coal thickness of 7.2 m.
The initial drill programme was designed to test the presence and quality of coal in the Lumecha coalfield.
Preliminary geophysical probing has been completed on all the drill holes to date.
Diamond core samples were processed at a dedicated coal bore core testing laboratory in Newcastle, Australia, for a comprehensive suite of analysis, including proximate analysis, relative density, calorific value, CSN and total sulphur and phosphorous content. The results were due in late February.
Uranex is planning a regional targeting desktop review, which incorporates the new drilling data and available regional geology, geophysical and remotely sensed data sets to identify additional coal exploration targets outside the Lumecha coalfield.
Meanwhile, a recent $3-billion agreement between the Tanzania government and China’s Sichuan Hongda will see the development and mining of the adjacent Mchuchuma coalfield.
The coalfields are near a planned infrastructure project that comprises rail, road, power and port facilities for domestic and export markets.