Anzar Project
The Anzar Project is a sedimentary hosted copper-silver deposit in the Anti-Atlas of Central Morocco. Historical artisanal mining operations produced a high-grade direct shipping ore product which sold to metals traders in Marrakech. Mining stopped in the 1970’s and the old workings (at surface and underground) help identify the extent of the stratabound deposit.
The Anzar Project has had two private owners over the last 20 years and remains undeveloped and unexplored. However, the combination of being sedimentary-hosted with known high-grade zones and outcropping across the property, bodes very well for the existence of an extensive and valuable resource.
Excellent results
A recent sampling programme, undertaken by the CMR and its ARM team, covered three historical mining areas on the property. The results were announced on 5 October 2023 and were extremely encouraging with higher than anticipated copper and silver grades. The photographs below are of samples from Anzar, selected for their high grade.
Potential for good silver numbers
Morocco is well known for its silver production and most of its copper deposits contain some level of silver. The initial sampling programme at Anzar suggests a higher than average silver with values up to 160 g/t in channel samples.
The obvious importance of this is its potential to enhance project economics. Where the payable silver contributes or even pays for the mining or processing costs.
| Sample number | Copper | Silver | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 2.11 % | 32 g/t | channel sample |
| 02 | 2.55 % | 40 g/t | channel sample |
| 03 | 0.13 % | 8 g/t | channel sample |
| 04 | 10.65 % | 160 g/t | channel sample |
| 05 | 40.12 % | 272 g/t | high grade hand sample |
| 06 | 11.21 % | 80 g/t | channel sample |
| 07 | 1.02 % | 8 g/t | channel sample |
| 08 | 3.22 % | 8 g/t | channel sample |
| 09 | 0.39 % | 8 g/t | channel sample |
| 10 | 15.7 % | 160 g/t | channel sample |
| 11 | 0.31 % | 8 g/t | channel sample |
Source: CMR, Afrilab, September 2023
Sedimentary continuity
Sedimentary hosted deposits are often large scale and relatively continuous, in part due to the geometry and porosity of sedimentary rocks. At Anzar, although the mineralised sedimentary rocks are not expected to be perfectly continuous or the same thickness throughout the property, mineralisation is expected to be widespread.
In the September 2023 field work, our geologists identified three mineralised sedimentary layers. A conglomerate at the base, the main sandstone unit which is thought to contain the bulk of the mineralisation, and a second mineralised sandstone above the main layer.
There are at least five historical mining excavations on the property including open pits and underground developments which were known to exploit the light grey mineralised sandstone.
Copper and co-products
Sedimentary hosted copper deposits (SHC) are often associated with silver (as at Anzar) but some contain gold, cobalt, uranium and more rarely PGMs. SHCs are formed under very specific and unusual conditions. The copper and other minerals are leached from basin sediments and squeezed out (as compaction occurs). If these mineral rich fluids meet a sulphur-rich reducing environment (e.g. grey sandstones) mineralisation may occur.
Supergiant deposits
SHC deposits are found across the world and include three supergiant deposits. The largest is the Central African Copperbelt (Katangan Basin) in the DRC and Zambia, a major supplier of copper and cobalt, while the Kupferschiefer rocks of the Zechstein basin in Germany and Poland produce both copper and silver.
The third supergiant is the Udokan Copper Deposit near Lake Baikal in southeast Russia, which is expected to achieve first production in 2024 and produce copper and silver for 70 years.
