I decided to head across to Cupric Canyon's website and have a look through their information to see what, if any, similarities there are between the two.
The first thing I noted on this map is that Cupric has multiple, proximate deposits both larger and slightly smaller than the (still growing) T3 deposit:
Next, I noted that they described the Ngwako Pan Formation and how Cu-Ag is consistently present at this horizon:
The Cu concentrates under the process illustrated below:
I went and had a quick look to learn a bit more about the Kalahari Copper Belt. It has been explored since the late 1960's due to its similarities with the Central African Copper Belt.
Mineable deposits occur within the belt both to the Southwest of MOD (in Namibia) and to the Northeast (Cupric Canyon):
Turning to MOD, and wondering why no copper had been previously discovered in their part of the belt I noted the comments made in a recent MOD presentation that in their region the geology contains a layer of calcrete, also called hardpan:
This forms a barrier and stops the minerals migrating to the surface and as such prevented decent soil anomalies from presenting themselves.
This explains why this part of the belt was thought to be unprospective despite mineable deposits being present on either side of MOD tenements.
Using modern, ground penetrating equipment, MOD has been able to discover blind signatures and features below the calcrete layer at T3. These have been sufficiently large in number for them to change the description of T3 to a "complex".
These images look at lot like the schematic provided by Cupric Canyon to describe how their deposits have been formed at the Zeta 5 complex:
And the pan map is similar to that which Cupric Canyon uses to show its multiple deposits:
Finally, I also note that in the latest MOD drilling results they too are hitting Cu-Ag at the NPF contact which suggests the homogeneity of the sediments within the basin ... the first requirement in forming these Cu-Ag deposits:
When you think that Cupric Canyon has already discovered 6.8MT of Cu (14 B lb) and 274m oz of silver within an area analogous to the T3 Dome complex ... and you have to sit back and think things through.
Cupric Canyon has an in-situ metal value of US$42B in Cu @ $3 lb and US$4.7B in Ag @ $17 oz.
What might MOD have ... and all at a time when global Cu grades are falling, demand is increasing, and miners are having to go to more unstable regions to secure these metals ...
MOD then has the T20 Dome to explore too which has provided a much more widespread soil anomaly signature.
Cheers
John
MOD Price at posting:
4.9¢ Sentiment: None Disclosure: Held