Shuka Minerals (AIM:SKA), an Africa-focused mine operator and developer, has completed the sixth and seventh drill holes at its Kabwe Zinc Mine in Zambia, returning zinc intersections across multiple zones in the previously unmined Speaks and Mine Club areas.
Both holes targeted the northern extremities of the deposit, roughly one kilometre northwest of the Pit 2 area where the company has concentrated its studies to date.
KBDD06, drilled to 269m, returned four mineralised intervals including 6.00 metres at 4.57% zinc from 84.66m, with peak readings of 21.05%, 20.84% and 22.80% zinc across one metre of core.
KBDD07, drilled to 173m from the same collar position, intersected three zones, the strongest returning 4.33 metres at 1.12% zinc from 83.33m.
Average grades in both holes were below those recorded in earlier holes in the current campaign, though the company described the presence of high-grade sections as "highly encouraging" given the exploratory nature of the programme.
The Speaks and Mine Club orebodies carry a combined indicated and inferred resource of approximately 2.61m tonnes at grades above 11.7% zinc under a 2023 NI 43-101 report.
All assays are from portable XRF readings and remain subject to formal laboratory verification.
The eighth hole, KBDD08, is already underway and will drill more centrally within the northern orebodies, with the overall drilling programme extended to 2,500 metres.
