exploration ramping up

Lafayette eyes Rapu Rapu nickel potential


Michael Quinn


Monday, October 17, 2005
NICKEL laterite mineralisation could be the next base metal in Lafayette Mining's sights as exploration is intensified on the Philippine island of Rapu Rapu over the next 12 months.

The company has applied for ground at the western end of the island where it is currently mining gold, and soon copper and zinc. An ultramafic sequence at Rapu West is considered to have potential for nickel-chromite.

Targets will be generated and refined at Rapu West following an island-scale detailed EM-mag-radiometric survey set for early 2006 and currently in the planning stages. Possible consultants involved in the survey include Fugro and McPhar.

Rapu Rapu is around 14km long and 5km wide, with Lafayette's mining operations located at the eastern end of the picturesque island.

Aside from Rapu West, Lafayette has generated a handful of more advanced exploration targets that are ready, or close to being ready, to drill test, including five regional VMS targets.

Last week the company announced a73,450 ounce gold resource at Hixbar, around 3km west of the Ungay pit, over 90% of which is in the measured and indicated category.

The additional ounces could add around two years to the current six-year mine life.

Lafayette started pouring gold in July and is about to start commissioning the base metal plant. At full production the operation will annually produce around 50,000oz of gold, 10,000t of copper, 14,000t of zinc and 600,000oz of silver.