First let's get a good perspective where Linhuane lease sits in the beach-dune-lagoon sequence before we get into the geology and RIO auger holes. For those who want to follow along, all you need is Google, excel and 'Snip & Sketch' which comes pre-loaded with windows office.
Take a screen shot of the lease outline from the Mozambique gov website then outline the lease in excel with the shape tool. Import the MRQ released drill data into google maps after converting the WGS84 coord's into Lat & Long, then paste and re-size the satellite map to match over the Linhuane lease (bring lease outline to the front). Now we have a much better idea of what RIO results are situated where to evaluate their geological context. I left the Moz Gov website map in the background to confirm my satellite maps are correctly sized and positioned regards the lease outline, hate to be moderated as unsubstantiated.
Zooming in on the far east part of the tenement we have a strong set of overlapping parabolic modern dunes deposited from the coast inland over a flat, older sand formation and/or lagoon. Here, parabolic dunes have grown over the older sands to a height of 30-60m from the coast north. The mobile dunes have now largely stabilised with vegetation is situ, there is no evidence of any re-working or post-deposition processes. I have traced the 20m topographic line from google maps (very poor data but free is free) onto the satellite image to show how steep is the drop-off from the slip face down into the lagoon/flats beyond. The nature and composition of these parabolic dunes is critical to understanding Linhuane prospectively given their ubiquitous presence along the prospect, it's worth understanding how they form.
Parabolic dunes form by wind transport up and over the slip face with unconsolidated sands from the beach/foredune. The above schematic is exaggerated to show the classic 'horn' shape. When the arms of these horns join, overlap and the hollows partially in fill we get the classic rounded front dune pattern as seen along this stretch of coast. These type of dunes are usually homogenous regards THM concentration, growing from a steady feed of well mixed wind transported sand over time and little to no hydrological influence. There is really no chance of a high grade beach placer strand lurking near the 30m top of these dunes 1km away from the coast.
Importantly, wind transports sand with a winnowing action that preferentially lifts and moves lighter sand grains thus concentrating heavy minerals left behind. Therefore if any significant THM% variation exists, HM concentration falls with distance away from the beach source is the rule of thumb for dune deposits. Assay results along the coast in this section average <5% THM, which still looks too high for mine, but let's call it reflective of the D4 parabolic dunes in this area.
Hole LP1258 is shown below in red and recorded as 9.9% THM over 10.5m, the other two holes being 5.6% and 4.2% THM. 10% THM is unusually high grade for even for the best mineralised red dunes at Corridor, where the best lab assay auger hole to date is ~7% THM. LP1258's collar looks sensibly located on top the parabolic dune. Holes on this section were drilled from the coast towards the lagoon according to number sequence, there was no sense RIO geo's scrambling down the slip face to drill near the lagoon. There really isn't anywhere this hole could be but near the front top of the parabolic dune, comprised of sand transported 1.5km from the coast.
Older red dunes in this eastern area look well below the dune top (ie near sea-level north of the lagoon), and parabolic dunes are uniformly light-grey sand here and along strike. This coastal dune sand is poorly mineralised to the east where it was excised out by RIO excluded this Mutamba, but even 5% THM along the coast at Linhuane does not explain 10.5m at 10% from surface. I literally cannot think of any way such winnowed sand at the top of these dunes could be double the grades closer to the coast? Happy for any explanation that makes sense of other lower grade assays and the depositional environment.
In conclusion, the only HG result in this far east section that might cause excitement just doesn't add up imo. Keep in mind we are dealing with open file historical data that MRQ makes clear has not been seen or verified from original sources. Probably no logs to compare against assay results which might have provided us the answer straight up. How much confidence to place in RIO's data vs geological inference is the question investors must ask. In my opinion clearly there is considerable doubt based on science and neurology, some will believe otherwise, DYOR. As I worked through the sections there are more contradictions that cast doubt on the veracity of the higher grade holes. One red flag isn't a big deal, but many rd flags should be cause for concern.
Next I'll move west and examine those yellow dots moving west.... 10.5m hand auger holes drilled from ~1m above the water table
... I don;t think so.
(20min delay)