The TCM drill program is targeting the down-dip position of the seams being mined in the ATA pit with the intention of building resources to justify the development of a mining operation. To this effect, the company has begun investigations into the possibility of these adjacent open pit mining operations being extended into the south-western area of the TCM concession. This will be in addition to proposed underground mining operations that may occur.
Drilling remains ongoing at TCM, with seven holes drilled to date. The recently completed TCM 7 returned a total of seven coal intersections over the length of the hole, with a cumulative thickness of 5.92m. TCM 7 is located 2km to the north of TCM 3, which returned a cumulative coal intersection of 6.62m.
TCM 5 and TCM 6, drilled nearly 1km to the east of TCM 3 and TCM 7, intersected coal at the predicted depth, however the seams appear to be thinner. TCM 6 returned a cumulative coal intersection of 2.06m from three seams. TCM 2 and TCM 4 were drilled on the southern side of the Batulicin Fault in non-coal bearing formation. The location of this fault has now been better defined by this drilling.
In the short term, drilling will concentrate on infilling the area between TCM 3 and TCM 7 that will assist in making the decision to extend the neighbouring open pit into this area of TCM. This drilling will also be used to further assess the potential for underground mining based on the thick coal seams present in this area. It is intended for the drill program to continue northward, employing the same exploration drilling techniques to locate the down-dip position of the coal seams exposed in adjacent open pits.
Coal quality analysis has been received for sampled intervals in TCM 3. Gross calorific values are very high, indicating the coal can be classified as bituminous thermal coal. The upper seam contains high sulphur, however the lower seam has returned low sulphur values. It is therefore possible these two coals could be blended to produce a high quality coal with low-moderate sulphur values.
Alan Hopkins, CEO of Pan Asia, said: “This is now looking promising as having immediate open pit production potential as well as for subsequent underground operations. We look forward to the coming drill results.”
