The Conversation (0)
Blackheath Resources Inc. (TSX:BHR) reported that it has enganged Mineralia Minas, Geotecnia e Construcoes, Lda., a geological and engineering firm that has commissioned over 11 quarries and mines in Portugal, to provide environmental services and internal scoping studies for the Santa Helena Breccia, located within the Borralha Tungsten Mine in northern Portugal.
As quoted in the press release:
Due to the recent success of the first diamond drill program at Borralha Tungsten Mine, which included a 118 metre intersection in Hole BO 8A assaying 0.29% WO3 (57m to 175m) (see News Release April 21, 2015), and with the encouragement of significant Blackheath stakeholders and shareholders, Blackheath has decided to progress with preliminary environmental and internal scoping studies.
Mineralia will complete various work including: environmental and water table impact studies, initial scoping studies, and drill targeting for the next round of drilling. This work is currently underway.
James Robertson, CEO of Blackheath Resources, commented, “Following the completion and success of our recent drill program, Blackheath is delighted to advance the Borralha Tungsten Mine by undertaking various preliminary environmental and internal scoping studies with the guidance and expertise of Mineralia. With their history of success in commissioning various mining projects in Portugal, the Mineralia team is well-respected for their innovative and cost-effective approach to engineering and environmental work. We look forward to the outcome of this work.”
Adriano Barros, Managing Director of Mineralia and recent recipient of the Advisory Member of the Engineers Association of Portugal prestigious Order of Engineers award, the “Ordem dos Engenheiros”, commented “We are delighted to carry out this work for Blackheath Resources. The similarities between other open pits and quarries that we have commissioned in Portugal and the Borralha Tungsten Mine is quite evident. We see Borralha as a project that can move quite quickly towards production. We look forward to completing this work and the continued success of the project.”
It is the intention of the Company that this work will lead into a Mineral Resource Estimate; followed by a Preliminary Economic Assessment. The Company has not made any production decision with respect to the Borralha Tungsten Project. A decision to proceed with production at the Borralha Tungsten Project will be based upon the results of advanced work such as a Preliminary Economic Study, a Pre-feasibility study and ultimately a Feasibility Study which will hopefully demonstrate economic and technical viability.
The Santa Helena Breccia zone at Borralha has been partially mined by small, shallow open pits in areas of more extensive tungsten-bearing quartz veins. Other tungsten veins have been scavenged over the years, often by “apanhistas” or illegal miners, and all mining ceased in 1985 as a result of world-wide low tungsten prices. Blackheath completed a successful diamond drilling programme in the Santa Helena Breccia in 2014 (see News Release April 21, 2015) and is planning further drilling in 2015.
The Borralha concession is located 60 km northeast of the major northern city of Porto and covers 93 km2 over several past producing zones. Tungsten occurred in numerous vertical and sub-horizontal veins as well as two breccia bodies, of which the Santa Helena breccia is the larger. Mining continued almost uninterrupted from 1903 to 1985, by French, British and German companies with two standstill periods from mid 1944 to late 1946, imposed by law, and from 1958 to late 1962. Production ceased in 1985 when tungsten prices dropped to sub-economic levels. The total production of wolframite and scheelite (tungsten minerals) concentrates from 1904 until the closing of Borralha, from underground and open pit sources, has been estimated at about 18,500 tonnes, although this number is approximate and may be substantially less than the true value.
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