Orion Minerals (ASX/JSE:ORN) has announced the discovery of a new copper-zinc bearing massive sulfide body located in close proximity to the company’s flagship Prieska zinc-copper project, in the Areachap Belt, Northern Cape Province, South Africa.

The company said the discovery hole, OAXD002, was drilled at the Ayoba prospect, a satellite exploration target, and is both the first exploration hole drilled as part of the company’s near-mine exploration project and the first hole to test for new mineralization surrounding the historical Prieska mine in more than 36 years.

As highlighted in the press release:

• 10.6m zone of copper-zinc bearing sulfides, including 5.2m of massive sulfides, intersected at Ayoba prospect.
• Intersection was drilled 5.3km south-west of the Prieska zinc-copper project.
• Mineralization and associated alteration typical of Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide (VMS) deposits.
• Discovery hole tested an electro-magnetic (EM) plate with a 1.1km strike and 450m dip extent.
• The discovery validates Orion’s expectations that there is excellent potential to discover a cluster of VMS deposits around the Prieska project.

Click here to read the full Orion Minerals (ASX/JSE:ORN) press release.