Properties

Tanzania

109 Primary Mining Licences, Shinyanga Region, Northern Tanzania

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Gem International Resources Inc. (TSX-V:GI) has entered into an option agreement with Musadik Mohamed Ally and Najua Kassira, to acquire a 70-per-cent interest in certain diamond claims in the prolific Shinyanga region of Tanzania. The property consists of 109 Primary Mining Licences covering a total area of 2,743 acres that are situated within the same geological terrain as the Williamson mine.

Scarab Environmental and Geological Enterprises CC (Scarab) has been commissioned by Gem International Resources Inc. (Gem International) to prepare a technical report according to the National Instrument 43-101 (Canadian Standards for disclosure of Mineral Projects) on one hundred and nine (109) contiguous Primary Mining Licences (PMLs) within Tanzania, East Africa. In addition Scarab completed a field survey to obtain any additional information on the PMLs.

See NI 43-101 Technical Report On 109 Primary Mining Licenses, Tanzania
See 109 Diamond PMLs Potential And General Information

The one hundred and nine (109) Primary Mining Licences (PMLs) are located within the Shinyanga region of northern Tanzania approximately 150 km due south of Lake Victoria and 15 km northwest of the town of Kahama. The 11.2 km2 PMLs are located within the northern Tanzanian highlands with an average altitude of approximately 1,200 m above mean sea level, receives between 600 and 800 mm of rain per annum, mostly as long rains with vegetation comprising moist infertile Savannah and arid fertile Savannah. The 109 PMLs are furthermore located in an area where rice and sorghum is grown as subsistence crops. The best operating time within the 109 PMLs should be between December and March as well as May to October. Within the rainy season many of the gravel roads become impassable and although work should be able to continue, road use through connecting infrastructure may be limited.

Scarab was unable to locate any historical exploration data or evidence of exploration workings on the 109 PMLs during data compilation phase and ensuing fieldwork on the said PMLs.

Regional geology of the PMLs comprises Archaean granites forming part of the Tanzania Craton. Northwest trending shears transect the granite and it appears that these have been exploited by the Karoo – and Cretaceous aged intrusions of dolerite and kimberlites respectively. These formations are deeply weathered and overlain by varying thicknesses of eluvial and colluvial rubble which are Quaternary in age. The geological description of the PML area is based upon the literature and comprises mostly Archaean Syn-Orogenic granites.

Both the kimberlite and alluvial gravels adjacent to the 109 PMLs have been the subject of extensive historical exploration activities by both Williamson Diamonds Ltd. as well as Serengeti Diamonds Ltd. Both companies targeted diamondiferous kimberlites (Nyangwale kimberlites) and gravels located within a central block surrounded by the 109 PMLs. The proximity of the PMLs to the said exploration and production activities and overall similar geological conditions favour the potential for alluvial / colluvial diamond (and buried kimberlites) occurrences downstream of the Nyangwale kimberlites discovered by Williamson Diamonds Ltd.

According to Serengeti Diamonds Ltd. the diamondiferous horizon is colluvial in origin, but Scarab also suggests the possibility of alluvial gravel formation. These alluvial drainage systems were probably active in the area since the onset of the Tertiary. Scarab can recommend that techniques to locate such palaeodrainage systems be of use in locating host target zones. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) should be able to locate buried palaeochannels which might host diamond mineralisation. Scarab can recommend a GPR survey followed by pitting and trenching as well as close spaced RC drilling commencing on GPR target areas in the northeastern part of the PMLs. In addition, the potential for buried diamondiferous kimberlites should not be overlooked. A magnetic and gravimetric survey should be able to assess the potential for buried primary targets.