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Current ProjectsMonaster BlockNewcastle West BlockOldcastle BlockCastlemaine BlockThurles BlockNenagh BlockMine River BlockTeck JVZinc FundamentalsZinc in IrelandMonaster Block
The Monaster Block comprises six contiguous prospecting licences (PLs) in County Limerick, Ireland. The licence block is located in a highly prospective area for base metal mineralisation and is 5km from the Tobermalug and Caherconlish zinc discoveries at Pallas Green that are currently being evaluated by Xstrata/Minco.
The Stonepark Discovery Area
Since the discovery hole was drilled at Stonepark in 2007 step out drilling has continued to extend the footprint of the zinc-lead mineralisation of this area. The concentration of drilling has been in the Stonepark North area, approximately 2km to the north of Stonepark; however this has been also extended to the south-west.
The Monaster Block is primarily underlain by prospective Waulsortian Reef lithologies (host to Lisheen/Galmoy/Silvermines deposits), overlain by Suprareef Shelf limestones and volcanics. The proximity of this block (<5km) at the north east and the favourable lithologies and structural patterns brought Connemara to this area in the first place. Results to date and the continuing progress of the Exploration strategy are bearing fruit.
The exploration programme for 2011 has so far included:
- Airborne Gravity Survey – completed in February (1271 Line kms)
- Seismic Reflection Survey – completed in April (19.1km)
- Regional Soil Geochemical Survey – completed in May (Total 2556 samples)
- On-going programme to drill 25,000m with 6 rigs, principally at Stonepark and to the southwest (34 Drillholes for 13.8km in the last year)
The regional programs have been designed to aid in the drillhole target delineation. All the exploration targets have been chosen using a combination of data, and by necessity the drilling results have had a major bearing on the on-going strategy.
Best results from Monaster Block, Stonepark and Stonepark North areas:
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Thickness (m) | zinc (%) | lead (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TC-2638-074 | 220 | 228.65 | 8.65 | 7.72 | 2.19 |
| Including: | |||||
| TC-2638-074 | 224.45 | 227.3 | 2.85 | 17.41 | 3.98 |
| TC-2638-064 | 273 | 276.1 | 3.1 | 1.92 | 0.56 |
| TC-2638-071 | 260.3 | 262 | 1.7 | 3.01 | 0.09 |
| TC-2638-064 | 290 | 288 | 2 | 1.09 | 0.01 |
| TC-2638-60 | 292.7 | 315.15 | 22.45 | 1.24 | 0.07 |
| Including: | |||||
| 310.85 | 312.25 | 1.4 | 8.05 | 0.17 | |
| TC-2638-055 | 195 | 199.9 | 4.9 | 10.57 | 3.05 |
| Including: | |||||
| 196.75 | 199.5 | 2.75 | 16.47 | 5.26 | |
| TC-2638-053 | 209.4 | 216.25 | 6.85 | 10.47 | 3.68 |
| Including: | |||||
| TC-2638-053 | 212.8 | 215.55 | 2.75 | 19.76 | 6.99 |
| TC-2638-051 | 221.4 | 228.95 | 7.55 | 4.88 | 1.49 |
| Including: | |||||
| TC-2638-051 | 224.05 | 225.05 | 1 | 21.9 | 7.26 |
| TC-2638-045 | 209.1 | 216.55 | 7.45 | 19.24 | 8.52 |
| Including: | |||||
| TC-2638-045 | 211.85 | 216.1 | 4.25 | 26.64 | 12.3 |
| TC-2638-038 | 251.4 | 253.2 | 1.8 | 5.65 | 0.91 |
| TC-2638-036 | 202.7 | 208.05 | 5.35 | 13.22 | 3.18 |
| TC-2638-032 | 207.6 | 215.4 | 7.8 | 5.18 | 2.68 |
| Including: | |||||
| TC-2638-032 | 214.05 | 215.4 | 1.35 | 10.4 | 2.16 |
| TC-3638-026 | 216.05 | 223.35 | 7.2 | 13.07 | 2.23 |
| TC-2638-017 | 327.45 | 328.45 | 0.95 | 27.69 | 12 |
| TC-2638-016 | 348.25 | 361.9 | 13.65 | 2.23 | 0.12 |
| Including: | |||||
| TC-2638-016 | 349.05 | 350.5 | 1.45 | 4.35 | 0.24 |
| TC-2638-016 | 354.2 | 357.5 | 3.3 | 4.29 | 0.14 |
| TC-2638-016 | 360.9 | 361.9 | 1 | 4.92 | 0.01 |
| TC-2638-008 | 550.1 | 557.45 | 6.5 | 5.02 | 1.17 |
| Including: | |||||
| TC-2638-008 | 556.2 | 557.45 | 1.1 | 16.19 | 3.07 |
| TC-2638-007 | 394.85 | 410.2 | 14.9 | 3.25 | 0.33 |
| Including: | |||||
| TC-2638-007 | 394.85 | 397.7 | 2.8 | 12.18 | 0.75 |
| TC-2638-006 | 460.7 | 461.15 | 0.45 | 2.26 | 1.54 |
| TC-2638-004 | 372.75 | 374.05 | 1.3 | 6.85 | 0.3 |
| TC-2638-004 | 376.1 | 380.1 | 4 | 11.62 | 3.46 |
| Including: | |||||
| TC-2638-004 | 378.95 | 380.1 | 1.15 | 28.61 | 4.17 |
Regional drilling has also been completed on the Stonepark Block of licenses. One Hole, TC-450-009, on PL450 10km to the SSE of Stonepark intersected 2.9m at 0.95%Zn/0.02%Pb within a 30m breccia zone, which looked very similar to zones peripheral to the Stonepark mineralization. This opens out a whole new target area.
A detailed Airborne Gravity Survey was completed during January 2011, the results of which are being used to aid the drilling programme.
