MMS.L Regulatory News (MMS)

28 Feb 2006 07:02

Maghreb Minerals PLC28 February 2006 DRILLING RESULTS AT FEJ LADHOUM AND GRAVITY SURVEY AT DJEBBA, TUNISIA HIGHLIGHTS • The completion of an additional 6 drillholes at the Fej Lahdoumprospect brings the current phase of drilling to completion. Further significantlead-zinc intersections indicate an extension of the resource area over 100m tothe north of the Dar N'Hal Nord mine. Following a review of the results for thePhase 1 drilling programme, more drilling is planned. • The drill rig is being moved to Djebba, to be joined by a second rig,expected to arrive in country by mid-March 2006. • At Djebba, ground gravity and magnetic surveys have been completed.Results delineate the known extent of the massive lead - zinc mineralisation butextend beyond it to the east, where the strong peak gravity anomaly is stillopen. A gravity anomaly of similar amplitude and greater extent has beenrevealed to the north east of the known mineralised area. This untested anomalyis open. The gravity and magnetic surveys are being extended at Djebba to closeoff these anomalies. • Drilling will start immediately on the untested eastern extension ofthe gravity anomaly associated with the known mineralisation. The second drillrig will be deployed on the untested gravity anomaly to the north east. FEJ LADHOUM DRILLING RESULTS Maghreb Minerals Plc ("Maghreb Minerals", MMS.L) is pleased to announce that ithas received results from all but two holes (MFL 22 and MFL24) from its drillingprogramme at Fej Lahdoum, Tunisia. The phase one drilling programme is nowcomplete. Six, rather than the earlier planned two, holes were drilled to the north of DarN'Hal Nord mine to test the extent and tenor of the resource blocked out but nottested by ONM in that area. The additional holes were completed in the light ofthe encouraging visual indications of mineralisation previously reported indrillhole MFL18. Best intervals are as follows: Drill Hole From (m) To (m) (m) Pb + Zn wt%MFL 18 195.65 213.2 17.55 13.42%of which 197.65 199.35 1.70 24.92% 204.3 206.5 2.20 24.02% 209.7 212.9 3.20 31.41% 229.25 233.7 4.45 14.23%of which 231.0 232.0 1.00 27.21% 237.2 238.2 1.00 10.19%MFL 21 279.1 300.55 21.45 8.30%of which 282.1 285.65 3.55 11.83% 284.3 285.65 1.35 23.60% 291.55 293.65 2.10 13.97% 299.4 300.55 1.15 18.71% Drillhole MFL22 is reported to be well mineralised and results of core analysesare awaited. MFL23 tested a fault area north of Dar N'Hal Nord mine and had nosignificant mineralisation. MFL24, the last drillhole in the current drillingprogramme at Fej Lahdoum, awaits logging. A structural geology report preparedby external consultants, Clayton and Baird, for the area along strike to thenorth east of Dar N'Hal Nord mine has been received and will be incorporatedinto the data modelling and review, which will be undertaken ahead of furtherdrilling. The drill rig will now move to Djebba where it will be joined by asecond rig to test the extensions to known mineralisation and the gravityanomalies. Results were also returned for three earlier drillholes aimed to explore thedown-dip and lateral extent of the mineralisation over a strike length of 1,200mbetween Dar N'Hal Nord mine and the Dar N'Hal Sud deposit. These were notstrongly mineralised but indicated the continuity of the target Transition Zone.Best intervals are as follows: Drill Hole From (m) To (m) (m) Pb + Zn wt%MFL 13 42.85 45.00 2.15 2.42%MFL 16 242.40 244.00 1.60 6.36%MFL 17 208.50 209.75 1.25 4.42% DJEBBA GRAVITY SURVEY RESULTS - DRILLING TO COMMENCE A gravity and magnetic survey has been undertaken at Djebba. Results delineatethe known extent of the massive lead - zinc mineralisation and extends beyond itto the east where the strong peak gravity anomaly is still open. A gravityanomaly of similar amplitude and greater extent has been revealed to the northeast of the known mineralised area, and remains to be closed off and is untestedby drilling. The gravity and magnetic survey lines are being extended to closeoff anomalies to the north and the east, as well as to define more precisely theregional gravity field in order to increase the prospect of hitting drilltargets defined by the residual micro-gravity anomalies, which are of the orderof 1 mgal. Drilling will start immediately on the untested eastern extension of the gravityanomaly associated with the known mineralisation pending the receipt of thecompleted extended gravity survey, expected by end-March 2006. The geophysical survey results are encouraging as they appear to enlargesignificantly the target area for mineralisation beyond the previouslydelineated resource. A current resource of 2.7Mt grading 6.14% Zn and 3.34% Pb,within which there was an open pit reserve estimate of 800,000t grading 6.59% Znand 4.09% Pb, is based upon an open pit feasibility study by the Canadian GroupSIDAM-Minorex in 1987-1989. Chairman, Gordon Riddler said, "The results from the drilling to the north ofthe Dar N'Hal Nord mine at Fej Lahdoum show a promising extension to theresource increasing the strike length there by over 100m. The discovery of anuntested large gravity anomalies, to the both the east and north east of theknown mineralisation at Djebba, is exciting and will be the focus for drillingover the coming months". For further information please contact: Maghreb Minerals Plc Westhouse Securities LLPRobyn Storer/Gordon Riddler Richard MorrisonTel: +44 (0) 20 7556 7038 Tel: +44 (0) 20 7601 6100 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange