Rox Resources Limited has outlined two large high-grade soil anomalies at the Pha Sod 1 prospect on its Pha Luang lead-zinc project in Laos. 

 Anomaly 1 grades in excess of 5% combined lead and zinc, over an area of 400 x 200 metres. Anomaly 2 covers an area of 300 x 100 metres and grades above 4% combined lead and zinc.

 A total area of 600 x 500 metres has been sampled so far, with most soil samples grading greater than 1% combined lead and zinc, with a peak value of 21% combined lead and zinc in the soils.

Accompanying the soil values are a number of high-grade rock chip samples, up to 19.5% lead, 33.8% zinc, and 166 g/t Ag.

Rox managing director, Ian Mulholland says the soil anomalies were the highest outlined so far at Pha Luang, and the geological setting looked suitable for the development of a significant lead-zinc sulphide zone."

"Surface samples contain not only lead sulphide (galena), but for the first time we are also seeing significant quantities of zinc sulphide (sphalerite) in the samples. The rock textures are classic Mississippi Valley Type", Ian Mulholland says.

These excellent results come from an aggressive exploration program which started in October at Pha Luang, and the new soil anomaly at Pha Sod is the first result of that. A rig has been drilling shortly at the Nam Yen prospect at Pha Luang where previous drilling intersected significant sulphide mineralisation, including 33 metres at 11.4% combined lead and zinc.

During the current field season (October 2006 to June 2007) Rox has approximately 7000 metres of drilling planned to test at least five different anomalies, and has budgeted around Aus$2.4 million for its exploration program.

Apart from the drilling, extensive soil and rock chip sampling surveys are planned to extend the geochemical coverage over the tenement area, where around 20 prospects have been identified.

"We have a number of other areas that we are sampling now, which look just as encouraging as the Pha Sod 1 area. Once we've done enough preparatory work, we'll bring the drill rig in to test these targets", Ian Mulholland said.

Test work conducted on drill core during the recent Laos wet season has established that the Induced Polarisation (IP) geophysical technique should be a viable exploration tool. Several IP surveys are planned, and if successful, will help further define drilling targets.

The soil sampling at Pha Sod 1 was conducted at a nominal spacing of 40 x 40 metres, and is part of a larger survey being undertaken in the north-western part of the mining concession area. Samples of B horizon soil were collected from between 15 and 20cm depth and assayed at ALS Chemex in Brisbane.

The highest grade soil anomaly area has several outcrops of lead and zinc sulphides and oxides over a strike length of about 200 metres.

The northern limit of soil sampling is defined by a steep slope where sampling was not possible. About 300 metres further north (at the top of the slope) is another area of outcropping sulphide and oxide mineralisation, where soil sampling has not yet been undertaken.

The second high grade zone (Anomaly 2) running east-west in the south of the sampled area is still relatively unexplored.