Bowen Coking Coal has announced a Mineral Resource estimate increase for its Coorroorah Project of 23 per cent on the previous Mineral Resource estimate of 125Mt, bringing it to 154Mt. The maiden Mineral Resource estimate for the Mammoth seam of 37Mt is included within the total Cooroorah Mineral Resource estimate.

The Company targeted an area within the Mammoth seam which was not explored by the previous owners. The Mammoth seam represents a coalescing of the Aries and Castor seams to form one thick continuous seam which creates more optionality in terms of extraction options through various mining techniques, with raw coal quality testing suggesting that the Mammoth holds superior quality coal compared to the lower seams. Detailed coal quality and washability tests are under way and results are expected to be released to the market in the coming weeks.

An underground mining method is envisaged for the Mineral Resource with coal seam depths varying between 240m and 540m below surface. Average seam thicknesses range from 2m (Castor seam) to 4m (Mammoth seam). Previous metallurgical testing conducted by AQC shows a range of indicative average float yields at RD1.45, ranging from 73% to 85%, achieving a washed product ash of around 8-9% for the four coal seams in the Mineral Resource.

Managing Director and CEO Bowen Coking Coal, Gerhard Redelinghuys said “We are extremely satisfied with the outcome of the exploration program to date. Drilling in an underexplored area is always a high risk, but it definitely paid off for BCB’s shareholders with the delineation of 37Mt of high quality metallurgical coal in the Mammoth seam. We are now analysing these results and are planning the next exploration program to increase our confidence in the Resource to a level which could support the commencing of a Pre-feasibility study on Cooroorah.”

The Cooroorah Project is located between Coronado Coal’s (formerly Wesfarmers) Curragh mine and the Anglo, Marubeni and Sojitz owned Jellinbah mine in the Bowen Basin, Central Queensland, Australia.

Source: www.bowencokingcoal.com.au