The SRK team in Almaty was originally commissioned in 2018 to assist with digitisation of approximately 80 years of historical survey and sampling data from the operating mine at Zholymbet. The data were used to produce a maiden Mineral Resource Estimate in accordance with the JORC Code (2012). SRK also implemented Standard Operating Procedures for sampling and laboratory QAQC. The 2018 MRE was used to underpin a feasibility study for continued operations from the mine and to complete a review of the prospects for future development. Zholymbet is the subject of ongoing further exploration and is considered to have significant potential due to the size of the geological structures which occupy a strike length of 3 km.
The geological modelling and resource estimation was a challenging exercise due to the large amount of legacy data which, although highly useful, had insufficient QAQC for JORC compliance. Verification drilling and sampling was therefore required with additional analysis to interpret the results and feed into the assay database. SRK also addressed other technical issues, such as the extent to which historical channel samples can be used for a resource estimate.
A structural study was a key feature of the SRK update of the resource model and allowed the structural trends to inform the geological model that was created in Leapfrog software. This input is considered to be essential in the creation of a robust geological model that can be refined on an ongoing basis and used as a basis for all future mineral resource estimates.
The SRK mandate included coaching of the Client team to become more proficient in managing their internal resource models and associated estimates. As a result of the cooperation, the Client team is now able to maintain and update the geological model and the associated mineral resource estimates. These good practices feed through into more accurate mine planning which has helped improve production planning and forecasting.
