Apollo finds high-grade gallium at Kroussou - ICYMI

Apollo Minerals Ltd (ASX:AON, OTC:APOMF) earlier this week disclosed the presence of high-grade gallium mineralisation at its Kroussou zinc and lead project in Gabon.

The company said gallium has been identified as a cap over much of the lead-zinc mineralisation. It noted that this finding was based on recent fieldwork and a reassessment of its existing drill data. The company told investors that the discovery expands the broader exploration potential across the 900.00 square kilometre licence area.

Apollo Minerals also confirmed that high-grade surface rock chip samples returned up to 3.50% zinc and lead. It said gallium grades were present in the same locations. According to the company, this could support the potential for future gallium credits above the main zones of zinc and lead mineralisation.

The company highlighted that the new gallium results position the project within the context of growing global interest in critical minerals. It pointed to Gabon’s alignment with the United States’ strategic critical minerals agenda and the recent rise in international investment within the region.

Apollo said additional fieldwork is planned to assess gallium targets across the wider project area. It stated that exploration to date has only focused on a small portion of the overall tenement.

Proactive: Apollo Minerals has identified gallium at the Kroussou zinc and lead project in Gabon. The company's managing director, Neil Inwood, joins me now with the full rundown on this development. Neil, it's good to have you back on here at Proactive. How are you?

Neil Inwood: Very good, thank you, and nice to meet you today.

Proactive: It's great to meet you. This is a major development. Your share price is up on the news. Let’s take a step back. Zinc and lead have been the focus at Kroussou recently. Can you explain the significance of discovering gallium within the system at Kroussou and walk us through the findings?

Neil Inwood: Thank you. This is a really important discovery for the project. Through recent fieldwork and reviewing our drilling, we've realised that we have a high-grade gallium cap over much of the lead-zinc mineralisation. We've only seen this where we’ve been drilling over the last few years and have focused only on the immediate targets. The whole 900 square kilometre tenement is now a very good exploration target for additional gallium.

Proactive: Your fieldwork also confirmed new high-grade surface zinc and lead zones. How do these fit into your broader exploration and development strategy at Kroussou?

Neil Inwood: We've extended some of the key targets at Kroussou by up to 700 metres through field mapping. We’ve seen very high-grade rock chips, up to 3.5% zinc and lead. Importantly, we're also seeing high gallium grades in those same locations. So, it confirms that the zinc and lead mineralisation is accompanied by gallium mineralisation. This is conducive for a future mining operation, where gallium credits could sit above the zinc and lead zones. The vast bulk of the tenement is still unexplored for gallium.

Proactive: Gallium is a critical mineral, with China controlling 98% of global supply. With recent deals like the Australia-US $8.5 billion critical minerals partnership, how could this discovery position Apollo and the Kroussou Project in the evolving global gallium supply landscape?

Neil Inwood: That's a very good question. We’re operating in Gabon, which is a fantastic country to be in. There’s growing US presence and investment in Gabon. As a jurisdiction, Gabon fits well with the US focus on critical minerals like gallium. This is a developing story.

Proactive: So gallium has been a key discovery. And zinc and lead developments are also progressing. What can investors expect in the coming weeks?

Neil Inwood: We’re looking to commence more fieldwork over the project. With this new gallium data, we've only explored a small part of the license that we initially focused on for zinc. The potential for gallium exploration across the 900 square kilometres is significant. We'll be building out that story in the near future.

Proactive: Lots to look forward to in the weeks to come. It's been great having you here at Proactive. Apollo Minerals Managing Director Neil Inwood, thank you so much for your time.

Neil Inwood: Thank you.