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Excitement rises in Kakamega over gold mining viability

gold-women

Women searching for gold in Kakamega. FILE PHOTO | NMG

An explorer in Lihranda corridor, western Kenya has found the presence of visible gold at Isulu in Kakamega raising hope for viable mining.

Shanta Gold Limited also said the exploration has established a very wide and high-grade zone of over 23 metres at Bushangala within the same locality.

Through an exploration update for January and February the Shanta Gold CEO Eric Zurrin further indicated that the firm has hit high grade intersections.

Following the positive turn, the explorer has desployed more drill rigs bringing the number to two in the first two months.

The third rig is expected to be added "shortly" as Shanta steps up its exploration.

Shanta acquired seven gold prospecting licences from Barrick Gold last year.

"Infill drilling of five diamond core holes at Isulu and two others at Bushangala amount to four per cent of the planned exploration," Shanta said.

In gold exploration, diamond drilling refers to the process of "impregnanting" a drill bit with industrial diamonds so as to break the bearing rock.

Shanta Gold indicated that through the diamond drilling process, it has been able to drill 1,538 metres of holes.

Of the 1,538 metres, the exploration has seen a total of 1,136 metres drilled at Isulu while 402 metres have been drilled at Bushangala.

This, the firm said, is encouraging. "It is encouraging that high grade intersections have been hit in early holes and the company is looking forward to ramping up exploration over the coming months."

It, however projects to complete 40 per cent of the ongoing exploration by the end of this year at a time when the local community is getting jittery over "delay" is beginning the actual mining.