Connemara adds five new prospecting licences in Irish Midlands

The AIM-traded firm said the properties lie along the 'Rathdowney Trend' north east of the former Galmoy and Lisheen zinc-lead mines and include the Tonduff and Derrykearn lead-zinc orebodies.

Its board said it believes a fresh look may reveal new ore zones along one of Ireland's most significant lead zinc trends.

The Derrykearn body was discovered in 1977 by Athlone Prospecting and Development who intersected 2m of 3% pyrite with 0.2% zinc.

In 1984 Ennex discovered more intense and extensive sulphide mineralisation in the form of massive and disseminated ‘pseudo’ breccia hosted pyrite/sphalerite/galena at shallow depths.

The best intersection was hole 1650-11 with 5.95m grading 13.3% zinc / 3.2% lead.

Follow up work by Ennex and Ivernia West extended the mineralisation but concluded at that time that it was sub-economic.

Tonduff was discovered by Chevron Mining in 1987.

Connemara said it consists of disseminated and fractured sulphides hosted by Black Matrix Breccias, within the Waulsortian Reef.

It is a low-grade deposit and could be modelled as being on the edge of a larger zinc-lead mineralising system.

Hole 1989-91 had a number of thin intervals c.0.25m thick grading between 1.5 - 2.0% zinc / 0.3% lead.

“This is good ground in a good trend at a good time for zinc,” said chairman John Teeling.

“In the 25 years since these licences were explored exploration technology has improved as has our understanding of the Irish zinc province - there is potential.”

Teeling said zinc is in short supply at present, reflected in a doubled price per ton in the past year.

“At a price of $2,500 a ton, a zinc discovery would be very valuable.”