25 September 2024, 06:00
UTC
Arc
Minerals Ltd
('Arc' or
the 'Company')
Botswana Drilling
Update
Arc Minerals (LSE: ARCM), an
exploration company forging partnerships to discover and develop
Tier 1 copper deposits, is pleased to
provide an update on drilling activities at
its Virgo Project within the highly prospective Central Structural
Corridor of the Kalahari Copper Belt ('KCB') in the Republic of
Botswana.
Highlights
·
First phase exploration drilling campaign completed on licence
PL135/2017
·
Eight holes completed for 3,023 metres of Reverse Circulation
and Core Diamond Drilling on budget and on time
· A total of 562 kilograms of
sampled core consisting of 309 samples shipped for
assay
· Drilling activities relocated
to licence PL162/2017 following completion of first phase of
drilling at PL135/2017
Nick von Schirnding, Executive Chairman of Arc Minerals,
commented:
"I
am very pleased with progress made at our Botswana licence and look
forward to providing shareholders with a more comprehensive update
once we receive the assay results. In line with our original
plan we have now relocated drilling to our second
license."
Further Details
The first phase to the maiden
exploration programme in the central part of licence PL135/2017
consisted of eight holes totalling 3,023m, of which 1,978m were
drilled by reverse circulation ('RC') and 1,045m by core diamond
drilling ('DD') methods. The drilling was completed on budget
and on time.
The DD core was split into 309
samples with an aggregate weight of 562.45kg and has been shipped
by road to ALS Global in Johannesburg for analysis with results
expected around the end of October 2024.
Drilling activities have now
relocated to licence PL162/2017, where scout drilling in 2022
intersected 3m @ 1.45% Cu and 9.33 g/t Ag. The first phase to this
maiden exploration drilling program is expected to comprise
approximately six holes, with the possibility of additional holes
depending on observations from core resulting from the initial
holes.
Qualified Persons
Mr Vassilios Carellas (BSc (Hons),
MAusIMM) is the Chief Operating Officer for Arc Minerals and has
sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and
type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is
undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined under the
JORC Code (2012). Mr Carellas consents to the inclusion in this
announcement of the technical matters based on his information in
the form and context in which it appears.
For further information
contact:
Arc
Minerals
Ltd
Nick von Schirnding (Executive
Chairman)
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c/o Benchmark
Communications
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Zeus
Capital Limited (Nominated Adviser & Joint
Broker)
Katy Mitchell/Harry Ansell
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Tel: +44 (0) 20 3829 5000
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Shard Capital Partners LLP (Joint Broker)
Damon Heath
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Tel: +44 (0) 20 7186 9952
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Benchmark Communications (Investor
Relations)
Richard Kauffer
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Tel: +44 (0) 7841 67 3210
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For more information,
visit www.arcminerals.com.
Forward-looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are
based on the Company's current expectations and estimates.
Forward-looking statements are frequently characterised by words
such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe",
"anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar
words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or
"will" occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause
actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or
anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such
forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the
actual results of current exploration activities; conclusions of
economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans
continue to be refined; possible variations in ore grade or
recovery rates; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the
mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or
financing; and fluctuations in metal prices. There may be other
factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as
anticipated, estimated or intended. Any forward-looking statement
speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may
be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims
any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement,
whether as a result of new information, future events or results or
otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on
such statements due to the inherent uncertainty
therein.
Background on the Virgo Licences
Licence PL 135/2017
The Company's prospecting licence
PL135/2017 is surrounded on three sides by the prospecting licences
of Khoemacau Copper Mining Limited ("Khoemacau"), who have recently
been acquired by MMG for c.$1.9 billion.
This licence is located towards the
south-eastern margin of the Kalahari Copper Belt occupying a
similar geological setting to that recently drilled by Khoemacau at
their recent Mawana Fold Discovery and the Zone 9 exploration
target, where economic grades of copper mineralisation have already
been intersected by drilling. These discoveries are located at the
north-western and south-eastern margins of the Company's
prospecting licence, respectively.
Khoemacau's Mawana fold discovery
has defined a possible economic zone of copper mineralisation that
appears to trend towards and into the Company's licence PL 135/2017
(Figure 1.). The Company's recent scout drill holes intersected
anomalous grades of copper mineralisation close to this apparent
trend and confirmed an east-west trending DKF-NPF contact position approximately
5km long running through the licence.
Fig 1. Image showing Khoemacau licence holding, targets and
drilling results in relation to PL 135/2017.
In November 2021, Arc Minerals
Limited acquired a 75% interest in Alvis-Crest (Proprietary)
Limited, the holder of two prospecting licences (PL 135/2017 &
PL 162/2017) in Botswana's Kalahari Copper Belt ("KCB"),
colloquially called the Virgo Project/Licences. Licence PL 135/2017 is approximately 10km south-east of the
large underground Khoemacau Copper mine recently
commissioned by Cupric Canyon Capital LP.
A map of the licences is available
here:
http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/3027T_1-2021-3-24.pdf
The Virgo Licences cover an area of
over 210km2 and lie within (PL 165/2017) and adjacent
(PL 135/2017) to the highly prospective Central Structural Corridor
and within 10km and 50km of the Zone 5 and Banana Zone copper
projects respectively, known as the two largest copper projects on
the KCB.
Historically, two copper-nickel soil
anomalies have already been recorded on PL 135/2017 and PL 162/2017
and are approximately 3km and 2.5km in strike length, respectively.
The largest of the two anomalies, located on PL 135/2017, overlays
an interpreted DKF-NPF contact, while a second, more intermittent,
anomaly may be linked to extensional faulting around the dome edge.
The large coherent anomaly on PL 162/2017 also appears to overlay
the interpreted DKF-NPF contact on the northern limb of a
syncline.
**ENDS**
Appendix A - Glossary of
Technical Terms
"anomaly or anomalous"
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something in mineral exploration
that geologists interpret as deviating from what is standard,
normal, or expected.
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"assay"
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The laboratory test conducted to
determine the proportion of a mineral within a rock or other
material. For copper, usually reported as percentage which is
equivalent to percentage of the mineral (i.e. copper) per tonne of
rock.
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"azimuth"
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the "compass direction" refers to a
geographic bearing or azimuth as measured by a magnetic compass, in
true or magnetic north.
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"bornite"
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Bornite, also known as peacock ore,
is a copper sulphide mineral with the formula
Cu5FeS4.
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"breccia"
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Breccia is a rock classification,
comprises millimetre to metre-scale rock fragments cemented
together in a matrix, there are many sub-classifications of
breccias.
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"chalcocite"
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Chalcocite is a copper sulphide
mineral with the formula Cu2S and is an important copper
ore mineral. It is opaque and dark-grey to black with a metallic
lustre.
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"chalcopyrite"
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Chalcopyrite is a copper sulphide
mineral with formula CuFeS2. It has a brassy to golden
yellow colour.
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"chargeability"
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Chargeability is a physical property
related to conductivity. Chargeability is used to characterise the
formation and strength of the induced polarisation within a rock,
under the influence of an electric field, suggesting sulphide
mineralisation at depth.
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"covellite"
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Covellite is a copper sulphide
mineral with the formula CuS. This indigo blue mineral is
ubiquitous in some copper ores.
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"diamond drilling"
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A drilling method in which
penetration is achieved through abrasive cutting by rotation of a
diamond encrusted drill bit. This drilling method enables
collection of tubes of intact rock (core) and when successful gives
the best possible quality samples for description, sampling and
analysis of an ore body or mineralised structure.
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"dip"
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A line directed down the steepest
axis of a planar structure including a planar ore body or zone of
mineralisation. The dip has a measurable direction and inclination
from horizontal.
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"geochemical"
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Refers to geological information
using measurements derived from chemical analysis
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"geophysical"
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Refers to geological information
using unit measurements derived from the use of magnetic and
electrical readings
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"geophysical techniques"
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include the exploration of an area
by exploiting differences in physical properties of different rock
types. Geophysical methods include seismic, magnetic, gravity,
induced polarisation and other techniques; geophysical surveys can
be undertaken from the ground or from the air
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"gossan"
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is an iron-bearing weathered product
that usually overlies a sulphide deposit
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"grab sample"
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are samples of rock material
collected from a small area, often just a few pieces or even a
single piece of rock "grabbed" from a face, dump or outcrop or
roughly 2-5kg. These are common types of rock samples collected
when conducting mineral exploration. The sample usually consists of
material that is taken to be representative of a specific type of
rock or mineralisation.
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"grade"
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The proportion of a mineral within a
rock or other material. For copper mineralisation this is usually
reported as % of copper per tonne of rock.
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"g/t"
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grams per tonne; equivalent to parts
per million ('ppm')
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"hematite"
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Hematite is the mineral form of
iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3), one of several iron
oxides. Magnetite alteration is also typically associate with
porphyry copper systems, at or close to the central
core.
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"Indicated Resource"
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An "Indicated Mineral Resource" is
that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade or
quality, densities, shape and physical characteristics, can be
estimated with a level of confidence sufficient to allow the
appropriate application of technical and economic parameters, to
support mine planning and evaluation of the economic viability of
the deposit. The estimate is based on detailed and reliable
exploration and testing information gathered through appropriate
techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits,
workings and drill holes that are spaced closely enough for
geological and grade continuity to be reasonably
assumed.
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"Inferred Resource"
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An "Inferred Mineral Resource" is
that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade or
quality can be estimated on the basis of geological evidence and
limited sampling and reasonably assumed, but not verified,
geological and grade continuity. The estimate is based on limited
information and sampling gathered through appropriate techniques
from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill
holes.
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"Induced Polarisation
Geophysics"
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Induced polarisation (IP) is a
geophysical survey used to identify the electrical chargeability of
subsurface materials, such as sulphides. The survey involves an
electric current that is transmitted into the subsurface through
two electrodes, and voltage is monitored through two other
electrodes.
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"intercept"
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Refers to a sample or sequence of
samples taken across the entire width or an ore body or mineralised
zone. The intercept is described by the entire thickness and the
average grade of mineralisation.
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"JORC Code"
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The Australasian Code for Reporting
of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves ('the
JORC Code') is a professional code of practice that sets minimum
standards for Public Reporting of minerals Exploration Results,
Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves.
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"K"
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The element potassium, abundance on
surface can be inferred from radiometric surveys
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"Magnetics"
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Rocks are made up of different
minerals and the magnetic properties of a rock depends on the
amount and type of iron rich minerals it contains. Earth's magnetic
field interacts with these iron rich minerals to generate
variations in the magnetic field. Measuring and mapping these
variations allows remotely mapping of the distribution and patterns
of magnetic rocks and, as a result, map the subsurface
geology
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"magnetite"
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Magnetite is main iron ore mineral,
with chemical formula Fe3O4. Magnetite is
ferromagnetic, and it is attracted to a magnet and can be
magnetized to become a permanent magnet itself.
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"massive"
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In a geological sense, refers to a
zone of mineralisation that is dominated by sulphide
minerals. The sulphide-mineral-rich material can occur in
centimetre-scale, metre-scale or in tens of metres wide veins,
lenses or sheet-like bodies containing sphalerite, galena, and / or
chalcopyrite etc.
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"Measured Resource"
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A "Measured Mineral Resource" is
that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade or
quality, densities, shape, and physical characteristics are so well
established that they can be estimated with confidence sufficient
to allow the appropriate application of technical and economic
parameters, to support production planning and evaluation of the
economic viability of the deposit. The estimate is based on
detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing information
gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as
outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes that are spaced
closely enough to confirm both geological and grade
continuity.
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"Mineral Resource"
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A "Mineral Resource" is a
concentration or occurrence of diamonds, natural solid inorganic
material, or natural solid fossilised organic material including
base and precious metals, coal, and industrial minerals in or on
the Earth's crust in such form and quantity and of such a grade or
quality that it has reasonable prospects for economic extraction.
The location, quantity, grade, geological characteristics and
continuity of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated or
interpreted from specific geological evidence and
knowledge.
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"mineralisation"
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In geology, mineralisation is the
deposition of economically important metals (copper, gold, lead,
zin etc) that in some cases can be in sufficient quantity to form
mineral ore bodies.
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"open pit mining"
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A method of extracting minerals from
the earth by excavating downwards from the surface such that the
ore is extracted in the open air (as opposed to underground
mining).
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"outcrop"
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A section of a rock formation or
mineral vein that appears at the surface of the earth.
Geologists take direct observations and samples from outcrops, used
in geologic analysis and creating geologic maps. In situ (in place)
measurements are critical for proper analysis of the geology and
mineralisation of the area under investigation.
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"polymict"
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A geology term, often applied to
breccias or conglomerates, which identifies the composition as
consisting of fragments of several different rock types.
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"Preliminary Economic
Assessment"
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NI 43-101 defines a PEA as "a study,
other than a pre-feasibility study or feasibility study, which
includes an economic analysis of the potential viability of mineral
resources".
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"Pyrrhotite"
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Pyrrhotite is
an iron sulphide mineral with the
formula Fe(1-x)S (x = 0 to 0.2). It is
a nonstoichiometric variant
of FeS, the mineral known as troilite.
Pyrrhotite is also called magnetic pyrite
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"Radiometrics"
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The radiometric, or gamma-ray
spectrometric method is a geophysical process used to estimate
concentrations of the radioelements potassium, uranium and thorium
by measuring the gamma-rays which the radioactive isotopes of these
elements emit during radioactive decay
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"sediments"
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Sedimentary rocks formed by the
accumulation of sediments. There are three types, Clastic, Chemical
and Organic sedimentary rocks.
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"sphalerite"
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Sphalerite is a zinc sulphide in
crystalline form but almost always contains variable iron, with
formula (Zn,Fe)S. It can have a yellowish to honey brown or black
colour.
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"supergene"
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Supergene ore processes occur near
surface, and form deposits of secondary minerals, such as
malachite, azurite, chalcocite, covellite, digenite,
etc.
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"surface rock chip
samples"
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Rock chip samples approximately 2kg
in size that are typically collected from surface outcrops exposed
along rivers and mountain ridgelines.
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"syncline"
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a trough of stratified rock in which
the beds dip toward each other from either side.
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"Th"
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The element thorium, abundance on
surface can be inferred from radiometric surveys
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"U"
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The element uranium, abundance on
surface can be inferred from radiometric surveys
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"veins"
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A vein is a sheet-like or
anastomosing fracture that has been infilled with mineral ore
(chalcopyrite, covellite etc) or mineral gangue (quartz, calcite
etc) material, within a rock. Veins form when minerals carried by
an aqueous solution within the rock mass are deposited through
precipitation and infill or coat the fracture faces.
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"volcanics"
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Volcanic rock such as andesite or
basalt that is formed from magma erupted from a volcano, or hot
clastic material that erupts from a volcano and is deposited as
volcaniclastic or pyroclastics.
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"XRF"
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Instrument to determine the
chemistry of a sample by measuring the fluorescent (or secondary)
X-ray emitted from a sample when it is excited by a primary X-ray
source
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