OREAS 553 was prepared from a blend of copper-cobalt oxide ore materials supplied by Metorex (subsidiary of Jinchuan Group) from the Dilala Est Copper Cobalt Project, located within the Kolwezi Klippe area of Lualaba Province (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Kolwezi is ~320 kilometres northwest from Lubumbashi, the provincial capital of Haut Katanga Province. Copper-cobalt ores within the Kolwezi Klippe area are stratiform, sediment-hosted deposits hosted within Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks of the Central African Copperbelt. Primary mineralisation typically consists of bornite, chalcopyrite and cobalt sulphides hosted within dolomitic argillite, shales, sandstone and dolomite horizons. Significant oxide minerals include malachite, chalcocite, digenite and hetrogenite.
Thirty analytical laboratories participated in the program using the following methods:
• Lithium borate fusion whole rock analysis package by X-ray fluorescence;
• Thermogravimetry: Loss on Ignition (LOI) at 1000°C;
• C and S by infrared combustion furnace/CS analyser;
• Cu and Co by *5% sulphuric acid leach with ICP or AAS finish;
• Cu and Co by *10% sulphuric acid leach with ICP or AAS finish;
• Sodium peroxide fusion with full suite elemental package by ICP-OES and/or MS finish;
• 4-acid digestion for full suite elemental package by ICP-OES and MS finish;
• Aqua regia digestion for full elemental suite package by ICP-OES and ICP-MS finish.
| CRM Code |
Principle Certified Values |
State |
Matrix |
Mineralization |
| OREAS 553 |
Cu 0.583% |
Co 0.614% |
S 0.280% |
oxide |
dolomitic shale |
structurally-controlled sediment hosted |