Irish Times quoted Conroy Diamonds and Gold as saying that results from infill and regional soil sampling at its gold targets in counties Monaghan and Armagh showed values ranging up to 4,047 parts per million of zinc.

Conroy said in a statement that infill sampling has resulted in 3 separate zinc in soil anomalies merging into a single, extensive anomaly covering an area of more than 8 square kilometers. The anomalies are located just a few kilometers away from the firm's 1 million ounce gold discovery at Clontibret in Co Monaghan and to the south of the large gold anomaly recently discovered at Clay Lake in Co Armagh.

A total of 166 samples were collected and analyzed, returning an average value of 466 parts per million of zinc. Individually, 55 samples assayed over 500 parts per million including eight of more than 1,000 parts per million. Typical background zinc in soil values in the area are less than 200 parts per million.

All of the Company’s prospecting licences in Ireland lie within the Longford Down Massif. Apart from Clontibret, it also features a number of near surface lead and zinc ore bodies which supported historic production in the nineteenth century. These include the Annaglogh lead, zinc and copper mine which was to the west of these new zinc anomalies.

Conroy said that the latest results provide further evidence of the presence of a significant metalliferous system that appears to be a zoned.

Mr Richard Conroy the firm's chairman said that “Whilst we remain focused on delineation and development of the Clontibret gold target, the latest sampling results increase the possibility that we have also made a significant zinc discovery nearby. The merging of 3 previously discovered zinc anomalies into a very large single target, sample values substantially higher than typical background and historic base metal mining in the region, all indicate that the area has significant upside potential."

(Sourced from Irishtimes.com)