High-Grade Exploration Results From Lydian's Crepulje Zinc-Lead Project in Kosovo: Financial News

High-Grade Exploration Results From Lydian's Crepulje Zinc-Lead Project in Kosovo
Thursday January 24, 2008 1:39 pm ET

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(MARKET WIRE)--Jan 24, 2008 -- Lydian International Ltd. (Toronto:LYD.TO - News), a diversified U.K. mineral exploration and development company, today announced the results of reconnaissance rock-chip sampling and orientation soil sampling at its Crepulje project in Kosovo. The rock-chip samples have returned extremely high grades for zinc and high-grades for lead (up to 49.3% zinc and 9.2% lead), with 90% of grab samples returning greater than 30% combined zinc and lead (see Table 1) over an area of some 200 by 400 metres near former Yugoslav exploration workings. Results from orientation soil sampling have extended the potential for higher grade zinc and lead mineralisation at Crepulje (up to 13.7% zinc and 3.3% lead in soil; see Table 2 and Figures 1 and 2). This soil sampling was conducted along lines crossing the extensive 5km long former Yugoslav soil geochemical anomaly.

"These new high-grade results are very encouraging, especially given the regional extent of the known mineralisation at Crepulje," said Tim Coughlin, President and CEO of Lydian. "The technology to recover zinc and lead from such non-sulphide type deposits has developed significantly since this project was last worked on in the 1960's and 1970's. Our next steps will be channel sampling, geophysics and further soil sampling, leading to drill testing this summer. It is rewarding to know we will be conducting further work on this project, given the region around Crepulje could benefit enormously from increased inward investment," said Mr. Coughlin. "Lydian is very proud to be part of the reconstruction and development process in Kosovo."

The Crepulje project is located in Northern Kosovo, Lydian was granted an exploration license in 2006. Crepulje demonstrates some features consistent with supergene, non-sulphide zinc deposits of direct replacement-type (such as Accha, Peru; Angouran and Mehdiabad, Iran) and wallrock replacement-type systems (such as Scorpion, Namibia and Long Keng, Myanmar).

 

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SAMPLE N degrees                      Zn%     Pb%                    Zn+Pb%
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KR-000304                           49.3    2.74                      52.0
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Recon 32582                         38.9     3.5                      42.4
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Recon 32585                         37.2    4.62                      41.8
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Recon 32583                         38.2    3.17                      41.4
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KR-000298                           38.4    2.27                      40.7
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KR-000299                           34.8    5.82                      40.6
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KR-000302                           33.8    6.43                      40.2
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KR-000282                           36.9    2.93                      39.8
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KR-000295                             30    9.18                      39.2
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KR-000294                           36.2    2.97                      39.2
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KR-0008                             36.7     1.9                      38.6
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KR-000292                             36    2.08                      38.1
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KR-000303                           31.3    5.76                      37.1
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KR-000287                           33.8    3.13                      36.9
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KR-000297                           32.9    2.27                      35.2
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                   greater than or equal             greater than or equal
KR-000315                        to 30(i)   4.64                   to 34.6
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KR-000291                           32.9    1.12                      34.0
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                   greater than or equal             greater than or equal
KR-000316                        to 30(i)      4                   to 34.0
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                   greater than or equal             greater than or equal
KR-000311                        to 30(i)   3.99                   to 34.0
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KR-000305                           32.1    1.23                      33.3
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                   greater than or equal             greater than or equal
KR-000312                        to 30(i)   3.09                   to 33.1
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                   greater than or equal             greater than or equal
KR-000317                        to 30(i)   2.95                   to 33.0
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KR-000286                           30.3    2.08                      32.4
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KR-000301                           29.9    2.29                      32.2
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KR-000300                             30    2.11                      32.1
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KR-000310                           28.8    2.87                      31.7
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                   greater than or equal             greater than or equal
KR-000314                        to 30(i)    1.6                   to 31.6
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                   greater than or equal             greater than or equal
KR-000309                        to 30(i)   1.54                   to 31.5
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KR-000296                           28.2     2.3                      30.5
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KR-000313                           28.3    1.96                      30.3
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KR-000308                           26.8    2.91                      29.7
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KR-000289                           20.9    1.89                      22.8
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KR-000293                           2.22    1.11                      3.33
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Table 1. Lydian's reconnaissance rock-chip sample results in the area of
former Yugoslav exploration, organised by combined zinc and lead content
(in % Zn+Pb). Samples marked with (i) await follow-up analyses to
determine exact value above initial detection limit.



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              Zn%      Pb%
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KS-00985   13.70     1.40
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KS-00953    7.64     3.34
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KS-00951    3.20    0.423
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KS-00975    2.20    0.713
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KS-00982    1.27    0.437
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KS-00987   0.910    0.509
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Table 2. Six most significant soil geochemical results (zinc and lead)

To view Figure 1 and Figure 2, please visit the following link: http://www.ccnmatthews.com/docs/lydfigure.pdf

About Lydian International

Lydian is a diversified U.K. mineral exploration and development company, with expertise employing "first mover" strategies in emerging exploration environments. The Company is currently focused on Eastern Europe, exploring in the Balkan and Caucasus regions, and is developing advanced precious and base metal assets located in former Soviet Armenia and in emerging Kosovo.

Lydian's management team has a track record of success in grassroots discovery, in acquiring and developing undervalued assets, and in building companies. Lydian has a strong social agenda and a deep understanding of the complex social and political issues that characterise emerging environments.

The Company's two main projects are gold at Amulsar in Armenia, and zinc, lead, silver and gold at Drazhnje in Kosovo. Lydian also has a pipeline of promising gold and base metal exploration projects in the Balkans region, and operates a 50/50 gold and copper exploration joint venture with Newmont Overseas Exploration Limited, a subsidiary of Newmont Mining Corporation (NSYE: NEMS)(ASX:NEMS.AX - News)(Toronto:NMC.TO - News), in the Caucasus region.

Lydian's two largest shareholders are Newmont Mineral Holdings B.V., and International Finance Corporation (part of the World Bank Group). Lydian's web site is www.lydianinternational.co.uk where more information can be found.

Dr. Tim Coughlin BSc, MSc, PhD, MAusIMM; Lydian's President and CEO is the Qualified Person overseeing Lydian's exploration programmes. Dr. Coughlin has supervised the preparation of the technical information contained in this press release.

Lydian employees are instructed to follow standard operating and quality assurance procedures intended to ensure that all sampling techniques and sample results meet international reporting standards. Lydian samples - 2 to 3 kg of rock, rockchip, or drill core per sample. Samples are bagged, labeled, sealed and dispatched to ALS Chemex analytical laboratory in Rosia Montana, Romania. At the Laboratory after fine crushing at less than 2mm (70%), subsequent riffle split, followed by a 1000g split pulverised to less than 75micron (85%), a 50g aliquot is analysed for gold by fire assay with an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish. The remainder is sent by ALS Chemex to its laboratory in Perth (pending registration to ISO 9001:2000) or Vancouver (ISO17025), where the sample is subject to four acid digestion and analysis for 33 elements by ICP-MS (ALS' ME-ICP61 package). ALS Chemex carries out regular checks by duplicating gold analyses for several samples, and by inserting its own blanks and standards as part of its own Quality Management System. Lydian prepares its samples and dispatches to ALS Chemex with inclusion of blanks, duplicates, and three standards with different gold concentrations with random numbering.

Forward-looking Information

Securities regulators encourage companies to disclose forward-looking information to help investors understand a company's future prospects. This press release contains statements about our future financial condition, results of operations and business. These are "forward-looking" because we have used what we know and expect today to make a statement about the future. Forward-looking statements usually include words such as may, expect, anticipate, believe or other similar words. We believe the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable. However, actual events and results could be substantially different because of the risks and uncertainties associated with our business or events that happen after the date of this press release. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. As a general policy, we do not update forward-looking statements except as required by securities laws and regulations.