Minmet, the mineral exploration company, has stated that it is "extremely encouraged" by the latest results from its Portuguese exploration programme at the Poco Romano prospect. "Further channel sampling on the 4.5km-long gold soil anomaly has returned gold values substantially higher than previously recorded - up to 16.7 grams of gold per tonne - in Ordovician slates and quartzites of the eastern limb of the Valongo anticline," Minment stated. The next phase of work will take place next month and will include drilling to test the mineralisation to a depth of 20 metres.