Technical Update

African Consolidated Resources plc / Ticker: AFCR / Index: AIM / Sector: Mining

17 May 2010

          African Consolidated Resources plc ('ACR' or 'the Company')

                                Technical Update



African Consolidated Resources Plc, the AIM listed resource development company
focussed in Zimbabwe, is pleased to announce an exploration update in respect of
its extensive portfolio of primarily gold, nickel, platinum, diamond and rock
phosphate projects.


Overview


  * Extensive reverse circulation and diamond drilling programmes well underway
    since a US$16m fund raising in November 2009


  * Since the last technical update in February 2010, over 8,100m of Reverse
    Circulation ('RC') and 670m of diamond drilling has been completed at the
    Gadzema (Blue Rock) gold project, and 950m of diamond drilling at the Cedric
    copper project.  This completes just over 20% of the 38,000m of drilling
    contracted for 2010


  * Work on defining JORC Resources at Blue Rock and Giant Mine (gold),
    Horseshoe (nickel), and Chishanya (phosphate) is well underway. Some delays
    in laboratory assay turnaround and rig availability have affected schedules
    for Blue Rock and Giant Mine, but these issues will be resolved for the
    second half of the year


  * Drilling at Blue Rock continues to intersect broad, low to medium-grade gold
    intercepts, very amenable to bulk open pit mining.  Best intercepts were
    24m @ 2.5g/t, 22m @ 1.8g/t and 13m @ 2.6g/t


  * Pit sampling completed over an initial area of 1km2 at the Horseshoe nickel
    project to determine the near surface laterite mineralisation on a portion
    of the deposit


  * Chishanya surface sampling and pitting to close off the phosphate resource
    is nearly complete. Logistics are underway for a diamond drill programme
    subject to favourable metallurgical tests for flotation of the ore


  * 1,400m strike of surface copper mineralisation over the old Cedric mine
    workings tested with 5 diamond drill holes totalling approx 950m - broad
    zones of breccia-hosted copper mineralisation noted, assays awaited



  * Heli-borne electromagnetic survey (VTEM system) is planned to cover the
    35km long nickel prospective horizon of the Perseverance Greenstone Belt,
    plus Cedric copper and the Mphoengs nickel project (Botswana Tati belt
    extensions into Zimbabwe)


African Consolidated Resources CEO Andrew Cranswick said, "We have made steady
progress over the past five months, particularly in regard to the continued
drilling programmes at the Blue Rock gold discovery.  We expect to be in a
position to announce a maiden JORC resource on the Blue Rock prospect soon which
we believe will add further tangible value to our portfolio."


Development Drilling

Gadzema Belt - Gold


Blue Rock: This brownfields project is currently being assessed by RC infill
drilling to a depth of 150m over a strike of 600m, on 40m line spacing.  Since
the Company's last technical update in February 2010 over 8,100m of RC drilling,
and 670m of diamond drilling has been completed.


Table 1 - Drilling Summary


                                Metres drilled since Total metres drilled ton
Drill Hole Type Number of Holes last report (Feb     project
                                2010)

RAB             657             -                    9,810- completed

RC              74              8,131                10,477-on-going

DD              4               676                  676 on-going





Table 2 - Significant intercepts in RC holes, Blue Rock

First Phase Drilling 2008 (previously reported)*


 Hole ID   From (m)   To (m)   Intercept



 BRRC01    0          38       38m @ 1.2g/t

 BRRC02    30         70       40m @ 1.2g/t

 BRRC05    0          21       21m @ 1.4g/t

 BRRC11    4          28       24m @2.7g/t

 BRRC12    49         65       16m @ 3.2g/t

 BRRC17    36         58       22m @ 6.5 g/t

 BRRC24    53         63       10m @ 2.0g/t




*80m linespacing. 1m fire assays at 0.5g/t lower cut, includes up to 2m internal
waste, no top cut.



Table 3 - Significant intercepts in RC holes, Blue Rock

 Current Infill Drilling 2010*



 Hole ID   From (m)   To (m)   Intercept

 BRRC27    6          19       13m @ 2.6g/t

 BRRC28    10         27       17m @ 1.5g/t

 BRRC29    9          31       22m @ 1.8g/t

 BRRC29    48         70       22m @ 1.6g/t

 BRRC36    0          25       25m @ 1.7g/t

 BRRC38    46         70       24m @ 2.5g/t

 BRRC41    63         73       10m @ 2.3g/t

 BRRC42    108        134      26m @ 1.2g/t

 BRRC44    91         96       5m @ 2.7 g/t

 BRRC46    139        157      18m @ 1.6g/t

 BRRC47    19         34       15m @ 2.3g/t

 BRRC53    6          14       8m @ 2.1g/t





*40m linespacing. 1m fire assays at 0.5g/t lower cut, includes up to 2m internal
waste, no top cut.



The outcome of the recent drilling at Blue Rock has shown continuity along
strike for over 500m. At least two (three in places) narrow, closely spaced and
steeply dipping mineralised zones run systematically parallel and along the
NNW-trending structures. NW- to WNW-trending structures displaced the orebodies
mainly to the East and appear to have generated thicker felsic bodies and usual
higher grades along them. The displacement to the east suggests that south of
N7,999,200, the bulk of the mineralised felsics is to be found further east.


The thickness of the sulphide mineralised bodies is greatest at the intersection
of the NNW- (some of which are thrust zones) and WNW-trending structure while
the highest gold values appear mostly in the quartz veins. Notable is that the
ultramafic lithologies can also be mineralised (up to 13m @ 2.6g/t) away from
quartz veins and felsics and may add significant tonnage in the future.


Mineralisation is open north and south and exploration continues.


ACR considers these results significant and they will generate further drill
targets not only in the rest of the Gadzema belt but also in the Chakari and One
Step areas where the geological setting is similar.


Resource calculations at Blue Rock gold project have been delayed by slow assay
laboratory turnaround, but final data compilation and JORC calculations will
commence mid-May with a view to publishing a new resource statement in July.


Giant Mine:  A 2,000m diamond drilling programme is planned to commence as soon
as a diamond drill rig becomes available, aimed at extending the orebody at
depth.  A further 3,000m of infill RC drilling will follow the diamond programme
targeting an increase in the current JORC resource of 300,000oz.


Gadzema Belt Extensions:  Drilling in the broader Gadzema area will be focussed
on Blue Rock extensions until at least mid-year.


Pickstone-Peerless - Gold


A 2,000m diamond drilling programme planned for the second half of 2010, to test
within and under the Peerless oxide gold resource, and to investigate the
Pickstone oxide plus deeps, has been fast-tracked and will commence this month.
 Initial drilling will focus on diamond drilling for metallurgical and
geotechnical purposes on the Peerless oxide pit.

Scoping studies on the economics of treating the Peerless oxide cap through the
same cyanide leach plant as to be used for the Peerless Sulphide Dump are
generating positive cashflow models.  Recoverable ounces appear to be
approximately 28,000 Oz within the oxide zone and a further 45,000 Oz from
underlying transitional and primary ore.  These open pittable targets are the
upper part of the 210,000 Oz JORC Resource at the Peerless Mine.


Chisanya Carbonatite - Phosphate


Mapping of the main phosphate target at Baradanga Hill has continued along
gridlines and by opening old trenches.


Concurrently, a total of 419 ankerite (phosphatic) chip samples were taken at
2m intervals across the main phosphate body. These were analysed by hand-held
Niton XRF to assist mapping, and are currently being laboratory assayed.


Pit sampling was also completed on the flats below Baradanga Hill, where
aeromagnetics suggested that phosphate-bearing rocks could be present below
shallow soil cover.  In all, 215 pits were sunk, approximately 1m in depth. The
pitting intersected mostly granite which is not highly prospective.


At Bepe Hill, 15 samples were taken from different lithologies for possible Rare
Earth Minerals ('REEs') and these are waiting analyses.  Previous exploration
has reported only low values of REEs.


Initial metallurgical samples have been submitted to a South African laboratory
to analyse the mineralogy of the phosphate ore, and to trial suitable floatation
processes to upgrade the apatite ore to a rock phosphate concentrate.
High-carbonate ores from Carbonatite pipes can be metallurgically complex to
treat, but processes are already well established for similar ores at Palabora
(South Africa) and Jacupiranga (Brazil)


A 2,000m diamond drilling programme to test the phosphate mineralisation to
200m depth is planned for the September quarter on the proviso that initial
metallurgical testing indicates a viable flotation route for the apatite ore.
 Dependant on these results a 5,000m RC/diamond drill hole ('DDH') infill
drilling programme will commence in the second half of the year with a view to
producing an initial JORC resource by the end of 2010.


EXPLORATION PROJECTS


Regional gold exploration


Chakari Gold:


Initial work has focussed on the Hamilton prospect, where felsics, granitoids
and quartz veins cross-cut tremolite/talc schists and BIF. The sequences trend
NNE and the units are separated by N-trending zones of extreme shearing.
Subsequent fracturing appears to trend mostly NE and occasionally NW.  Artisanal
mining activities are notably active along the Northerly trending structures.


Mapping covering 9km2 has been completed and will immediately be followed by
trenching and pitting across the prospective lithologies.


Further anomalous areas to the NW in the Perseverance-Frog Mine area will
require permission from National Parks dept prior to any field work, as the
target area lies partly within the Umfuli Forest Land reserve.


Base Metals/PGE


Cedric Copper:


Ongoing mapping has identified approximately 1,400m strike of surface copper
mineralisation over the old Cedric mine workings.  This area was last explored
in the 1960s, and lies in the Proterozoic Makonde copperbelt.  Five diamond
drillholes totalling approx 950m have been completed since the Company's last
technical update to test the down dip extensions to a depth of 150m.


The drilling covered a strike length of 300m and the holes were drilled at a
50o angle to the east, every 100m.


  * Mineralisation consists of both oxides (malachite and minor chrysocolla) and
    sulphides (pyrite, chalcopyrite, but also bornite).


  * The sulphides are found disseminated throughout the dolomitic siltstone and
    shale and appear stratiform.


  * The oxides occur preferentially along the major shear zone and along the
    fracture zones. They have derived from the primary sulphides by supergene
    enrichment along zones of weaknesses due to meteoric water infiltration. The
    enrichment may have been enhanced to depths beyond the water table levels
    depending on the dip (the highest the angle the deepest will the enrichment
    occur) and depth reached by these fractures.


Drill core is undergoing final logging for structural purposes, then will be
split and submitted for assay.



Table 4.  Drill intersections, Cedric Copper Project



HoleID  From   To     Interval Predominant Lithology  Oxidation            Mineralisation
                      (m)

        0      10.83  10.83    Dolomitic              Transitional
                               siltstone/Shale

        10.83  29.8   18.97    Shale/Dolomitic        Reduced              Pyrite-Chalcopyrite
                               siltstone

        29.8   32.75  2.95     Sandstone/

        32.75  47     14.25    Shale/Dolomitic        Oxidised             Malachite
                               siltstone

CDDD001 47     90.71  43.71    Dolomite/Breccia       Oxidised

        90.71  108.35 17.64    Dolomitic              Reduced              Pyrite-Chalcopyrite
                               siltstone/Shale

        108.35 111.35 3        Dolomitic              Oxidised             Malachite
                               siltstone/Shale

        111.35 134.19 22.84    Dolomite               Transitional

        134.19 200.75 66.56    Shale/Dolomitic        Reduced              Pyrite-Chalcopyrite
                               siltstone

        0      25.1   25.1     Shale/Dolomite/Breccia Oxidised             Malachite

        25.1   63.5   38.4     Shale                  Transitional

CDDD002 63.5   101.08 37.58    Shale/Quartz           Reduced              Pyrite-Chalcopyrite

        101.08 140.98 39.9     Dolomite               Transitional

        140.98 205.2  64.22    Shale/Dolomitic        Reduced/Transitional Pyrite-Chalcopyrite
                               siltstone

        0      14.4   14.4     siltstone              Oxidised

        14.4   69.46  55.06    siltstone/dolomitic    Transitional         Malachite
                               siltstone
CDDD003
        69.46  123.79 54.33    shale/dolomite         Reduced

        123.79 131.04 7.25     shale/dolomite         Reduced              Pyrite-Chalcopyrite

        131.04 196.75 65.71    shale/dolomite         Reduced

        0      66.04  66.04    Quartz/dolomitic       Oxidised
                               siltstone

        66.04  68.82  2.78     quartzite              Oxidised             Pyrite-Chalcopyrite

        68.82  75.38  6.56     shale/dolomite         Transitional

        75.38  84.61  9.23     shale                  Transitional         Pyrite-Chalcopyrite

        84.61  99.61  15       dolomite               Reduced              Malachite
CDDD004
        99.61  101.61 2        dolomite               Reduced

        101.61 101.64 0.03     shale                  Transitional         Pyrite-Chalcopyrite

        101.64 109.64 8        dolomite               Reduced

        109.64 109.9  0.26     shale                  Transitional         Pyrite-Chalcopyrite

        109.9  134    24.1     shale/dolomite         Reduced

        134    142.4  8.4      shale                  Transitional         Pyrite-Chalcopyrite

CDDD05                                                To be logged






Horseshoe Nickel:



Since the Company's last technical update in February, 2,456 surface soil
samples have been collected on ACR registered claims but only 1,897 have been
assayed so far due to wet conditions on the ground.  A hand-held Niton XRF
analyser is used to guide sampling, followed up by laboratory assays.


Pitting has concentrated on the south-westernmost claim over a 1 sq km area.
Pits are being dug following a 100mx100m grid and channel samples taken at 20cm
intervals down the pits.  A total of 115 pits have been hand-dug and channel
sampled, to date.


A total of 666 pit channel samples have been collected and 200 assayed using the
Niton XRF.  Mineralisation appears to form a fairly consistent horizontal sheet
at surface, 1-3m thick and grading 0.5-1% Ni. Laboratory assays are awaited.


Column leach metallurgical testing is being planned in Australia to determine
leach characteristics and recovery.  As previously announced, preliminary
metallurgical trials indicate good recoveries (>90%), short residence times (<40
days), and low acid consumption.


Perseverance Nickel


A heli-borne electromagnetic programme (VTEM system) is planned for June-July to
cover the 35km long nickel prospective horizon of the Perseverance Greenstone
Belt.  Conductors will be identified and drill tested for nickel sulphides as
part of ongoing exploration during 2010.


Snakes Head PGE


It is proposed that the recently identified Fundumwi Block of this northern
subchamber of the Great Dyke will be drill tested once access becomes available
in the dry season. The mineralogy and ultramafic stratigraphy of the Fundumwi
Block suggests that the PGE reefs in this area may be higher grade than
elsewhere in the chamber.  Four short diamond holes are planned to intersect the
P1 platinum reefs below the oxide zone.  ACR's geologists will be ground-siting
the holes in May.


Regional Diamonds


A combination of ACR's historical diamond database and recent regional
exploration has defined areas containing significant clusters of kimberlite
indicator minerals.   Geophysical surveys have been interrupted by technical
hitches but are expected to resume in due course.



For a map showing the location of the Company's projects and a version of the
Technical Report which includes maps and geological graphics, please visit the
'Reports & Presentations' page under the 'Investor Relations' section of the
Company's website (www.acrplc.com).


This announcement has been reviewed by Mike Kellow BSc, a member of the
Australian Institute of Geologists and Technical Director of ACR.  Mr Kellow
meets the definition of a "qualified person" as defined in the AIM Note for
Mining, Oil and Gas Companies.


**ENDS**


Andrew Cranswick             African Consolidated Resources [phone]
                             plc

Roy Tucker                   African Consolidated Resources [phone]
                             plc
                                                            [phone]

Richard Greenfield           Ambrian Partners Limited       [phone]


Richard Brown                Ambrian Partners Limited       [phone]

Susie Callear                St Brides Media & Finance Ltd  [phone]











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