Almaden Minerals Ltd. (TSX:AMM)(NYSE Amex:AAU) has announced that a two drill exploration and definition program is now underway at the Company's wholly owned Ixtaca gold-silver project located in Puebla State, Mexico.
"Our goal for 2011 at Almaden is to outline the potential of the Ixtaca Zone through a minimum $C2MM drill program," says Morgan Poliquin, Almaden President and CEO. "Drilling in 2011 is designed to explore the size potential of the Ixtaca zone, discovered by the Company in 2010. Drilling is also planned on other targets on the property that have the potential for vein mineralisation similar to that of the Ixtaca Zone."
The Company plans to build on the exploration success of last year, during which the Ixtaca drilling discovery was made. Since the discovery hole announced in August 2010, the Company completed a total of 14 holes in 2010, all of which intersected mineralisation. The Ixtaca gold-silver epithermal vein system has now been traced over 300 meters along strike. Highlights of the drilling to date include high grade intersections of 4.10 m of 26 g/t Au, 936 g/t Ag (hole TU-10-1), 3.17 m of 10.5 g/t Au, 586 g/t Ag (hole TU-10-12) and 1.77 m of 49 g/t Au, 1392 g/t Ag (hole TU-10-11) as well as broad intersections such as 136.92 m of 1.5 g/t Au, 36 g/t Ag (hole TU-10-10), 45.01 m of 2.4 g/t Au, 157 g/t Ag (hole TU-10-12), 203.65 m of 1.0 g/t Au, 44 g/t Ag (Hole TU-10-11) and 126.22 m of 0.9 g/t Au, 62 g/t Ag (Hole TU-10-6). True widths cannot be calculated with confidence at this time. The Company will advance this 100% owned project with the drilling program announced today which will be expanded as necessary. This program will be funded and managed by the Company.
Source: Almaden Minerals Ltd.