Copper Mountain Mining Corporation announce assay results from 20 diamond drill-holes completed in the Oriole and Rifle areas of the Copper Mountain project, where a major drill program continues.
Two deep holes have been completed below the Pit 3 area and have been logged, split and the core has been sent out for assay. Additionally, a number of deep, angle holes have been recently drilled around and below the planned superpit targeting geophysical anomalies and possible extensions to mineralization. Assays for the deep holes are pending.
Oriole Area:
The drill program in the Oriole area provides results required to complete a detailed mine plan which allows for additional near surface extraction of higher grade material in the early years of production. A total of 2,200 m of drilling was completed in 16, shallow drill-holes, which were primarily infill holes on the margins of the proposed pit area. The drilling provided more definitive geological and grade information and, together with the shallow percussion drilling, completed in October, will result in improved reserve modelling. All of the holes from the current program are inclined at -45 degrees and drilled on east-west sections across the vertically oriented mineralization. All but one of the holes returned above cut-off grade mineralized intersections.
Rifle Area:
An additional four holes were drilled on the margin of a geophysical chargeability anomaly in an area approximately 1 km south of the Oriole deposit. This area was originally proposed for waste rock storage. Past exploration had defined a low level soil geochemical anomaly in the area and a number of near-surface intersections had been obtained in past drilling. The four new holes that form two east-west sections were drilled to determine the orientation and geological characteristics of the mineralization. Not all assays have been received but results thus far confirm the presence of mineralization. Additional follow up work is being planned prior to using this area for waste rock storage.
The mineralized system at Copper Mountain is classified as a bulk-tonnage, alkalic porphyry copper deposit that is hosted within Nicola Group volcanic rocks. Mineralization is structurally controlled and focused at multi-directional vein intersections and within vein stockwork systems. Drill holes are usually drilled at angles of -45 or -55 degrees to provide the best indication of the lateral extents of vertically oriented mineralization.
Quality Assurance
The company employs a system of quality control for drill results which includes the use of blanks, certified reference material (standards) and check assaying. Core is logged on site and split with a diamond saw. Samples are shipped to Pioneer Laboratories for geochemical analysis of copper with all values of greater than 1000 ppm copper being re-analysed by assay methods for copper, gold and silver. The drilling program is being supervised by Peter Holbek, M.Sc., P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Policy Instrument 43-101.
Source: Copper Mountain Mining Corporation