Announce 57m at 2.5% Cu from 8m at Storm, Canada
Perth, Sep 8, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - American West Metals Limited (
ASX:AW1) is pleased to announce further outstanding assay results for the diamond drilling program by the Company at the Storm Copper Project (Storm or the Project) on Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada.
- Drill hole ST22-02 has intersected:
- 57m @ 2.5% Cu from 8m downhole, including;
o 1m @ 21.9% Cu from 14m downhole, and;
o 8m @ 7.86% Cu from 29m downhole, including;
- 3m @ 12.12% Cu from 34m downhole, and;
o 2m @ 10.24% Cu from 48m downhole
- Result further confirms continuity of the near surface high-grade copper at the 2750N Zone
- Further assays for Storm are pending with more results expected in the coming weeks
Dave O'Neill, Managing Director of American West Metals commented:
"Assays continue to return spectacular copper intersections at the 2750N Zone.
"ST22-02 has intersected thick, high-grade copper just 8m from surface again highlighting the quality and shallow nature of copper sulphide mineralisation at the 2750N Zone.
"Results from the 2750N Zone are quickly confirming the potential for a high-grade open pit and DSO mining operation with outstanding expansion opportunities.
"We are also eagerly awaiting the results for drill hole ST22-10, which has intersected a thick sequence of sedimentary copper mineralisation below the shallow high-grade zones. We believe this new style of copper deposit at Storm is a game changing discovery, which may have huge implications for the copper endowment in the region.
"This year's drilling program is exceeding our expectations, and we are clearly defining two exciting growth stories within the Storm Project.
"Further results are expected soon and we look forward to reporting on these in the coming weeks."
DRILL HOLE ST22-02 DETAILS
ST22-02 was drilled to a downhole depth of 155m and was designed to test the continuity of the copper mineralisation in the central 2750N Zone (Figure 1*).
The drill hole intersected a broad, 83m zone of vein and fracture style copper sulphide mineralisation from approximately 5m downhole. The volume of copper sulphide throughout the interval is variable and is controlled by the intensity of rock fracturing within the broader fault zone.
The stronger mineralisation in ST22-02 (and throughout the 2750N Zone) consists of massive and semi-massive chalcocite and/or bornite and is hosted within large fractures and breccia zones. The stronger zones within ST22-02 occur between 14m and 15m (21.9% Cu), 29m and 37m (7.86% Cu), 48m and 50m (10.24% Cu), 53m and 56m (3.07% Cu), 82m and 83m (3.93% Cu) and 87m and 88m (4.97% Cu) downhole (Table 1 & Figure 2*).
The remaining half-core from ST22-02 will be used for beneficiation and metallurgical test work to produce a direct shipping ore (DSO) product from the 2750N Zone mineralisation.
Table 1* summarises the significant intersections from ST22-02. Intersections are expressed as downhole widths and are interpreted to be approximately 90% of true width. A cut-off grade of 0.5% copper is used to define a significant intersection and is based on ore mineralogy, mineralisation habit and expected beneficiation performance.
DRILL HOLE ST22-01 DETAILS
ST22-01 was drilled to a downhole depth of 128m and was also designed to test the continuity of the copper mineralisation in the central 2750N Zone (Figure 1*).
An 18m wide zone of copper mineralisation was intersected in ST22-01, which appears to have been part of a much thicker intersection that has been truncated by a high-angle fault (Figure 4*).
The preserved copper rich portion of the interval lies on the interpreted footwall of the fault, and appears identical to that in drill hole ST22-02, with massive and breccia sulphides in places over 10% copper. The upper, hanging wall zone of the mineralised interval contains dark grey sooty iron oxides (after pyrite) and intermittent copper sulphides.
The strong presence of fine grained and sooty pyrite, highly fractured dolomite and weathered nature of the rock package all confirm the presence of a late-stage structure which has likely offset the mineralisation on this drill section (Figure 3). Other examples of these north-south oriented faults can be seen at surface and appear as weathered gullies, one of which is present to the immediate west of the 2750N Zone (Figure 1*).
Further drilling either side of this section will define the displacement direction of the typically wide (approx. 50m) zone of mineralisation in this part of the ore system.
Table 2* summarises the significant intersections from ST22-01. Intersections are expressed as downhole widths and are interpreted to be approximately 90% of true width. A cut-off grade of 0.5% copper is used to define a significant intersection and is based on ore mineralogy, mineralisation habit and expected beneficiation performance.
2750N ZONE: ADVANCING TO A MAIDEN RESOURCE
All drill holes completed at the 2750N Zone have successfully intersected thick zones of breccia and/or massive copper sulphides (mostly chalcocite) hosted within much broader intervals of vein and fracture style mineralisation.
Of the total of 1,534m drilled during the 2022 program, 997m has been completed at the shallow and high-grade 2750N Zone. The drilling has failed to close off the mineralisation which is over 200m in strike and remains open to the east and west, and at depth.
There is excellent potential for further extensions to the 2750N Zone with strong copper anomalism in soils and rock chips along strike for over 1km from the known mineralisation. Massive chalcocite has been mapped in outcrop to the west of the 2750N Zone, with assays of rock chips up to 62% copper (Figure 5*).
FORWARD PROGRAM
Work will continue to progress the near-surface mine development and exploration/discovery paths for the Storm Project in parallel.
Further diamond drilling is planned to expand the shallow, high-grade 2750N Zone, and to define initial resources at the 4100N and 2200N Zones where shallow high-grade copper mineralisation has also been intersected in historical drilling.
Exploration activities including drilling and geophysics are also planned to follow-up the significant new discovery of sediment hosted style copper mineralisation, which is associated with a large EM anomaly to the west of the previously recognized and highly mineralised 4100N Zone (see our ASX Release dated 23 August 2022 - Major Copper Discovery at Storm). With six EM anomalies similar to that intersected remaining to be tested, there is strong potential for multiple large-scale mineral system to occur at these deeper levels.
Beneficiation and metallurgical test work will soon commence on drill core (ST22-02) from this year's program.
The aim of this work is to create a definitive flow sheet for a direct shipping ore (DSO) operation from the 2750N Zone mineralisation. Previous test work on Storm drill core has produced a >53% copper DSO product using a full-scale ore sorter and with no further processing or optimisation (see our ASX Release dated 11 April 2022 - Over 53% Cu Direct Shipping Ore Generated at Storm Copper).
*To view tables and figures, please visit:
https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/G4FWZPJ2
About American West Metals Limited
American West Metals Limited (ASX:AW1) is a new Australian company focused on growth through the discovery and development of major base metal mineral deposits in Tier 1 jurisdictions of North America. We are a progressive mining company focused on developing mines that have a low-footprint and support the global energy transformation.
Our portfolio of copper and zinc projects include significant existing resource inventories and high-grade mineralisation that can generate robust mining proposals. Core to our approach is our commitment to the ethical extraction and processing of minerals and making a meaningful contribution to the communities where our projects are located.
Led by a highly experienced leadership team, our strategic initiatives lay the foundation for a sustainable business which aims to deliver high-multiplier returns on shareholder investment and economic benefits to all stakeholders.
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