American West Metals Limited (ASX: AW1) has revealed outstanding visual results for the first two diamond drill holes completed by the company at the Storm Copper Project on Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada.
“We are very pleased to report on the successful completion of the first drill holes completed by American West Metals at the Storm Copper Project,” Dave O’Neill, Managing Director of American West Metals, said.
“The drilling has immediately produced spectacular results with over 72m of visual mineralisation intersected in drill hole ST22-01, and over 81m in ST22-02.
“The results from these holes are significant as they show strong continuity between the thick historical copper intersections at the 2750N Zone where we are aiming to define a shallow, high-grade copper resource that can support a low-footprint direct shipping ore (DSO) mining proposal.
“Initial ore sorting test work on Storm mineralisation produced a commercial grade DSO product with a copper grade of more than 53% copper and no impurities through a simple and low-cost process.
“The DSO opportunity is an absolute game-changer for Storm that provides potential to produce a high-value product through a low-cost and low footprint development option.
“Drilling at Storm is continuing with further resource definition drilling planned as well as drilling to test new EM conductors that have the potential to deliver more massive sulphide discoveries.
“The onsite team is doing a fantastic job executing this important drill program, and we look forward to reporting more news as drilling progresses.”
Drill holes ST22-01 and ST22-02 have successfully intersected thick zones of breccia and massive chalcocite (copper sulphide) hosted within much broader intervals of vein and fracture style copper mineralisation.
A total of 72.1m of visual copper mineralisation was intersected in ST22-01, with 81.22m of visual copper mineralisation intersected in ST22-02. Laboratory assays are pending and required to confirm the copper content in the drill core.
The drill holes are part of the extensional and resource definition drilling program for the 2750N Zone where historical drilling has encountered significant copper mineralisation, including 110m at 2.45% Cu from surface (drill hole ST97-08), and 56.3m @ 3.07% Cu from 12.2m (drill hole ST99-19).
Significantly, the 2750N Zone copper mineralisation remains open at depth and along strike with further drilling planned. The results from ST22-01 and ST22-02 confirm the continuity of the near surface mineralisation in this area and provide strong support for the potential to delineate a shallow, high-grade resource at the 2750N Zone.
The 2750N Zone is the focus of initial resource work to define resources for a potential open-pit direct shipping ore (DSO) mining operation. Initial ore sorting test work on mineralisation from Storm generated a DSO product grading more than 53% Cu.
The combination of high-grade and shallow mineralisation at Storm provides a potential pathway to a very low footprint, ESG sensitive mining operation with low capital and operating costs.
For further information please visit: https://www.americanwestmetals.com
