Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSXV: BAY) has obtained further successful drilling and geophysical results from the Storm Copper Project on Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada.
This is the second drilling programme for American West Metals Limited, who are the project operator, since entering an option agreement with Aston Bay in March 2021.
The Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling programme is continuing at the 4100N Zone, with a focus on defining a maiden copper resource for the near-surface copper mineralization within the Storm Project.
The Moving Loop Electromagnetic (MLEM) survey will be completed shortly at the 4100N Zone, with several new conductors identified and being assessed for drilling. The MLEM survey will then commence at the Tempest Prospect, an underexplored copper prospect approximately 40km south of Storm. The ground gravity survey has been completed with final processing of data underway, with diamond drilling scheduled to test the deeper sedimentary-hosted copper system.
Visual estimates of mineral abundance should never be considered a proxy or substitute for laboratory analyses where concentrations or grades are the factor of principal economic interest. Laboratory assays are required to determine the presence and grade of any contained mineralization within the reported visual intersections of copper sulphides. Portable XRF is used as an aid in the determination of mineral type and abundance during the geological logging process.
“This is impressive progress by our partner American West Metals in this ambitious exploration programme,” CEO, Thomas Ullrich, said.
“Drilling is progressing quickly with all drill holes intersecting significant lengths of copper sulphide mineralization as noted in the visual logs. The conductive anomaly at the 4100N Zone is proving to be an excellent predictor of sulphide mineralization.
“We look forward to the continued drilling that will further test this conductor, as well as additional results from the ongoing geophysical programme at the 4100N Zone and at the untested Tempest Prospect to the south.”
Resource Potential Growing
Five additional drill holes have been completed at the 4100N Zone and continue to highlight the significant resource potential of the near-surface mineralization at Storm. All nine drill holes completed to date within the current programme have intersected thick intervals of visual sulphides, which have been confirmed to contain copper based on portable XRF analysis.
The mineralized footprint at the 4100N Zone has been shown by historical drilling to extend over an area of approximately 32 hectares. The company believes there is an outstanding opportunity to define a significant near-surface resource base that could support an initial low-cost, open-pit mining operation.
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