Astra Exploration Inc. (TSXV: ASTR) has identified three quartz vein float sample fields totalling 8.5 km with new zones identified in the west of the property under thin cover at Pampa Paciencia, its flagship gold-silver project in northern Chile.
Highlights
- Surface float samples up to 12.6 grams per tonne (g/t) gold equivalent (AuEq) three km northwest along strike with the Main Paciencia Vein in the North Zone
- Systematic trenching over the first drill target planned on the Paciencia Vein defines vein and breccia structure of 600 m in length and up to 22 m thick. These assay results are expected in late February
- Drilling programme to commence in late February
“Astra is moving very quickly at Pampa Paciencia ahead of the Company’s maiden drill programme. Today’s results reveal the Pampa Paciencia vein field potential is much larger with newly identified high-grade zones and many new drill targets defined,” CEO, Brian Miller, said.
“Trenching along the Paciencia Vein shows a wide vein and breccia structure extends 600 meters long where trench assays are expected shortly. Astra is fully funded for this programme, has a very tight share structure and is excited to be unlocking the potential within our Chilean gold portfolio.”
Exploration Program Discussion
Pampa Paciencia is a 3,840 ha road-access low-sulphidation epithermal (LSE) gold-silver project located within an active mining district less than 15 kilometers from two major mines (Sierra Gorda and Spence) and five km from the Faride LSE mine.
The current exploration programme has combined property-wide mapping and sampling, geophysical surveys, and localised trenching with the dual aims of defining a larger district and identifying the highest priority initial drill targets. Work to date indicates the presence of a large LSE system beneath a shallow cover of caliche and alluvial sediments.
Mapping and Sampling
Large areas of the property are beneath thin cover. By mapping quartz vein float samples (larger than 25 cm in diameter) Astra’s geologists are able to connect-the-dots with the help of geophysics to target “blind” mineralisation in veins below the shallow cover. Some of these vein floats returned high-grade precious metals (up to 11.35 g/t Au and 152 g/t Ag), significantly extending the prospective area to the west.
For context, Astra’s work has expanded mineralised float anomalies well-beyond the previously known surface anomalies.
Three main NW-SE trends are defined with these surface float anomalies: the North Zone (includes the North Zone and its extension west), the Central and South Zones (includes Central and South Zones and its extension west) and the Impaciencia (the same trend that extends to the past producing Faride mine five km southeast).
The best gold grades were concentrated in the North Zone belt, with relatively low silver-to-gold ratio (< 20). The Central and South Zone belts contained moderate gold equivalent grades of 1 to 2 ppm with an intermediate silver-to-gold ratio (five to 169). The moderation of grade coincides with the observed shallower quartz vein textures which could indicate preserved higher grades below.
The Impaciencia belt revealed a high silver-to-gold ratio (>700). Silver and base metals are concentrated in this southernmost belt, coinciding with the Faride vein system located to the southeast.
Geophysics
640 km of ground magnetic surveying reveals large magnetic lows interpreted as hydrothermal alteration related to the vein system. Linear magnetic lows are also common that are likely to be veins beneath the thin cover exploiting fractures in the host geology.
Linear magnetic low features have coincided well with confirmed vein structures and should prove a very useful tool for targeting additional structures. The main structural orientations are NW-SE, E-W and NE-SW, similar to those found in the Faride LSE mine.
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