World Copper Ltd. announced drill results from the Mancha Amarilla target at the Company’s Escalones Copper project in Central Chile (“Escalones” or the “Escalones Project“). The Escalones Project has estimated Inferred Mineral Resources of 426 million tonnes of 0.367% copper, based on nearly 25,000 metres of drill core from 53 holes (see news release dated August 23, 2021). World Copper has now completed 1,676 metres of additional drilling along the western-most, road accessible edge of the Mancha Amarilla zone, with the following highlights:
Successful completion of first target of Mancha Amarilla drilling, confirming copper oxide mineralization extends at least 150 metres south from previous drilling Oxidation extends to depths of 280 metres below the ridge, as predicted by modeling Confirmation of western flank of Mancha Amarilla mineralized zone with indications that the mineralization should improve eastward into the central areas of the zone CEO Nolan Peterson commented, “Since restarting work on the Escalones project, World Copper has focused on completing the preliminary economic assessment with respect to the existing Escalones resource, which was completed in February 2022, as well as expanding the Escalones’ mineral resource south into the adjacent previously untested Mancha Amarilla zone. With the completion of the first phase of the drill programme we have now confirmed what initial reviews indicated – that the Escalones resource has the potential to be significantly larger than its current definition, with oxide mineralization to similar depths as the main deposit. With the western edge of the Mancha Amarilla footprint defined, we now have clear targets for the next phase of drilling, aiming to increase the grade of the overall resource as we test the flanking skarn targets which exhibit some of the highest grades on the property.”
Mancha Amarilla Results
The aim of the Mancha Amarilla drill programme was to confirm and delineate continuous oxide copper mineralization in the Mancha Amarilla lithocap, which is located adjacent to and located immediately south of the existing mineral resource. Early drilling focused on the western edge and the East Skarn (Figure 1). The Mancha Amarilla lithocap has alteration mineralogy and geochemistry consistent with the weathered top of a porphyry system and extends one kilometre south from the area of the main Escalones deposit (Figure 1). The geology encountered in the recent drilling indicates the Mancha Amarilla lithocap is as deeply oxidized as the existing resource but thins southward as topography drops in elevation where calcareous lithologies dominate over intrusive units. The increase in grade eastward from hole ES-57 to ES-56 suggests the central area is more highly mineralized than the western flank. The last hole of the programme (ES-60) was collared in the East Skarn zone but was shut down early due to bad weather with the onset of winter. Table 1 summarizes the significant drill intersections from the programme and Figure 1 shows their locations within the Mancha Amarilla zone.
Figure 1: Escalones Mancha Amarilla drill results, interval with >0.1% Cu.
Table 1. Significant Drill results (total Cu) from the Mancha Amarilla Target; intervals over 0.1% Cu are bolded; all widths are true
Table 2. Drill collar details*
With over 3,000 metres remaining in the Escalones drill permit, World Copper intends to restart drilling at the East Skarn target (Figure 1) as soon as conditions allow. The East Skarn target overlies the Mancha Amarilla zone to the northeast of the completed drilling and has only had sparse drilling along the south edge (see news release dated August 12, 2021). Surface sampling by the Company indicates the sandstone host rocks of the East Skarn target are strongly mineralized with copper oxides at surface. Once drilling at the East Skarn target is complete, World Copper would aim to to move to the west side of the Meseta ridge and test the depth potential of high-grade copper skarn mineralization exposed by roads on the west flank of the central Meseta intrusion (the West Zone; Figure 1).
(Source: Press Releases – www.worldcopperltd.com/world-copper-announces-results-from-mancha-amarilla-drilling-confirms-extension-of-mineralization-at-escalones-project-in-chile/)
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