If copper mineralization at Zaruma Resources’ (ZMR-T, ZMRAF-O) Luz del Cobre deposit, in Sonora, Mexico, keeps expanding, the company could extend the project’s mine life beyond its current five to six years.
Zaruma has been drilling around the deposit, at its San Antonio property, where an open-pit mine with a heap-leach, solvent extraction-electrowinning plant is already under construction.
The company has had positive results both to the southwest and northwest of Luz del Cobre. Some highlights from the Trion-Luz del Cobre on the southwest end included intersections of 15.7 metres grading 1% copper, 18.45 metres grading 0.79% copper and 30.03 metres of 0.63% copper.
And about 200 metres northwest of Luz del Cobre is the newly discovered Calvario zone.
The company says that partial assay results from many of the unreported holes strongly suggest that Calvario has the potential to add to minable resources at Luz del Cobre. It also looks like the mineralization could connect with Luz del Cobre.
Drill results so far include a 9.8- metre intersection grading 0.94% copper, 31.4 metres grading 0.61% copper and 9.2 metres grading 0.38% copper.
The limits of Calvario are still undefined, the company says. The near-surface oxide and supergene sulphide copper mineralization appears to occur as a blanket-type body of varying thickness. The body has been partially tested for about 200 metres along a northwesterly axis and has an open width of at least 100 metres.
Once Zaruma has all the assay results from Calvario, it plans to update its resource estimate — likely in the second quarter.
Zaruma hopes the new resource estimate will allow it to increase Luz del Cobre’s mine life, currently estimated at five to six years with production of 15 million lbs. cathode copper per year.
Currently, reserves stand at 4.3 million tonnes grading 1% copper for 94.2 million contained pounds copper.
Be the first to comment on "Zaruma links deposits at Luz del Cobre"